World Humanist Day 2014

by Gary Berg-Cross

It’s June 21^st, the summer solstice and now World Humanist Day which was established by the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU).

The history of this holiday starts in the 1980s when several chapters of the American Humanist Association (AHA) began to celebrate it. But back then there was no fixed date to celebrate it.  Some chapter took the founding date of the IHEU as the target while other AHA chapter found other meaningful dates. Starting in the late 1980s and continuing into the early 1990s, the AHA and IHEU each passed resolutions declaring World Humanist Day to be on the summer solstice. Finally it stuck.

I like this connection to the celestial-seasonal variation and setting aside a day is a way for the “ spreading awareness of Humanism as a philosophical life stance and means to effect change in the world.” This year (2014) the day falls on the weekend so there will be a number of outdoor events to celebrate. And people do celebrate this longest of days in different ways.

The British Humanist Association’s choir will be holding a “One Life” concert in London, “a variety show for the non-religious in celebration of the one life we have.”

The Central New York Humanist Association summer solstice picnic.  Picnics are popular, even if the World Cup is on TV.

Here in DC we have to hope that the showers will be over by the time for picnics and such planned.  DC Region Atheists are hosting one planned for 3 pm in Rock Creek Park. They are supported by the  Washington Area Secular Humanist (WASH.org) as a chapter and have invited everyone from the various participating groups in the Washington DC Area Coalition of Reason to join them. Humanists of UUCF are coming.

The Maryland Science & Skepticism Meetup Group (306 W. Franklin Street, Baltimore, MD) will celebrate World Humanist Day at 6:30 by Watching "The Lord Is Not On Trial Here Today."