On May 23 and 24, a new open assembly of the World Humanist Forum will be held. The theme guiding the discussions is undoubtedly bold given the current times: “Toward a Universal Human Nation. Moving forward with collective action to build a world based on solidarity and nonviolence.”

That is precisely the challenge, the organizers point out. The spirit that drives them is not to let themselves be overcome by despair, skepticism, or inaction, but to set a course toward the future through constructive collective actions, guided by the vision of a Universal Human Nation that guarantees a dignified life, free from violence and discrimination, for every inhabitant of the Earth.

The Program of the Fifth Assembly

With a hybrid format combining in-person group meetings and virtual connections that allow activists from all cultures to interact, the Assembly will present, following an opening ceremony, some of the most notable activities currently being developed by its thematic committees. Among them is the inspiring program in various prisons across Kenya on which the Education and Internal Development Committees have been working together.

There will also be an account of the initiative in which a group composed of artists, journalists, and farmers from the Music, Art, and Culture Working Group traveled through Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and Malawi, visiting and conducting artistic and educational performances in schools, rural communities, cultural centers, and churches with a powerful message: “For an Africa Without Borders.”

Following presentations on other initiatives carried out by activists from the Forum’s 20 Committees, the program will feature contributions from Asia, Europe, Latin America, Africa, and North America, aiming to describe the impacts of the current systemic crisis in each region. Next, a global assessment of the crisis will be made, and groups will analyze the steps necessary to leave behind an anti-humanist system that does not place the well-being and evolution of the human being at the center of its value system, but rather the senseless spiral of money accumulation and unbridled consumption.

As a fundamental input for reflection and exchange, we will listen to the words of the founder of the Universalist Humanism movement, Silo. This audiovisual excerpt will provide a precise yet poetic framework for the image of the Universal Human Nation, a possible social myth for this time in which the first planetary civilization in history is emerging.

The second day of the Assembly will begin on Sunday the 24th with a presentation of a summary of the work done in the groups. Following some conceptual suggestions and an exposition of the central points that characterize the humanist ideology, a new exchange will take place in which participants will debate and plan the continuation of action within the various working groups.

The thematic areas covered by the World Humanist Forum, always open to new initiatives, include Health, Human Rights, Social Ecology, Education, Decolonization, Peace and Disarmament, proposals for a profound change in economic organization—including a Universal Basic Income—and the fight against Gender-Based Violence. Likewise, other working groups explore revolutions and psychosocial phenomena, humanist moments and attitudes across different cultures, the proposal to create a World Citizens’ Assembly, the promotion of peace and development through sports, and the experimentation with and learning of practices for inner development for human beings.

Among the most recent topics, there is a creative exploration of music and various artistic and cultural expressions as a means to raise awareness for peace and nonviolence, as well as the promotion of alternatives to ensure effective nutrition and food sovereignty for the population.

At this Fifth Assembly, the Nonviolent Journalism Working Group will be launched in collaboration with the Pressenza International News Agency, along with the Politics and Geopolitics Working Group—both essential for deepening our understanding and developing proposals to address the events currently shaking the international arena.

The World Humanist Forum

The World Humanist Forum is conceived as a diverse space that develops proposals and takes actions aimed at simultaneous social and personal transformation in the face of the challenges of the global situation.

It is characterized by ongoing work in various areas, and its intention is to connect with a wide range of social, academic, and institutional sectors to promote proposals for change and experiences of humanization.

The only requirement for participation in the Forum is not to support violent methodologies or ideas or practices based on discrimination.

As in previous years, this Assembly is expected to draw hundreds of activists, associations, and collectives from every continent, embodying the broadest possible cultural diversity.

The event will feature simultaneous interpretation into English, French, Spanish, and Swahili.

To participate in the 5th Assembly of the World Humanist Forum and receive the virtual connection link, please register at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Pl6zrqowQ3S7T8yyWKLg9g