Members and Associates are the core of the democratic structure of Humanists International. They can nominate candidates for the Board, vote at the General Assembly, propose policies and nominate candidates for our awards.
For the past decade, the Costa Rican Association of Secular Humanism has been building a community grounded in humanist ethics, hosting informal social gatherings, open discussion lunches, film forums and book presentations. Over the past year, they have taken steps to formalize as an association, expand their work into secular humanist advocacy and are now joining Humanists International as a Member.
The Costa Rican Association of Secular Humanism said: “Our motivation is driven by the urgent need to strengthen the secular voice in our region and to align our local efforts with the global humanist movement. We aim to collaborate on a global scale to protect the rights of non-religious individuals (atheists, agnostics, and freethinkers) who often face social stigma and political underrepresentation in Central America.”
Costa Rica remains one of the few Western countries with a state religion enshrined in its Constitution, making this a central focus of the association’s advocacy efforts. By joining Humanists International, they aim to gain the institutional support and international recognition needed to more effectively advocate for the separation of church and state and for a truly secular republic in Costa Rica.
Flourishing, a humanist life stance organization in Iceland, will also be joining Humanists International as a Member in 2026. The organization offers celebrant services for humanistic name givings, weddings and funerals. They also provide a platform for moral discussions around humanism and education in ethics and critical thinking.
Flourishing said: “Members of Flourishing want to share and enjoy the company of fellow humanists around the world and a membership in Humanists International is a perfect way to do that.”
The organization holds discussion groups, web-streamed discussion panels and is building online educational material on humanism, secularism and freedom of thought.
Humanists International is delighted to announce that the BC Humanist Association will be joining as an Associate. The association provides a community and a voice for humanists, atheists and the non-religious in Metro Vancouver and across British Columbia.
By becoming an Associate, the BC Humanist Associate says it aims: “[t]o share our particular experience and skills with the global humanist movement, while benefiting as much from the collective wisdom of our movement.”
The BC Humanist Association hosts both in-person and virtual events while supporting local groups across the province. It also regularly submits briefs to provincial and federal governments and intervenes in cases involving freedom of religion and freedom from religion.
Membership Development Officer at Humanists International, Javan Lev Poblador said: “On behalf of the Humanists International team, we are delighted to give a warm welcome to our new Members and Associates. Our Members are at the heart of everything we do at Humanists International, and it’s incredibly encouraging to see our community continue to grow with organizations doing such impactful work around the world. We look forward to learning from their experiences and working together to strengthen humanism globally.”
Together we can do even more to promote humanist values and defend human rights. Join Humanists International as a Member Organization or become an individual supporter in your own right.