Amsterdam Declaration

2002 statement of the fundamental principles of modern humanism

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The Amsterdam Declaration 2002 is a statement of the fundamental principles of modern Humanism passed unanimously by the General Assembly of Humanists International (HI) at the 50th anniversary World Humanist Congress in 2002. According to HI, the declaration "is the official statement of World Humanism."

It is officially supported by all member organisations of HI including:

Humanistic Association Netherlands (Humanistisch Verbond)
American Humanist Association
Humanists UK
Humanist Canada
Association humaniste du Québec
Human-Etisk Forbund, the Norwegian Humanist Association
Humanistischer Verband Deutschlands, the Humanist Association of Germany
Council of Australian Humanist Societies
Council for Secular Humanism
Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association
Humanist Association of Ireland
Indian Humanist Union
Sapiens Foundation, India
Philippine Atheists and Agnostics Society (PATAS)

A complete list of signatories can be found on the HI page (see references).

This declaration makes exclusive use of capitalized Humanist and Humanism, which is consistent with HI's general practice and recommendations for promoting a unified Humanist identity.^[1]^{[unreliable source]} To further promote Humanist identity, these words are also free of any adjectives, as recommended by prominent members of HI.^[2] Such usage is not universal among HI member organizations, though most of them do observe these conventions.

History

At the first World Humanist Congress in the Netherlands in 1952, Humanists International (then: International Humanist and Ethical Union, IHEU) general assembly agreed a statement of the fundamental principles of modern Humanism – The Amsterdam Declaration.

At the 50th anniversary World Humanist Congress in 2002, the IHEU general assembly unanimously passed a resolution updating that declaration – "The Amsterdam Declaration 2002".

References

^ "Capitalization [of Humanism] is not mandatory... It is recommended usage and the normal usage within IHEU"—Jeremy Webbs, IHEU webmaster, from a response to a Wikipedia editor inquiry, dated 2 March 2006.
^ Humanism is Eight Letters, No More—endorsed by Harold John Blackham, Levi Fragell, Corliss Lamont, Harry Stopes-Roe and Rob Tielman.

External links

Amsterdam Declaration 1952 - ratified by the first World Humanist Congress of the IHEU
Amsterdam Declaration 2002 - ratified by unanimous resolution of the IHEU general assembly
Amsterdam Declaration 2022 - ratified by the Humanist International (formerly IHEU) general assembly