News
30 June 2009
David Pollock and Rob Buitenweg represented the EHF at a working lunch in the Berlaymont building in Brussels on Friday 26 June 2009 between the Presidents of the Commission and Parliament, two other Commissioners and various officials and a variety of other non-confessional organisations, listed in a press release issued by the Commission in advance of the event. [Also in French and German.] David Pollock said afterwards: “This was a distinctly odd occasion, with no… read more »
‘Teaching religious and convictional facts – a tool for acquiring knowledge about religions and beliefs in education: a contribution to education for democratic citizenship, human rights and intercultural dialogue’ Report by Andrew Copson on the Council of Europe 2009 ‘San Marino’ colloquium I attended this exchange on behalf of the European Humanist Federation. Also attending as representatives of non-religious convictions (which, strangely, is the phrase the council is using in English rather than ‘beliefs’, even… read more »
23 June 2009
Georges Liénard at the Open Meeting The General Assembly of 2009 marked the retirement from the Board of its General Secretary for the past nine years, Georges Liénard. President David Pollock said that Georges had done a magnificent job for EHF, taking it through the turmoil of the debates on a European constitution during which he had produced a very large number of wide-ranging responses to EU consultations, working with experts he had recruited… read more »
The open meeting before the 2009 General Assembly was devoted to two topics. In the first session, Vera Pegna spoke on The rule of law and why it matters to humanists and secularists. The EHF’s policy on rule of law is here. In the second session, John Keast, an advisor to the British government on educational matters and especially education concerning lifestances and ethics, spoke to us on The Religious Dimension of Intercultural Education. He… read more »
EHF appeals to President of Lithuania – he vetoes homophobic law but is overruled We sent an urgent email to Valdas Adamkus, President of Lithuania, on 23 June 2009 asking him to veto an act passed by the Lithuanian parliament that classes information about LGB (lesbian, gay and bisexual) relationships as a danger to minors and limits its dissemination. We alerted our member organisations and supporters and about a dozen of them also wrote to… read more »
16 June 2009
World Humanist Day on June 21 will be celebrated by the Dutch Humanists in an unusual way. The Dutch humanist broadcasting service, HUMAN, and the broadcaster VPRO have worked together with the humanist NGO Hivos to create five short films in which humanism, as a practical, life-affirming philosophy takes centre stage. These shorts follow five individuals from Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Turkey, and China who shape their lives, regardless of governmental or other extrinsic powers…. read more »
7 June 2009
This is re-produced with permission directly from Ed’s Elite Blog. Darwin, Humanism and Science On Saturday I had the good fortune to be able to attend a conference entitled “Darwin, Humanism and Science”, held at London’s Conway Hall. For those not able to attend here is a short roundup of what happened: Richard Dawkins starts us off The conference kicked off with a quick introduction from BHA President Polly Toynbee, after which Professor Dawkins took… read more »
6 June 2009
Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1E 6HD This conference was jointly sponsored by the EHF, the British Humanist Association (BHA), the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) the South Place Ethical Society (SPES) to celebrate ‘Darwin 200’ – the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of ‘On the Origin of Species’. See here an enthusiastic report on a blog about the conference. PROGRAMME 10.00 Welcome from… read more »
5 June 2009
Luc Devuyst chats with EHF President David Pollock Presentation by Luc Devuyst, secretary general, RIBZ at the Open Meeting on 5 June 2009 Preliminary remarks: In 1959 a school-pact was signed by the different political parties and adopted by the Parliament by which the parents of pupils in public schools have the right to choose a specific life-stance course: a religious one or a non-confessional one. At the beginning of each school-year parents can change… read more »
Presentation by John Keast (UK contributor to the Council of Europe project on religious dimension of intercultural education) at the Open Meeting on 5 June 2009 The purposes of this presentation are, firstly, to disseminate information about work I have been involved in with the Council of Europe and the Anna Lindh Foundation, and secondly to identify issues concerning religion, education and dialogue. The Reference Book had a long gestation period from 9/11. It began with… read more »