Humanism and secularism

Both humanism and secularism have in common the pursuit, for all people, of ways in which they can live peacefully together, irrespective of ethnic or social origin, religious or philosophical opinions:

• By respecting the [in]alienable dignity of each human being;
• By creating, for all, the ways to attain the basic rights, such as freedom of thought and opinion, freedom of association and movement….the right to health care, to peace, to education….

Humanists know that their message still has not been sufficiently heard and that it is often distorted. They should therefore unite their efforts around a few essential principles:

• Freedom of conscience constitutes the key to other freedoms;
• Beliefs, religious or not, should neither be obligatory nor prohibited and should never stop people from respecting others who do not share them;
• A common code based on respect, meeting, and discussion will become vital in societies where the differences of lifestyle and opinion will be more marked. The only alternative to ethnic hatred and to confrontation between communities must be one based on social and economical justice, on humanism and secularism.

With a view to such a future, we must search together in every nation, according to its history and its culture, for the best solutions. Above all we must build justice, democracy and solidarity everywhere through the citizenship of everyone.
The humanists of IHEU have committed themselves to the pursuit of these common objectives in all of the countries where they live and work.

Board 1993

Suggested academic reference

'Humanism and secularism', Humanists International, Board of Directors, 1933