IHEU has embarked on the vital task of promoting Humanism in South Asia and in Africa where Humanism, human values and science are most urgently needed. IHEU will strengthen its member organisations in these regions, and raise funds for humanist projects.

IHEU needs the funds to make this a grand success. You can help by becoming a paid-up supporter of IHEU.

Please send your form to the office in London, or e mail us. You may also pay securely via IHEU’s website using a credit or a debit card.

Eze Dr. Enyeribe Onuoha, traditional Head of the Umuchieze people has been elected Chair of the Nigerian Humanist Movement (NHM).

The erudite Dr. Onuoha, whose official title is His Royal Highness, was IHEU’s invited-speaker from Nigeria at the World Humanist Congress in Paris. He started as a clergy man, but abandoned his Roman Catholic faith in favour of Humanism.

After his election as Chair of NHM, Dr.

At its recent meeting in Oostende, Belgium, the Annual Planning meeting of the IHEU’s EC issued a 5 year Strategic plan.
Extracts:
Mission: The mission of IHEU is to build and represent the global humanist movement that defends human rights and promotes humanist values world- wide.

Aims: The long term strategic aims of IHEU are:
l To promote Humanism as a non-theistic life stance throughout the world.

SYMPOSIUM 1848-2008 – 22, 23 and 24 March 2008 – Sorbonne, Paris

2008 marks the 160th anniversary of the 1848 Revolution, as well as that of the birth of the first free- thinking circles.

1848 is an important year in French history – it marked the end of the monarchy in France, the abolition of slavery, the establishment of universal male franchise and the assertion of the right to work, among others. It was also a year of bloody confrontation between the two Republics: the “Marianne” and the “Sociale”.

Location:
In the Baltic Sea Region. (Northern Poland, Southern Finland, North-Eastern Germany, Eastern Denmark, South- or Middle-Sweden).

Participants:
30 to 80 young people between the age of 15 and 26 (Camp-leaders of the age up to 45) from Humanist Associations from The Baltic Republics, Poland, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Iceland.

Over One Million Visitors in 12 Months!

IHEU’s website received over 1.1 million visitors in the last twelve months – and they viewed over 4.5 million pages between them!

IHEU’s website is today the world’s best resource on International Humanism with over 2000 documents in several languages, an efficient search function, regularly updated news items as well as several years of International Humanist News which can be downloaded as PDF files free of cost.

Humanist Chaplaincy 30th Anniversary Gala Symposium - Friday 20 April and Saturday 21 April, 2007 - Harvard University - A galaxy of distinguished Humanist celebrities!

Three decades ago Tom Ferrick founded the Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard University. Tom then led the Chaplaincy to become a permanent, endowed position at Harvard, and on April 20 and 21, 2007 there will be a celebration of 30 years of his service to Harvard and Humanism.

1st International Secular Conference in Francophone Africa – 17, 18 and 19 January 2007

Inauguration and 1st day of Conference at University of Yaounde
2nd and 3rd day at Classic High School, Ebolowa town

Confirmed speakers include Dan Barker, Leo Igwe, Babu Gogineni, Bobbie Kirkhart, Xavier Yav, Josh Kutchinsky, Ginette Ashkenazy, Schreiber and Taslima Nasrin.

Few people know that untouchability existed in Spain and in France just a few hundred years ago. Today, despite her tainted past of colonialism, and the shameful responsibility for starting two world wars, Europe can boast of one of the most peaceful and egalitarian societies in the world. Untouchability has been so thoroughly eradicated there that few in Europe even know that it ever existed on the continent. There is no reason the same level of cultural development cannot be achieved elsewhere in the world where this terrible practice persists – in the Indian sub-continent, in Japan and in Nigeria. But before these societies can cherish the values of equality and establish true democracies, they need to first undergo the same kind of historical transformation that the Enlightenment made possible in Europe. Humanism, Human values and the flourishing of the scientific temper can help in the process of modernisation. It will be for the organized humanist movement to help make this happen, and IHEU has created the means to support international humanist activism.

Heed the Cry for Peace

The Middle East is once again the scene of bombings, and the theatre for the death of many civilians, including babies. The entire region is devastated by violence, and both sides are affected. Of course, this is a very complicated war, and we all know which side is right or wrong, depending on the side one has chosen! What is more: both sides have reasons to think they are right! Such certainty is common whenever there is a conflict, or even when there is serious disagreement over an issue. The real problem is that in this festering slow war in the region, both sides are convinced that they can solve the problem only by using bombs. The bombs are getting stronger by the day, the violence is getting more mindless, and the leaders are taking more hard line positions than ever.