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ANNUAL REPORT 2017 FOREWORD 01 The overall theme of the year can be summarised in one word: growth. Foreword 01 2017 was a busy year for Humanists International. number of Member Organizations in Latin America, The overall theme of the year can be summarised in launching our first ever crowdfunding campaign Introduction 02 one word: growth. (which raised over £10,000) and continuing our groundbreaking work with the United Nations Our People 04 This year has seen our increased number of institutions to protect and promote the rights of professional staff become a strong working team, humanists. which the Board is happy to see develop and grow. Our work under our strategic aims I would like to take this chance, on behalf of the Once again, thank you to our members and We will have successful and sustainable Board, to thank the staff for their hard work over supporters. We cannot do it without you. member organisations in every part of the world 06 the course of the year. We will create a coordinated global movement 2017 saw the successful implementation of by supporting and developing our network 10 the Board’s growth and development strategy, along with new policies to ensure global diversity We will influence and shape international within our own Board, meaning that Humanists Andrew Copson and regional government policies 16 International is now becoming a truly global and President representative organization. We will have sufficient reputation, resources, and effectiveness to achieve our objectives 22 In 2017 the Board also reviewed and updated our strategy. We succeeded in simplifying the language and enhancing the focus on key issues of International Humanist and Ethical Youth importance to the global humanist family.You can Organization (IHEYO) 28 read about these important changes at iheu.org/ strategy. This report outlines the incredible work of our organization in the last year, from doubling the 02 INTRODUCTION THE OBJECTIVES OF HUMANISTS INTERNATIONAL 03 Since 1952 Humanists International has been the global representative body of the humanist movement, uniting a diversity of non-religious organizations and individuals. We want everyone to live a life of dignity in a world where universal human rights are respected and I am delighted to share this 2017 edition of our to the Council of Europe. David has served the Annual Report with you. international humanist community for many years with great distinction. protected, and where states uphold 2017 was a busy year packed with exciting new activities, and characterised by strong growth of This is also the first Annual Report that features secularism. humanism in our priority regions of Latin America, our new trading name of Humanists International, Africa and Asia. and our exciting new branding. Our new branding combines a respect for the universal symbolism This planned and structured growth is borne of of Humanism, the ‘Happy Human’, with a bold and innovative renewed engagement with our Member energetic new style. Organizations and supporters around the world. We work to build, support and Thank you again for your support. In particular I would like to thank David Pollock, who is stepping down as the head of our delegation represent the global humanist 2017 was a busy year movement, defending human rights, Gary McLelland characterised by strong Chief Executive particularly those of non-religious growth of humanism in our priority regions of Latin people, and promoting humanist America, Africa and Asia. values worldwide. 04 OUR PEOPLE OUR PEOPLE 05 Board Members Staff PRESIDENT: UK VICE-PRESIDENT: BEL TREASURER: NOR CHIEF EXECUTIVE: DIRECTOR OF DIRECTOR OF GROWTH & Andrew Copson Anne-France Ketelaer Roar Johnsen Gary McLelland COMMUNICATIONS: ADVOCACY: DEVELOPMENT OFFICER: Bob Churchill Elizabeth O’Casey Giovanni Gaetani Volunteers Becky Hale: USA Gulalai Ismail: PAK David Pineda: GTM Kato Mukasa: UGA UN, GENEVA: UN, NEW YORK: UN, NEW YORK: COUNCIL OF EUROPE: From August 06 From August 06 Kacem El Ghazzali John Wagner Margaretha Jones David Pollock This year has seen our increased number of professional staff become a strong working Uttam Niraula: NPL Susan Sackett: USA Ron Solomon: USA Rein Zunderdorp: COUNCIL OF EUROPE: team, which the Board is happy Until August 06 Until August 06 NLD Renate Bauer to see develop and grow. Andrew Copson, President 6 OUR PEOPLE STATE OF MEMBERSHIP: AN OVERVIEW 07 Growth and Development: State of membership: We will have successful A new focus An overview 2017 has seen the implementation of our growth and development plan, and the creation of a new At the end of 2017, Humanists and sustainable member dedicated staff position to support this, the Growth International’s ratified membership was: and Development Officer. The goal of this plan is to foster the presence of humanism in our priority organisations in every regions such as Latin America, Africa, and Asia, as well Full Member as supporting our existing Member Organizations in their development. At the same time, this helps 34 Organisations to ensure the long-term sustainability of Humanists part of the world International. Thanks to the work carried out in 2017, Humanists Specialist Member International now has 148 Member Organisations 08 Organisations in 55 countries. In 2017, the growth and development programme contained several new initiatives. The majority of Associate Member these have been dedicated to our 2017 priority Organisations region: Latin America. Throughout the year Humanists 106 International offered financial and logistical support to well-established Latin American organizations so that they could act as a “Humanist Hub” for their neighbouring humanist friends, aiming to develop a “cluster approach” for supporting activity in the region. Doubled membership in Latin America This approach returned immediate results. In just one year Humanists International doubled its membership in Latin America: from eight Member Organizations in seven countries to fifteen Member Organizations in ten countries. In particular we have welcomed into our family the following Latin American organizations: • Urban House Suriname • Freethinkers Association of Arequipa, Asociación de Librepensadores de Arequipa (Peru) • Secular Humanist Society of Peru, Sociedad Secular Humanista del Perú • Atheist Bogotá, Bogotá Atea (Colombia) • Secular Humanist Association UPRM (Puerto Rico) • Humanists Mexico, Humanistas México • Secular Action, Acción Secular (Chile) 8 STATE OF MEMBERSHIP OUR PEOPLE 9 DK SE Humanists International now 1 1 +1 has 148 Member Organisations +1 FO +1 NO 4 in 55 countries. LU 1 FI +1 NL 2 New members in 2017: IE 5 AT +1 2 1 RU +1 BE 2 • Atheist in Kenya 2 HR CY +1 1 1 • Atheist Ireland IS +2 CA 1 UK DE • Atheist Society of Nigeria 8 19 3 • Bogotà Atea SK 1 • Brighter Brains Institute RO • Cyprus Humanist Association 3 • Faroese Humanist Association FR CH 3 • Freethinkers Association of Arequipa 1 • Friends of Richard Dawkins Association +1 CZ +1 1 GR • Greater Manchester Humanists US 14 MA 1 +1 1 • Halton-Peel Humanist Community +1 IL HT +1 NP • Humanist magazine IT 1 1 1 GT +1 3 PK IR PH • Humanist Society of Pakistan 1 PR 3 MT 1 2 • Humanist Union of Greece 2 GH +1 1 +1 +1 1 +1 • International Institute for Development CO IN SR KE 2 +1 17 SG Facilitation 1 2 1 ID NG • Iranian Humanist 1 3 MW • Jicho Jipya - Think Anew +2 1 • Libero Pensiero PE 4 • Pacific Islands Secular Association +1 BR RU 1 TZ • Scottish Secular Society 1 +1 1 • Secular Humanist Association UPRM ZW AU 1 2 +1 • Secular Humanist Society of Peru UG 5 NZ • South Asian Humanist Association AR +1 3 1 ZA • The Brights cluster in Russia 2 • Urban House Suriname NEW EVENTS 11 We will create a coordinated global movement by supporting and Participants in a Cafe Humanisté Event, Uganda developing our network Café Humaniste in 2017 One of the biggest areas of new work under the humanism and secularism in their countries, the growth and development plan was the development challenges they face and the work they are doing. and launch of Café Humaniste. Café Humaniste is The launch of the format was a huge success: the an event series bringing people together in person pilot episode was watched live by 5,200 people in to discuss questions of interest and concern to Latin America and reached a total of 52,908 people. humanists, and is designed to promote Humanism In 2018 we plan to review and adapt the format to in new areas, or to support the growth of new make it more flexible and easier to be repeated in humanist groups. further regions of the world. The events are organized in collaboration with local Humanists International Member Organizations Café Humaniste events held in 2017: in countries all over the world, with Humanists International providing financial and media support. 16 JUN - MILAN (ITALY): In the second half of 2017 we organized a total of • What we talk about when we talk 5 Café Humaniste events, in Italy, Guatemala, Peru, about vaccination? and Colombia, with an astonishing participation from the public. Looking ahead to the first half of 2018 we are organizing 8 Café Humaniste, focusing this time 8 JUL - GUATEMALA CITY (GUATEMALA): on our new priority region: Africa. • Mind games. Illusionism and beliefs 13 NOV - GUATEMALA CITY (GUATEMALA): ¿Qué Pasa, Humanista? • Power games. Religion and politics One of our new initiatives dedicated to Latin America was the creation of a new web format called “¿Qué 21 NOV - LIMA (PERU): pasa, Humanista?” (“What’s up, Humanist?”). This • Is morality a divine gift or the product online series brought together humanists in Latin of evolution? America, often for the first time, to talk about issues unique to the region. 2 DEC - BOGOTÀ (COLOMBIA): • What’s secularism? The separation of During the first two episodes, leading humanists Church and State in Colombia and Latin from the region discussed the situation of American countries 12 GRANTS FOR OUR MEMBERS A GLOBAL COMMUNITY 13 Humanist Regional Hub grants awarded In August 2017 we launched a new program for Humanist Regional Hub grants to be awarded for work in capacity-building and the promotion of humanism.
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