International Humanist and Ethical Union

A new Joint Declaration signed by IHEU member organization Libre Pensée and the Ligue de l’Enseignement sets out their absolute opposition to legislation that aims to dilute the historic separation of religion and state established by French law in 1905. The Joint Declaration also opposes all discriminatory legislation and the funding of private education from the public purse. The joint signatories have agreed to continue their discussions to seek convergence in the cause of secularism. They propose to open these meetings to all secular organisations, in order to build a coalition to defend secularism both in schools and the State.

IHEU's French member organization Libre Pensée has condemned the decision of the Paris local goverment to name a square after John Paul II, and is organizing a protest meeting at the Paris Mairie. The Libre Pensée press release and an English translation are provided here.

South Australian Democrat MP Sandra Kanck has published a speech made to the South Australian parliament about euthanasia on a New Zealand site after the parliament voted to censor its own proceedings on its own web site.

After a 10-year campaign by members of IHEU member organization UHASSO, the Ugandan goverment has banned corporal punishment in all schools in the country.

Deo Ssekitooleko of UHASSO writes: "We are happy to report that Uganda's ministry of education has officially banned the use of violence to punish Ugandan school-going children. Ten years ago, UHASSO pioneer members started a project to campaign against such forms of punishment in schools, through seminars in Teachers' colleges. Common sense finally seems to have prevailed and the government has made an important step forward in the protection of human dignity."

IHEU member organization Humanist and Ethical Union of Kenya organized its third annual conference this year, from May 23rd to 25th at Serena Hotel, Nairobi. It was a resounding success! From an initial ‘toe in the water’ plan for 25 undergraduates to meet up and discuss papers, the conference grew to a grand total of 50 undergraduates from three countries and 20 universities, four postgraduate respondents, and one internationally-renowned speaker, Hon. Raila Odinga, Chairman for the Liberal Democratic Party of Kenya.

The UN Human Rights Council met in emergency session on 11th August to consider a resolution sponsored by members of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference and the Arab League condemning Israel for the illegal bombing of innocent civilians in Lebanon.

The Council of Europe has come down on the side of free expression after it rejected calls from religious groups to introduce new legislation to protect them from insult and offence. IHEU member organization The National Secular Society was prominent at a seminar in which the Council of Europe gathered evidence for its report.

State, Secularism and the Humanist Challenge - Stockholm, Sweden, Friday 10 - Sunday 12 November 2006

Register online at the Humanisterna web site.

Session Themes include Secularism and the Modern State; World Value Survey and the Baltic Sea Region; State and Church in Northern Europe; Secularism, Tolerance and the Freedom of Speech; Humanism and the Media; The Struggle for Moral Education without Religion; The Meaning of Humanism, Secularism, Religion and other Life Stance related concepts.

IHEU is pleased to report on recent, very encouraging discussions with HIVOS as regards future cooperation in the light of IHEU’s new plans for Growth and Development.

Libre Pensée of Cameroon has announced a conference to be held in Africa on 17-19 January 2007, on the theme: Humanists, Laiques and Freethinkers: towards a true enlightenment for Africa?

La Libre Pensée, daughter of the enlightenment and the evolution of ideas of emancipation, since the 19th century, has always fought against all forms of economic, political and religious oppression. La Libre Pensée defends the idea that there can be no democracy without separation of temporal and the spiritual powers.