Sent: Thursday, November 01,
2007 3:44 PM
Subject: IHEU November 2007 update
This is a monthly update of news from
International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU). You can find the full
versions of these news stories on our web site
17th World Humanist Congress 2008
- register now!
IHEU in association with member organization
American Humanist Association announces the 17th Humanist World Congress
to be held in Washington, DC, USA on June 6-8, 2008. The Congress theme
is “E Pluribus Unum: Reclaiming Humanist Values”. You can register
now for the Congress on the event web site, which includes the provisional
programme and details of transportation and accommodation. Read more
IHEU makes recommendations on religious
freedom to the Council of Europe
IHEU has followed up its presentation
to the Council of Europe’s San Marino conference “The religious
dimension of intercultural dialogue” with a massive written submission
containing 40 specific recommendations. The paper was prepared in conjunction
with the UK National Secular Society. It is also available in the original
form, complete with contents and footnotes, as a PDF file for download
below. Read more
Intersecting Human Rights Crises:
Organ Transplantation and Organ Trafficking
Tuesday, December 11, 2007 5:30 –
7:30 PM - 2nd Floor, 777 UN Plaza, (corner of 44th St. and 1st Ave.)
New York, NY 10017, USA - A Cocktail Reception to follow from 8:00 –
10:00 PM hosted by the Consulate General of Romania, 203 E.38th Street,
New York, NY Read more
IHEU comments on Islamophobia report
IHEU has called a UN Human Rights
Council Special Rapporteur’s report on Islamophobia “seriously flawed”.
Read more
Free Humanist education now available
online
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. The Continuum
of Humanist Education (COHE) is the world’s first online, interactive
Humanist educational program. The Institute for Humanist Studies founded
COHE in 2004. Read more
IHEU endorses statement to UN on defamation
of religion
In a statement to the UN Human Rights
Council, endorsed by IHEU, World Population Foundation representative
Diana Brown called on the Council to defend the human rights of all
and not to attempt to defend religions against the human rights of people.
Read more
IHEU launches science education program
in India
IHEU has made a strong start to its
campaign against popular superstition with the launch on 27 August 2007
of a unique Science Education Program in India. The project is managed
by two IHEU member organisations, the Social Development Foundation
(SDF) and the Indian Radical Humanist Association (IRHA), and has been
fully funded by IHEU in the amount of 6,000 Euros. The Science Education
Program will engage the services of a full time resource person, deliver
anti-superstition activist training in several parts of India and also
adopt five villages and five village schools in remote areas of Nalgonda,
one of the most backward districts of Andhra Pradesh
state. At a conservative estimate,
the project will have a direct and long-term impact on 500 school-going
children and 7,500 adults. Read more
IHEU speaks out at the UN on freedom
of religion and freedom of expression
Speaking at the United Nations Human
Rights Council, IHEU has called for a clear distinction to be drawn
between protection for the rights of believers and attempts to protect
ideas, beliefs and practices from legitimate criticism. Read more
Global Safe Abortion Conference 2007
The Global Safe Abortion Conference
2007 organised by three NGOs: Marie Stopes International, Ipas and Abortion
Rights, was held at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London
on 23 and 24 October. The conference addressed both national and international
issues surrounding abortion, focusing on rights, access, advocacy and
funding. The conference marked the 40th anniversary (27 October, 2007)
of the United Kingdom’s 1967 Abortion Act. Read more
From the UN: the challenge of climate
change
Thanks to almost-president Gore, Katrina,
and the UN’s accumulation of warnings from scientists all over the
world, climate change can no longer be ignored. The new UN Secretary-General
Ban Ki-Moon has placed the potential impact of climate change first
on his agenda. The UN’s annual major General Assembly in September
adopted climate change as its central theme. Read more
NGOs gagged again at UN Human Rights
Council
IHEU was prevented from speaking following
the Special Rapporteur on Racism, Doudou Diene’s report on “Islamophobia”.
Only four NGOs were able to speak in the total of 10 minutes allotted
to NGOs. NGO participation at the HRC is becoming more myth than reality.
Read more
IHEU-HIVOS 2007 grants programme
Applications for funding under the
2007 grants programme closed on 30 September 2007. Read more
IHEU speaks out on freedom of religion
and freedom of expression at the UN Human Rights Council
In the “interactive dialogue”
following a presentation on Freedom of Religion or Belief by Special
Rapporteur, Asma Jahangir, IHEU defended freedom of expression and highlighted
the distinction between protection for the rights of believers, and illegitimate
attempts to protect ideas, beliefs and practices from valid criticism.
Read more
This issue
Due to staff vacations, there was
no October update. Sorry. This issue includes last month’s updates.
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