Greece has a new Humanist group. The Humanist Union of Greece (HUG) was launched this month, January 2010, and already has 65 members.
HUG aims to promote secularism and a humanist view of cultural, social and ethical values and to work for social and cultural progress. To achieve these aims, HUG:
“aims to to publish statements on specific issues related to its aims; to provide information to the public; to advocate before administrative and judicial authorities in order to promote the principles of secularism and the consequent individual and collective rights; to carry out educational, scientific and cultural action; to propose such legislation as is likely to facilitate the development and promotion of its aims; and to promote the place of voluntary organizations developing the same objectives.”
The interim Secretariat of the Union (whose Greek acronym is ENO.OUM.E., for Ένωση Ουμανιστών/-τριών Ελλάδας) will be undertaken by Panayote Dimitras, Nikos Theodorou, Eleanna Ioannidou and George Sarigiannidis.
In its initial press statement it welcomed the European Court of Human Rights judgement against the Italian law requiring the display of a crucifix in every public school classroom (Lautsi v Italy) and announced that the various draft resolutions about the case in the European Parliament were not now to be voted on.
HUG plans to join the International Humanist and Ethical Union and the European Humanist Federation. It is a democratic membership organization open to all who support its mission. It has a Facebook page at www.fbook.me/enooume.