Say 'no' to Chaplains

The momentum is building - add your voice

Please consider visiting and supporting the Say No to Chaplains website which allows people to 'tweet' their opposition to the National School Chaplaincy Program to Julia Gillard and Education Minister, Peter Garrett,  with just two 'clicks'.

http://www.notochaplains.org/

It's a response to a similar twitter campaign in support of chaplains by SU Queensland.

Please help out by visiting the website and spreading the word about the Say No to Chaplains campaign amongst your own networks.  This issue is really gaining traction now, and it would be great to see this campaign succeed.

 

Leo Igwe Coming to Melbourne

Leo Igwe is the director of the Centre for Inquiry in Nigeria. His Humanist and Atheist views and his activism over superstition and religious fundamentalism have resulted in the past in his arrest and physical abuse by Nigerian authorities. You may know of Leo through his frequent Report From Nigeria in The Skeptic magazine.

At the instigation of Canberra Skeptics, a speaking tour of all Australian states and the ACT has been organised for Leo in August / September. He will be in Melbourne from Thursday 25^th to Saturday 27^th of August. Two public meetings are scheduled.

1. Vic Skeptics have organised a Dinner at La Notte Restaurant, 140 Lygon Street Carlton on Thursday evening 27^th August. This will take the form of a smorgasbord meal. Leo will speak at this event. Bookings have commenced at $50 per person. Anyone wishing to attend, please contact Ken Greatorex at 9378 4414 or email kengreatorex@msn.com to reserve an early spot. This even will begin advertising to the public in the first week of May.

2. The Humanist Society of Victoria and Vic Skeptics are jointly hosting a public lecture by Leo on the afternoon of Saturday 27th August.  The venue and time are yet to be announced, but will be advertised as they are known in future editions of this newsletter, as well as communications from The Humanist Society of Victoria and Vic Skeptics.

Council of Europe Moves to Make Humanists Equal With Religions

Reprinted with permission from www.iheu.org trackback URL http://www.iheu.org/trackback/4167

The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) has welcomed the Council of Europe’s move to include Humanist organizations in international dialogues that were previously restricted to religious groups.

IHEU  president Sonja Eggerickx, who has represented IHEU at dialogues at the Council of Europe, said, "Bringing those with different beliefs together for dialogue is an important part of the work of the Council of Europe and religious people are not the only people who need to be included in that dialogue. IHEU is recognised at the Council of Europe as the world union of Humanist and other non-religious organisations, and it is a real advance that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council is now recommending that Humanists and Humanist organisations should be included in intercultural dialogue."

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe recommended that its 47 member governments "promote a genuine partnership for democracy and human rights between the Council of Europe, the religious institutions and Humanist and non-religious organizations".  To this end they should "establish . . . a place for dialogue, a workspace between the Council of Europe and high-level representatives of religions and of non-denominational organisations, in order to place existing relations on a stable and formally recognised platform."

IHEU and the European Humanist Federation (EHF) have campaigned for many years against the privileged position given to religious groups in the Council of Europe. Despite the Council's bias towards religion over Humanism, the IHEU and the EHF have taken part in Council of Europe discussions on religious education and in conferences on intercultural dialogue.

Eggerickx said, "We call on the Council to accept the recommendation of its Parliamentary Assembly. By including Humanists in its discussions on matters of belief and morality, the Council of Europe can make a vital contribution to the development of a Europe that respects the freedom of conscience of all its citizens, irrespective of their religious identification."