Past Events

Representitives met in the Netherlands to discuss the future of the European Working Group and IHEYO.

Young people mainly from Humanist youth organizations across Europe came together at the weekend for the first European Humanist Youth Days. EHYD was supported by deMens.nu, the Belgian Centre for Secular Action, Centre d’Action Laique, the EACEA programme and others, and in partnership with the IHEU youth section the International Humanist and Ethical Youth Organisation (IHEYO).

Read our report on the conference here.

IHEYO organized its second European Working Group meeting last February in Berlin. Active humanist youth members were present from: different humanist organizations in Belgium, the Jong HV in the Netherlands, AHS from the UK, HU from Norway, several groups from the BundesJuhus and HVB in Germany, and humanist organizations from Poland.

IHEYO organized its Regional Africa Working Group Meeting in Kampala, Uganda, at 25 and 26 November 2011. The meeting was organized by Betty Nassaka with the help of her organization UHESWO. Betty is the elected chair of the African Working Group of IHEYO and the Secretary General of IHEYO.
Betty Nassaka introduced humanism and opened the regional meeting. On the first day young humanist leaders in the region spoke about their work:

International Humanist and Ethical Youth Organisation (IHEYO) organized its 2010 General Assembly(GA) from 8-10 October 2010,

in Krakow, Poland

At the GA, there were several agendas discussed among representatives of member organisations. Total 22 member organisations throughout the world were presented at the GA, directly or indirectly. In the following text you will get an overview of decisions and changes made during these days.

Conceived in August 2008 but debated and approved by the Young Humanistas Network executive meeting of October 2, 2008, the Humanist Against WitchKilling, HAWK, Project is meant to be an intervention project to address the recent wave of child witch hunting and stereotyping going on in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.

IHEYO organized successfully its 7th annual event in June 2008 in cooperation with IHEU and the American Humanist Alliance AHA at the Humanist World Congress in Washington D.C..

As IHEYO did not meet the quorum at its last 2007 GA in July, following the requirements of our By Laws a second meeting has been called for. At the second meeting the quorum need not be met, but the agenda will be the same.
IHEYO’s second General Assembly will take place on November 3d, in the Hague (Den Haag), The Netherlands, from 13.00 to 17.00. Delegates are welcome at the following address: CoornhertCentrum, Erasmusplein 87, Den Haag.

The Tolerance Campaign 2007

In this project two kinds of methods were used: educating and giving information. By combining the two methods, both activities were strengthened and made the campaign, overall, to a strong campaign.

The information found was fed back to the national and international level for raising awareness on minorities. IHEYO made information available to other organizations through its website, reports and newsletter.

Diversity and Interaction – these are the best words that can depict the international seminar on „Equal Opportunities and Social Inclusion in Humanist Youth Work” held in Ronse, Belgium, from July 29 to August 4 2007. The event coincided with the IHEYO General Assembly and a European Tolerance Campaign preparatory meeting.

Africa Working Group (AWG), the regional arm of IHEYO, coordinating the growth of Humanism in Africa, is organizing a 9days e-conference to enable young Africans peruse on the fundamental issue of humanism advancement in Africa.

In the South of India, in Vijayawada, more than 50 young humanist youth leaders and experts came together to develop their ideas and skills on teaching critical thinking and free inquiry during the fifth annual international IHEYO conference. At the same time, humanist youth leaders in Africa held an online conference to discuss pressing issues for African societies. The next issue of the YouthSpeak will inform you deeply about these events.

Four organisations from four different countries exchanged this summer in the heart of the European Union: Brussels. They couldn't have chosen a more symbolic place. Around 20 young people came together, from Belgium, Norway, Finland and Poland.

 From 30 September to 2 October more than 200 young people from all over the world gathered at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris for the 4th UNESCO Youth Forum. IHEYO was present as one of the observers and was able to make people not forget that there are also non-religious life stances. Some references to general lifestances were included in the end resolutions.

You can find here all the Conference 2005 reports. Below on this page, you can find the programme with links to summaries and presentations available.

Click here for the Conference reports:

- Full conference report
- Report of the first day
- Report of the second day
- Report of the third day
- Summary of the projects developed
- Overview of all presentations and summaries of workshops
- Overview of links and resources

The conference was the first international humanist youth conference in Africa ever. The conference, ‘Global Humanism for Peace and Social Justice’, was held in the capital of Uganda, Kampala, from 20-24 May. It was the kick-off to a week full of international humanist activity. The conference was co-organized with the youth department from the Ugandan Humanist Association (UHASSO).

The international conference ‘Humanist Youth’ was held from 29 August to 2 September in Berlin, Germany. In total 42 people participated, coming from 15 countries of which 6 from countries outside Europe: the USA, India (like the year before) but also Nigeria, Tanzania, Pakistan and Nepal. Almost all youth came from humanist (youth) organizations.   

The first IHEYO conference since a decade ‘Empowering youth in the humanist movement’ was held from 1 to 5 July in the Netherlands. It ran parallel to the World Humanist Congress that is held every three years.

In total, 45 youth humanist leaders participated in the conference, coming from 16 mainly European countries of which 2 people from countries outside Europe: the USA and India. Unfortunately, several youth from the global south were unable to attend due to the refusal of Dutch Embassies to grant visas, despite the efforts of IHEYO and the participants.