Humanists International launches a series of grants for humanist events online
Café Humaniste moves online
Café Humaniste moves online
In 2017, Humanists International launched the Café Humaniste series to help humanists to gather together in an informal and friendly way. Since then, we have managed to organise more than 30 events all around the world. Though the current global pandemic has forced us to cancel all our live events, we are responding to the challenge by transferring our series online. Here is how.
The Café Humaniste organised in Suriname in 2018 even made the news on the national TV
Three years later, Members and Associates of Humanists International all around the world with our support have managed to organise more than 30 events in many countries, including Guatemala, India, Philippines, Lebanon, Kenya, Poland, Liberia, Uganda, Colombia, Suriname, and others.
Humanists International was ready to go ahead as planned with the series in 2020, but the global outbreak of COVID-19 forced us to cancel all our planned and announced events, including the one on “Equal Rights in Zambia“, which was supposed to be held in Lusaka on 2 May.
Humanists International is now making available to its Members and Associates a series of smaller grants (up to £200) to organise Café Humaniste events online.
“After an initial reassessment period the global humanist community is successfully adapting to the current situation”, says Giovanni Gaetani, Humanists International’s Membership Engagement Manager.
“We put out a call asking all our Members and Associates in need during this period of lockdown to tell us how we could help them: this series of grants was one of their answers.
“Of course, organising Café Humaniste events online can be challenging for some organizations who do not have the IT skills to do it yet, but part of our job will be to support them from this point of view, connecting them with organizations who have already organised events online, providing tutorials, etc.”
All our Members and Associates of Humanists International can apply from our Grants Portal: hmnts.grantplatform.com
Priority will be given to organizations in developing countries.
Organizations in countries where it is illegal or too risky to organise humanist events open to the wider public online will be able to apply as well – grants will be awarded to organise private events online with a restricted audience and on invitation only.
We strongly encourage our Members and Associates to organise co-joint events (i.e. held in collaboration with multiple organizations) based on themes of regional/international interest.
The money from the grants should be spent to buy technological equipment (cameras, microphones, etc.), extra internet data allowance, video software, premium subscriptions with online meeting platforms, etc.