PROGRAM
The congress is over now, but we´ll keep the program here for your reference.
On this page, you will also find some of the manuscripts and slides used during the congress. Look for links after the speaker´s name.
The congress took place at Scandic Copenhagen Hotel, centrally located in the Danish capital, the first week and weekend of August 2023.
Download printed version of the program (pdf)
PRE-CONGRESS ACTIVITIES:
Monday 31 July
1130-1400 Trip to Refshaleøen:
Refshaleøen is a former industrial district with a bustling culture, art and dining scene. Eat lunch at the large Streetfood market Reffen. Take a swim in the harbour. Meeting place: The Harbour Bus terminal 'Nordre Toldbod (Københavns Havn)
Tuesday 1 August
1400> Trip to Freetown Christiania:
From squatted military buildings to a collectively controlled community. The story of Freetown Christinia is the history of a democratic experiment. Christinia is a village in Copenhagen with a unique decision making proces. We will have a guided tour with one of the locals (called christianit) starting with an introduction to the background and history of the freetown.
1800-2000 Social Dining in the Community House:
Join the social dining at our Community House, Kulturhuset Union, Nørre Allé 7. You pay yourself - but we have negotiated a modest price of 65 DKK for a meal. The menu is middle-eastern and vegetarian.
Wednesday 2 August
1000-1400 Guided tour: Working class history at Nørrebro:
A guided tour around Nørrebro and the Workers' museum with a focus on the story of the working class in Copenhagen
1300-1430 Guided city tour through Danish LGBTI+ history:
On this guided tour around central Copenhagen we will visit some of the places where Danish (and international!) LGBTI+ history was made, and discover 150 years of queer life in Copenhagen.
1800-2000 Social Dining in the Community House:
Join the social dining at our Community House, Kulturhuset Union, Nørre Allé 7. You pay yourself - but we have negotiated a modest price of 65 DKK for a meal. The menu is middle-eastern and vegetarian.
2000-2130 Screening: The Art of Resistance & QA:
Watch the documentary The Art of Resistance and participate in the following Q&A with the director and artist Victoria Gugenheim. Victoria will be a resident artist at the World Humanist Congress 2023.
Thursday 3 August
0900-1600 European Humanist Professionals (EHP) training seminar:
This practical and hands-on day will consist of the sharing of best practice from European Humanist Professionals working in the fields of education, ceremonies and chaplaincy and will allow delegates to experience and explore humanist services in action. Location: Kulturhuset Union, Nørre Allé 7. Read more.
1800-2000 Social Dining in the Community House:
Join the social dining at our Community House, Kulturhuset Union, Nørre Allé 7. You pay yourself - but we have negotiated a modest price of 65 DKK for a meal. The menu is middle-eastern and vegetarian.
1700-2200 Humanists International General Assembly, part 1:
Register here for the General Assembly. Location: Scandic Hotel Copenhagen
2000-2130 Social Quiz:
Participate in a social quiz and get to know other humanists at our Community House on Nørrebro.
WORLD HUMANIST CONGRESS 2023:
Friday 4 August
0730: Optional program: Morning bath in the harbour or a group walk/run around the Copenhagen lakes (around 6 km). Exact meeting point: Just outside the main entrance of the congress hotel, Scandic Copenhagen.
0800-0915: Registration at the conference hotel, Scandic Hotel Copenhagen
0930-1045: Plenary: Opening ceremony with Sandi Toksvig, Thorbjørn Jagland, Andrew Copson and more.
1045-1115: Break with coffee and tea
1115-1215: Plenary: Keynote speech: “Threats to Democracy” by Sofia Näsström, professor political science Uppsala university, Sweden (download manuscript). Chair: Roslyn Mould, coordinator of West African Humanist Network and board member of Humanists International. Comments by Nicole Carr, CEO of the American Humanist Association and David Pineda, founder and president of Humanistas Guatemala and board member of Humanists International.
1215-1330: Standing lunch with poster session
1330-1500: Parallel sessions
- Parallel 1: Art as an indicator of freedom of expression:
Location: Meeting room "Rosenborg"
Art sparks controversy and faces restrictions all over the world. Does artistic freedom function as a valuable indicator of the degree of freedom of expression? Or should art better be mainly appreciated on its own merits? With: Lusine Djanyan (Pussy Riot), Ivor Stodolsky and Victoria Gugenheim. Moderator: Andreas Ekström. - Parallel 2: Challenges to democracy in Africa south of the Sahara:
Location: Meeting room "Børsen"
How can humanists contribute to fight oppression and develop democratic norms? Case stories, analysis and discussion. With: Leo Igwe (Nigeria) and Gyekye Tanoh (Ghana). - Parallel 3: Why don´t humanists care more about climate change?
Location: Meeting room "Christian"
How can we address climate change as humanists? How can humanist organizations do climate projects? Check out successes and challenges in humanist climate work. With: David Pineda (Guatemala), Diosa Aguila-Aguirre (Philippines) and Fraser Sutherland (Scotland). - Parallel 4: Girl Power: Women and Democracy:
Location: Meeting room "Marselisborg"
Gender equality is a core tenet of democracy. How should we improve it? There will be a keynote and a participatory workshop focused on sharing experiences using tools on active listening. With: Katrín Oddsdóttir, Inga Straumland (Iceland) and Darlene Field (Barbados). - Parallel 5: Will we make room for young humanists?:
Location: Meeting room "Frederik"
How can humanists be better at including young people? Interviews with young active humanists followed by panel and group discussions. With: Ana Raquel Aquino Smith (Guatemala) and more - Parallel 6: Technology should be shaped by humans, not the other way around:
Location: Plenary meeting room Grand ball
What´s happening with AI these days? How can we make sure humans are in charge of technology? Check out the Digital Humanism initiative. Keynote, panel and discussion. With: Erich Prem, Alexander Schmölz (Austria), and Brit Ross Winthereik (Denmark)
1500-1530: Break with coffee/tea
1530-1630: Regional parallel sessions
Common theme: What are the shared challenges and possibilities for cooperation in the region?
- Parallel 1: Africa & Middle East
Location: Meeting room "Rosenborg" - Parallel 2: North America
Location: Meeting room "Marselisborg" - Parallel 3: Europe
Location: Plenary meeting room Grand ball - Parallel 4: Asia
Location: Meeting room "Børsen" - Parallel 5: Latin America and the Caribbean
Location: Meeting room "Christian" - Parallel 6: Australia, New Zealand and Pacific-Islands
Location: Meeting room "Frederik"
1730-1900: Guided walk in Copenhagen City Hall
Visit Copenhagen City Hall before the welcome reception and hear the history of it's significance in the development of the Danish state.
1900-2100: Welcome reception at Copenhagen City Hall
Saturday 5 August 23
0730: Optional program: Morning bath in the harbour or a group walk/run around the Copenhagen lakes (around 6 km). Exact meeting point: Just outside the main entrance of the congress hotel, Scandic Copenhagen.
0930-1030: Plenary: On democracy and humanism. Main speaker: Wondeŕful Mkhutche, author, political science scholar and president of Humanists Malawi. Comments by Dr. Sudesh Ghoderao, National General Secretary of Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations and Nick Fish, president of American Atheists. Chair: Debbie Goddard (American Atheists)
1030-1100: Plenary speech “On hope” by philosopher Lars Fredrik Svendsen (Norway). Introduction: Lone Ree Milkær (Denmark)
1100-1130: Break with coffee/tea
1130-1145: Plenary: Presentation of Congress Resolution
1145-1230: Plenary: How can the outside world help rebuild and strengthen Ukrainian democracy after the war? Main speaker: Oleksandra Romantsova, executive director of the Ukrainian Center for Civil Liberties, Nobel peace prize laureate 2022 (download slides). Second speaker: Remus Cernea, journalist reporting from Ukraine for the Romanian edition of Newsweek (see recording of speech)
1230-1330: Standing Lunch with Poster session
1330-1500: Parallel sessions
- Parallel 1: The Rainbow Resistance - humanism and democracy as tools to promote LGBTQIA+ rights:
Location: Meeting room "Børsen"
We try to identify some of the obstacles queer people face in different parts of the world, but also take a look at what unites us, and how we, as humanists, can empower queer people and protect their rights. With: Abdul-Wadud Mohammed (Ghana) and Ugla Stefanía Kristjönudóttir Jónsdóttir (Iceland, she/they) - Parallel 2: How the death penalty leads to brutal suppression of atheism and free speech in Iran
Location: Meeting room "Christian"
In May this year, two people were executed for "blasphemy" in Iran. Last year, the country killed 582 people for various offences, a 75% increase compared to the previous year. How do atheists and the opposition in Iran relate to the brutal suppression they live under, and how does this play out in other muslim majority countries? Speakers: Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam (director of Iran Human Rights) and Zara Kay (founder of Faithless Hijabi). - Parallel 3: How should we respond to the growth of the non-religious?
Location: Meeting room "Marselisborg"
Secularism is on the rise in the western world. What is happening? Why does it happen? How does it affect democracy? And what opportunities does it leave for the humanist movement? With: Lois Lee (England) (download slides) and Atko Remmel (Estonia) (download slides). Comments by Lone Ree Milkær (Humanists International) and Adrián Núñez Ferdmann (Secular Humanist Society of Peru). - Parallel 4: The threat to democracy from conspiracy thinking:
Location: Plenary meeting room Grand ball
Conspiracy thinking is undermining democracy. What´s happening, and what can we do about it? With: Hulda Thorisdottir (Iceland), Didrik Søderlind (Norway) and Ariel Pontes (Brazil/Romania). - Parallel 5: Lifestance dialogue as a tool for democracy:
Location: Meeting room "Rosenborg"
Dialogue is the best solution for nearly any kind of tension and conflict. How do humanists engage? We hear presentations of cases followed by questions and discussion. With: Robert Hamilton (Canada) Lars-Petter Helgestad and Bente Sandvig (Norway), Uttam Niraula (Nepal), and Jeremy Rodell (England). - Parallel 6: Case stories from our humanist ceremonial practices:
Location: Meeting room "Frederik"
We try to support core democratic values through the practice of humanist ceremonies, but how do we build and maintain a sustainable ceremonial practice on an organizational level? In this session we hear from different practices and traditions. With: Brynhildur Björnsdóttir (Iceland), Tale Pleym (Norway), Malin Jiborn (Sweden), Tea Dyekjær (Denmark), Nakimbugwe Winfred (Uganda). Chair/moderator: Kolbrún Ósk Pétursdóttir (Iceland)
1500-1530: Break with coffee/tea
1530-1700: Parallel sessions
- Parallel 1: Religious intolerance in India:
Location: Meeting room "Frederik"
How hindu nationalist ideology suppresses human rights, free speech and liberal values in India. With: Sudesh Ghoderao, Babu Gogineni and Vikas Gora (all India) Parallel 2: Empowering online communication
- Parallel 3: Democratic backsliding - Case stories (Poland, Sweden, Brazil, The Philippines)
Location: Plenary meeting room Grand ball
The pillars of democracy are undermined in many countries. How can humanists counter the threat? With: Nina Sankari (Poland), David Ronnegard (Sweden), Junelie Anthony Velonta (Philippines). - Parallel 4: Humanist Confirmation in practice in the Nordics
Location: Meeting room "Marselisborg"
The Nordic countries have a strong tradition for Humanist Confirmations. Learn more about it! Workshop with volunteers from Humanistisk Samfund (Danish Humanist Society). With: Helle Wills, Frida Valles Kirkegaard, Clara Alexandra Morten Isaksen (Denmark), and Kolbrún Ósk Pétursdóttir (Iceland) - Parallel 5: Social entrepreneurship as a democratic tool:
Location: Meeting room "Børsen"
How can you build a humanist movement from the bottom? Learn from someone who did: Urtė Žukauskaitė-Zabukė and Gerda Surgautaitė (Lithuania) - Parallel 6: Freedom of Thought Report and Humanists at Risk:
Location: Meeting room "Rosenborg"
Learn how Humanists International fights oppression on the individual as well as the national and global level. With: Emma Wadsworth-Jones, Casework and Campaigns Manager at Humanists International
1700-1900: Free time
1900: Congress dinner and Humanists International awards ceremony
The congress dinner is held at congress venue. Price for registered congress participants: DKK 100. Accompanying guests are also welcome. Price per external guest: DKK 495. The package price includes 3 course dinner and 2 glasses of wine and coffee.
Sunday 6 August 23
0730: Optional program: Morning bath in the harbour or a group walk/run around the Copenhagen lakes (around 6 km). Exact meeting point: Just outside the main entrance of the congress hotel, Scandic Copenhagen.
0930-1115: Plenary: Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB). Keynote speeches by Nazila Ghanea (UN Special Rapporteur on FoRB) and Abid Raja (Chair and founding member of IPPFoRB). After that: On stage conversation with Nazila Ghanea and Abid Raja, led by Elizabeth O´Casey, Director of Advocacy, Humanists International
1115-1145: Break with coffee/tea
1145-1300: Closing plenary session with artist in residence, concluding remarks by Leo Igwe (Nigeria), Andrew Copson (HI president) and Ana Raquel Aquino Smith (Guatemala). Announcement of the next World Humanist Congress in 2026 by Nick Fish (USA).
1300-1400: Lunch to go
1400-1900: Humanists International General Assembly, part 2
Download printed version of the program (pdf)
Register for the congress here
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The theme of the 2023 congress is "Building Better Democracies Through Humanist Values". Democracy is one of the core values of humanism. These are the very first words of Humanist International's Minimum Statement: "Humanism is a democratic, non-theistic, and ethical life stance".
Democracy is threatened on many fronts in the world today. We will examine some of the threats but first and foremost we will focus on how humanist values and practices can contribute to building and supporting strong and well-functioning democracies.
Among our speakers are:
- Sandi Toksvig, Danish-British women's rights and LGBTQ+ activist, and prominent writer, comedian and broadcaster on British radio, stage and television, known from QI and The Great British Bake Off.
- Nazila Ghanea, the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion and belief and Professor in International Human Rights Law at the University of Oxford and Fellow of Kellogg College.
- Abid Raja, Chair of the steering group of The International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPPFoRB). Member of the Norwegian Parliament and former minister of culture.
- Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe 2009 – 2019, former prime minister of Norway, president of the Norwegian parliament, and leader of the Norwegian Nobel Peace Prize Committee.
- Lars-Fr. H. Svendsen, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Bergen, whose books are translated into 30 languages. In 2022 he received the prestigious German Philosophical Book Award for A Philosophy of Loneliness.
- Hulda Thorisdottir, Associate Professor in the Psychology and Political Science Departments at the University of Iceland. Political psychologist who studies conspiracy theories.
- Sofia Näsström, professor political science Uppsala universitet, Sweden. Author of "The Spirit of Democracy: Corruption, Disintegration, Renewal" (Oxford University Press 2021)
- Oleksandra Romantsova, executive director of the Ukrainian Center for Civil Liberties, Nobel peace prize laureate 2022.
- Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of Iran Human Rights.
- Zara Kay, founder of Faithless Hijabi.
There will be a long list of other speakers and panelists from within and outside of the humanist movement, including Andrew Copson, Elizabeth O'Casey, Trond Enger, Lois Lee, Babu Gogineni, Vikas Gora, and many others.
Though humanists have met online and on regional and local levels since 2014, this is the first time in nine years, since Oxford in 2014, we come together as a movement. We need to consolidate ourselves in a changing world. And we need a humanist conversation on who we are going to be as a movement in the world of today – and tomorrow.
Thus we have made it a priority of the congress to mainly use speakers from within the movement – to facilitate that humanist conversation, and to reacquaint us as a global movement with at least some of the aspects that make us who we are.
We comply with Humanist International´s event policies. Read about them here.
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