Andrew Copson, Chief Executive of the British Humanist Association (BHA), has been elected President of the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU), the global umbrella organisation made up of humanist, rationalist, secularist, skeptic, laïque, and similar organisations worldwide.
Andrew was appointed Chief Executive of the BHA in 2010, and in that time has been heavily involved with IHEU, most recently working under past President Sonja Eggerickx as the organisation’s First Vice President.
Thanking Sonja for her devoted service to IHEU and stellar work leading the international humanist movement on being elected, Andrew promised to bring strategic vision to the role. He said:
‘IHEU is the only global federation of humanist and like-minded organisations that is democratic at every level, with more than six decades of tradition and experience behind it. But I don’t want to be a custodian only. This is a fast-changing, vitally important time for the interests of Humanism. So we must continue to move forward, with more energy and more innovation.’
He also promised greater integration between the IHEU and member organisations, including the BHA (a founding member of IHEU), and vowed to increase the profile of IHEU’s Freedom of Thought Report which catalogues the legal status of free expression and non-religious self-identification around the world.
Notes
For further comment or information contact BHA Chief Executive and IHEU President Andrew Copson on andrew@humanists.uk or 020 3675 0959
The British Humanist Association is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people who seek to live ethical and fulfilling lives on the basis of reason and humanity. It promotes a secular state and equal treatment in law and policy of everyone, regardless of religion or belief.
The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) is the world umbrella group bringing together more than 100 Humanist, atheist, rationalist, secularist, and freethought organizations from 40 countries. The Freedom of Thought Report is available to read online at freethoughtreport.com.