On the occasion of the recent visit to France of Pope Benedict XVI, an international secularist rally was held in Paris at the Japy Hall on September 14, 2008. It was a landmark event of secularist activity during Pope Benedict's visit. This rally was the result of a long and sustained effort by the French Free Thought Federation to unite secularist associations in defence of the 1905 Law separating religion from state. It followed the demonstration of December 10, 2005 on the hundredth anniversary of the law of Separation of the Churches and the State, and the report of the Estates General of December 9, 2006 which drew up the inventory of all the public funds embezzled for the benefit of religions. This inventory proved that at least €10 billion of public funds are allocated every year to religions, through different channels, the major part being taken by the Roman Catholic Church.

Marc Blondel, President of the French Libre Pensée, chaired the rally which was attended by organisations from around the world.