Founded in Prague in July 1991, the EHF was based in Brussels, where it employed a small team of staff focused on European Union policy advocacy and capacity-building in European humanist organisations. Its advocacy activities are primarily focused on the European Parliament, European Commission, and other bodies associated with the European Union and Council of Europe, as part of its mission to promote a humanist vision of Europe. It was the largest umbrella organisation of humanist associations in Europe,[5] promoting a secular Europe, defending equal treatment of everyone regardless of religion or belief, and fighting religious conservatism and privilege in Europe and at the European Union level. It closely collaborated with alongside Humanists International for much of its existence. When it dissolved in 2022, its activities had largely been taken over by Humanists International.[1]
The EHF was the parent body of the European Humanist Professionals (EHP), which networks humanist celebrants, humanist pastoral carers, school speakers and educators, and the staff of the various European humanist associations into one professional body, focused on building best practice and expanding the availability of humanist charitable services across Europe. This work became part of Humanists International's European Capacity Building and Networking Project,[1] which was from 2024 transformed to the European Humanist Services Network (EHSN).[6]
Goals
The EHF promotes a secular state and opposes lobbying by religious organisations towards European institutions. The EHF aims to:
Promote non-discrimination on all grounds (ethnic or national origin, religion and belief, disability, age, gender, sexual orientation, etc.), inspired by the EHF's humanistic conviction that all men and women are born free and equal;[8]
Sexual and Reproductive Rights ARE Human Rights[10]
EU Guidelines on Freedom of Religion and Beliefs: Securing a Balanced and Secular Approach
Keep Dogma Out of European Research
Opposing Tonio Borg's nomination at European Commission
No to Special Rights for Churches in the EU
The EHF also supports its 63 member organisations in the challenges they are facing at a domestic level and works in partnership with a large network of associations – including progressive religious organisations[10][11] – with whom it shared goals and interests, in order to oppose conservative religious lobbies across Europe.
A Vision for Europe and the Brussels Declaration
As the centrepiece of their campaign A Vision for Europe, that strove to uphold secularism within the EU, the EHF, the IHEU and Catholics for Choice (endorsed by the EPPSP[12]) jointly presented the "Brussels Declaration" on 27 February 2007 in the European Parliament, and also addressed to the 27 EU heads of government. It was widely supported by European politicians (signed by more than 80 MEPs), academics, scientists, Nobel Prize winners, writers and journalists.[13][14][15][16] The Brussels Declaration was a response to the would-be Berlin Declaration, which, being negotiated at the time and set to become the preamble to the amended EU Constitution, contained references to God and the supposed "Christian roots of Europe".[13][14][15] Eventually these references were left out, and a strong emphasis on individual rights and dignity included, much to the relief of David Pollock (former EHF president), Sophie in 't Veld (EPPSP chairwoman) and Roy W. Brown (former IHEU president), the last of whom called it "a victory for Secularism in Europe".[16]
Members
The following list contains all member organisations of the EHF (as of 2014).[3][4] Note: Official English names of organisations are given priority. Organisations that lack an official English name have been translated as literally as possible whilst retaining their intended meaning and complying with English grammar and conventions.
^"Catholics Join European NGOs Coalition in Appeal to Convention Not to Give Religion Unfair Influence in Constitutional Treaty". U.S. Newswire. PR Newswire. 22 May 2003.
^During the 2004–2009 parliamentary term, the EPPSP was known as "European Parliament all-party group on Separation of Religion and Politics".
^"Organisation". EHP website. EHP. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
^(in Catalan and Spanish)"Missió". Fundació Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
^French: Association Suisse des Libres Penseurs; Italian: Associazione svizzera dei liberi pensatori. (in English, French, German, and Italian)"Freethinkers Association of Switzerland". FAS website. Freethinkers Association of Switzerland. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
^The FAS originated from the fusion of several local Swiss groups created since 1870; it regards the establishment of the Deutschschweizer Freidenker-Vereinigung in 1908 as its (primary) foundation. "2008: 100 Jahre FVS". FAS website (in German). Freethinkers Association of Switzerland. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
^"Geschichte". Freidenkerbund Österreichs website (in German). Freidenkerbund Österreichs. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
^"Historia". Vapaa-ajattelijain liitto website (in Finnish). Vapaa-ajattelijain liitto. 18 February 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
^"History". Galha website. Galha LGBT Humanists. Retrieved 26 September 2014./
^Galha stands for 'Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association'.
^"Historique et positionnement". Cercle Gaston-Crémieux website (in French). Cercle Gaston-Crémieux. 24 May 2011. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
^"Il Coordinamento delle Consulte". Turinese branch website (in Italian). Consulta Torinese per la Laicità delle Istituzioni. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
^"Chi siamo". Turinese branch website (in Italian). Consulta Torinese per la Laicità delle Istituzioni. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
