In 1996, the IHEU General Assembly adopted the following resolution. Any organisation wishing to become a member of IHEU is now obliged to signify its acceptance of this statement:

Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities. It is not theistic, and it does not accept supernatural views of reality.

In 1952, at the first World Humanist Congress, the founding fathers of IHEU agreed a statement of the fundamental principles of modern Humanism. They called it "The Amsterdam Declaration". That declaration was a child of its time: set in the world of great power politics and the Cold War.

As a life stance rooted in rational thinking, modern Humanism provides a way of understanding our universe in naturalistic rather than in supernatural terms. It offers men and women, both as individuals and as members of society, a secular ethics grounded in human values.

This Board calls on all humanist individuals and organisations to be tolerant of each other's conceptions of humanism; and in particular, where ideas of other groups are within the basic statement on humanism, it calls on humanists to refrain from implying that these ideas are not truly humanism.

Board of Directors 1989

Endorsed by Harold Blackham, Levi Fragell, Corliss Lamont, Harry Stopes-Roe and Rob Tielman

To be recognised and respected Humanism needs an identity. At present our identity is not evident, or at best it is blurred. How can Humanists help to change this state of affairs? We propose three practical policies: two small and simple which may yet prove influential; one directed to the basic nature of ‘the Humanist identity’:

This congress is a response to the wide spread demand for an alternative to the religions which claim to be based on revelation on the one hand, and totalitarian systems on the other.

EL MODO DE SER HUMANISTA

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Como una opción de vida basada en el pensamiento racional, el humanismo moderno provée una manera de comprender nuestro universo en términos naturales en lugar de sobrenaturales.  Ofrece a mujeres y hombres, como individuos y como miembros de la sociedad, una ética secular basada en valores humanos.

Inspirados en su legado racionalista y librepensador, los humanistas rechazan las autoridades absolutas y las sabidurías reveladas.  Consideran que la experiencia humana es la única fuente de conocimiento y de ética.  Los humanistas creen en la coherencia intelectual, y no permiten que la costumbre reemplace a la conciencia.  Promueven la libre investigación -que es la base del espíritu científico-, y como una filosofía viva se enriquece constantemente del progreso del conocimiento.

POUR UN MONDE HUMANISTE

La voie humaniste

Enraciné dans une pensée rationnelle, l'humanisme contemporain offre un mode naturaliste de compréhension de l'univers face aux interprétations surnaturelles.

HUMANISMUS FUR DIE WELT

Die Internationale Humanistische und Ethische Union (IHEU)

Moderner Humanismus ist eine Lebensauffassung, die im rationalen Denken begründet ist Er vermittelt ein naturwissenschaftliches Verständnis unseres Universums, bemüht keine übernatürliche Erklärungen.

Both humanism and secularism have in common the pursuit, for all people, of ways in which they can live peacefully together, irrespective of ethnic or social origin, religious or philosophical opinions:

* By respecting the alienable dignity of each human being;

* By creating, for all, the ways to attain the basic rights, such as freedom of thought and opinion, freedom of association and movement....the right to health care, to peace, to education....