Young Humanists International Explained

Young Humanists International
Region Served:Worldwide

Young Humanists International,[1] known as the International Humanist and Ethical Youth Organisation or IHEYO from 2002 to 2019, is the youth wing of Humanists International (known as the International Humanist and Ethical Union from 1952 to 2019), founded in 2002. It aims to network young humanists around the world together, support training and promote humanist values for the age category of 18–35. It is an umbrella organisation representing around 40,000 young people[2] across the world.[1]

Purpose

Young Humanists International is the international umbrella organisation for Humanist youth organisations. Its primary mission is to bring into active association youth groups and young humanist individuals throughout the world interested in promoting humanism, as is described in the IHEU Amsterdam Declaration 2002. Young Humanists International brings together people aged 18–35 who describe themselves as humanists, atheists, agnostics, freethinkers, skeptics and similar views.

The vision of Young Humanists International is to give a voice to young humanists within the mission of Humanists International. The mission of Humanists International is to build and represent the global humanist movement that defends human rights and promotes humanist values worldwide. It does this by organising international networking events, offering training, connecting youth through social media and by its work in regional working groups. These activities empower its members to achieve their individual, local and regional goals.[2]

Young Humanists International members form the young humanist communities and campaign for political and cultural change in a diverse range of areas such as religious freedom, women's rights, education rights, abortion rights, LGBTIQ rights, equality, human rights, freedom of speech/thought/belief, public communication of science.[2]

History

Young Humanists International was formally established as the International Humanist and Ethical Youth Organisation (IHEYO) in 2003, but it was not completely a 21st-century construct. The first version of the organisation was launched in 1966, and lasted around ten years. In the 1980s, it was again revived for a similar period of time. But it was not until 2001, when Humanists International (then known as the International Humanist and Ethical Union) started an internship programme that the idea of re-establishing an international humanist youth network was revived in a lasting way. IHEYO was renamed Young Humanists International on 15 February 2019.

Membership

Name Group Country
Asia
Asia
Humanists UK (represented by Young Humanists and Humanist Students) Europe
Europe
Humanist Alliance of the Philippines, International Asia
Humanist Association for Leadership, Equity and Accountability Africa
Humanist Empowerment of Livelihoods in Uganda Africa
Europe
Humanistischer Freidenkerbund Havelland/Brandenburg Europe
Europe
Humanist Society (Singapore) Asia
Europe
Nigerian Humanist Students Society Africa
Europe
Polish Humanist Association Europe
Polish Rationalists Society Europe
Social Development Foundation Asia
Society for Humanism Youth Asia
Europe
Europe
Youth for Community Academic and Development Services Africa

As IHEYO, the organisation kept a separate membership list from its parent organisation, the International Humanist and Ethical Union. At the 2017 general assembly in Malta, the organisation voted to merge its membership list with the parent organisation as part of the relaunched Humanists International and Young Humanists International.

It is customary for organisations with youth sections to have those sections represented as voting delegates at Young Humanists International meetings. For example, the Belgian humanist group DeMens.nu is represented by Humanistische Jongeren; the American Ethical Union is represented in the form of its Future Ethical of Societies wing; and the British group Humanists UK is represented by Young Humanists (UK) and Humanist Students.

Structure

Young Humanists International is organised into regional "working groups", which act as forums through which youth-led humanist organisations can cooperate and coordinate their activities. There are four Working Groups: the Asian Humanist Alliance, African Working Group, European Working Group, and an Americas Working Group.

African Working Group

The African Working Group[3] was established around 2005. It organises regional meetings in East and West Africa. The African Working Group is mainly organised in East Africa (Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, etc.) and West Africa (Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Cameroon, etc.). The Fourth Annual IHEYO East African Regional Working Group Meeting was held in Kigali on 26–28 August 2015.[4]

Americas Working Group

The American Working group is the newest and launched in Washington DC in May 2015 at the Future of Ethical Societies Annual conference.[5] This working group covers Canada, the United States of America, Central America, and South America.

Asian Humanist Alliance (Asian Working Group)

The Asian Working Group is a joint humanist effort in this continent to foster humanist values and ideas. Since its inception in 2007, it has published information −bulletins, has had regular meetings and organised events. The Working Group has members in Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines.

European Working Group

The European Working group brings together member organisations in Europe. Humanist groups in Western Europe are typically among the strongest and best-developed in the world, and Working Group participation is often led by dedicated youth sections of European humanist organisations. The Working Group organises annual in-person meetings to coordinate the international exchanges taking place at events organised in Europe, including conferences it organises such as "European Humanist Youth Days".[6]

Events

Events[7]

Better Tomorrow

Better Tomorrow is IHEYO's annual charity event. Its concept was based on the British student federation AHS's Non-Prophet Week.[20]

Presidents

Notes and References

  1. News: Young Humanists International . Young Humanists International website . . 15 February 2019 . 15 February 2019.
  2. Web site: About IHEYO and IHEU . Humanist Society Singapore website . 5 November 2015.
  3. https://www.facebook.com/groups/468425919945991/ African Working Group on Facebook
  4. Rice . Lily . October 2015 . Learning humanism in Uganda . Open Talk Magazine . Humanist Association for Leadership, Equity and Accountability . 8 . 8 . 14 . 7 November 2015.
  5. Web site: Future of Ethical Societies . American Ethical Union. 2016-06-19.
  6. Web site: European Humanist Youth Days . EHYD website . IHEYO . 7 November 2015.
  7. Web site: Upcoming Events . IHEU website . IHEYO . 27 January 2016.
  8. Platzek . Arik . 1 October 2013 . Vielleicht vergessen wir zu oft die Emotionen . Diesseits . HPD . 2 . 27 January 2016.
  9. Platzek . Arik . 28 April 2013 . Nichtreligion sieht noch immer sehr westlich aus . Diesseits . HPD . 1 . 27 January 2016.
  10. Web site: Asia Humanism Conference: Breaking Barriers . IHEYO . 27 January 2016.
  11. Platzek . Arik . 24 April 2013 . Jugend plant für die Zukunft . Diesseits . HPD . 1 . 27 January 2016.
  12. Web site: European Humanist Youth Days 2013 . IHEYO . 27 January 2016.
  13. Ongere . George . Albarus . Saskia . Platzek . Arik . 10 July 2014 . Humanismus nutzen, um den weniger Glücklichen in Afrika zu helfen . Diesseits . HPD . 1 . 27 January 2016.
  14. Web site: African Regional Humanist Meeting . IHEYO . 27 January 2016.
  15. Prien . Marieke . 4 May 2015 . Humanism – from Social Media to Public Policies . Diesseits . HPD . 1 . 27 January 2016.
  16. Prien . Marieke . 21 August 2015 . Workshops, Wasserschlachten und Guerilla-Skeptizismus bei Wikipedia . Diesseits . HPD . 1 . 27 January 2016.
  17. Web site: Verdens humanister har fått ny sjef . Even Gran . Fritanke . 4 November 2015 . 27 January 2016.
  18. Web site: From Europe: Announcing the 'We Need Youth' Program . Samuel Fuks . IHEU website . IHEYO . 24 December 2015 . 27 January 2016.
  19. Web site: IHEYO and IHEU GA. IHEU. 2016-06-19.
  20. van Dijck . Marc . November 2015 . 'Met menslievendheid de wijken in' . Human . . 3 . 17 . 18 November 2015.
  21. Web site: EC interview – Gea Meijers . IHEU website . 30 September 2008 . 7 November 2015.
  22. Web site: Helgestad takker av som IHEYO-president . Even Gran . Fri Tanke . Norwegian Humanist Association . 1 July 2008 . 7 November 2015.
  23. Web site: EC member . IHEU website . 1 July 2008 . 7 November 2015.
  24. Web site: Silvana Uhlrich . IHEYO website . 7 November 2015.
  25. Winter . Inke . Lutz . Renken . 23 May 2012 . Humanistische JugendFEIER erfreut sich in Niedersachsen zunehmender Beliebtheit . Diesseits . . 5 November 2015.
  26. Web site: Weekend Uaar Giovani con flash mob . Barbara Palladini . . 15 May 2015 . 5 November 2015.
  27. Web site: IHEYO General Assembly in Malta . IHEYO . International Humanist and Ethical Union . 23 May 2016 . 4 June 2016.