Every school in England and Wales is to receive a free DVD of “Growing Up in the Universe”, Professor Richard Dawkins’s 1991 Royal Institution Christmas Lectures for children. The DVD is being distributed by the British Humanist Association with funding from the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species. To accompany the DVDs, three free lesson plans, “What is Science for?”, “Isn’t Evolution Improbable?” and “Design your own Organisms!” have been developed for teachers. See www.humanistgrid.net/guu

Richard Dawkins, evolutionary biologist and internationally renowned atheist, sceptic and humanist is to receive an award for his ‘work in promoting reason and science worldwide’ on 6th June during an international gathering of humanist organisations from all over the world. The award is being given by the British Humanist Association (BHA) and the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) following a conference during the day on ‘Darwin, Humanism and Science’, at which Professor Dawkins is a key speaker.

IHEU's popular free webinar for Humanist leaders on how the media works and how to work the media is now available on this web site as a streamed Internet recording, including both the visual materials and the interactive soundtrack.

The decision of the Australian branch of the World Conference of Religions for Peace (WCRP), which acts for the (State) Government of Victoria, Australia, to accredit tuition in government schools by the non-Christian religions, prompted the Humanist Society of Victoria to prepare an ethics lesson plan for assessment. If approved, the lessons will begin in 2009.

One country that could have made a great impact on the propagation of Humanism as a practical discipline in Africa is Kenya. A country that has been confirmed by archaeologists to be the origin of mankind, (the works of the Leakey family), yet didn’t possess a Humanist organisation, not until 2004.

A free recorded version of the webinar is now available. IHEU has received a great deal of interest in its first ever free webinar / telesummit for humanist leaders. Humanist leaders from almost twenty nations have already signed up to learn how the media works… and how they can work the media. We now have an FAQ / Q&A. Register now!

If you are a group seeking to grow membership and influence public opinion, nothing beats media coverage. Good stories – whether in print, broadcast media or the Web – raise public awareness, attract supporters, and lend credibility to your mission. And best of all, it’s free! IHEU is organizing a free interactive online webinar open to Humanists worldwide to learn the secrets of effective publicity.

Babu Gogineni writes: Burnt houses. Abandoned homes. Dead cattle. Terrified villagers. Ruined lives. Perplexed administration. Opportunistic politicians. This was what our team of six Humanists and Rationalists encountered in Morampally village in Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh state in South India.

IHEU member organization the Institute for Humanist Studies has made its online e-learning materials on Humanism freely available to all. Starting now, anyone with an Internet connection anywhere in the world can learn about Humanism for free.

For those who like mysteries the Irish education system is as good as any other; after eight years living here it is still something of a quandary wrapped in an enigma to me.