The Humanist Ceremonies Accelerator is a three-month program organized by Happy Human (Lithuania) and supported by Humanists International. Its goal is to help humanist organizations develop sustainable social business models, allowing them to offer meaningful and inclusive humanist ceremony services independently of government funding.
The Peruvian Association of Atheists, along with Humanists Hungary, Humanist Society Mexico, and Humanists Malaysia, participated in three months of training and mentorship from Happy Human through a series of virtual meetings. This preparation led to Pitch Night, where the organizations presented their plans.
The winning organization will now receive an additional grant funding of £2,000 from Humanists International and further mentorship from Happy Human to help kickstart their humanist ceremonies.
The jury for Pitch Night included:
Gerda Surgautaitė, Co-founder of Happy Human, thanked everyone who attended the event:
“I’m so happy that the very first edition of the Accelerator received such warm interest and that the Pitch Night event was watched by viewers from around the world. Thank you to everyone who tuned in, supported us, and especially to the teams who took part. What impressed me most was the teams’ dedication – some joined sessions at sunrise, others stayed late into Friday nights. This wasn’t just about developing services – it was about challenging assumptions, strengthening purpose, and building projects with heart. As someone who helped grow a humanist ceremonies network from just two people to fifty celebrants in Lithuania, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful social entrepreneurship can be when rooted in humanist values. It’s not about competition – it’s about collaboration, care, and creating real, sustainable change. I’m incredibly proud of our participants, and I believe they’re not only building services, but shaping the future of humanism itself.
If this resonates with you and you want to build something meaningful in your own community, I warmly invite you to join our Humanist Entrepreneurship Network – let’s grow this movement together.”
Humanists International encourages continued support for their work in promoting humanist values and human rights worldwide. They hope to continue similar impactful projects, fostering the growth and sustainability of humanist organizations, as demonstrated by the success of this program and the Peruvian Association of Atheists.
As a registered charity and NGO, we rely on the donations we receive from our members and supporters to help us campaign on humanist issues, lobby for humanist values at international institutions (including the United Nations) and protect humanists at risk of persecution and violence. If you support our aims, please consider giving a one-off or regular gift today. Thank you.