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To mark the end of Season One, Gary and Leon are joined by Harry, Fundraising and Communications Officer at Humanists International, who hosts a special listener Q&A. Questions came in from around the world covering everything from digital safety under repressive regimes, to the future of the UN, to humanism's role in the age of AI and climate change.

In this episode we cover

• How humanists living under restrictive regimes can stay safe and connected — and what Humanists International can offer
• The Freedom of Thought Report — greatest improvements and worst declines over the past decade
• Humanism, climate change and AI — can humanists help shape the story humanity tells about itself?
• Concerns about the direction of UN reform and what it means for human rights funding and civil society
• How Humanists International sets its priorities, how it is governed, and how it is financed

Further reading and references

• Humanists International casework and security resources: https://humanists.international/what-we-do/
• Frontline Defenders — security support for human rights defenders: https://www.frontlinedefenders.org
• Luxembourg Declaration on Artificial Intelligence — Humanists International: https://humanists.international/policy/luxembourg-declaration-on-artificial-intelligence-and-human-values/
• UN80 Initiative — reform framework: https://www.un.org/en/un80

Follow Humanist International

• Sign up for our free Newsletter
• Support Humanists International
• Follow our Campaigns
• About - Humanists International
• Join us at the World Humanists Congress 2026

This podcast is produced by Humanise Live.

Start your podcast today, visit: humanise.live

🎶Music: Horizon by Simon Folwar

Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

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Gary joins from Guatemala, where he has been meeting with Humanistas Guatemala and learning about the growing influence of American evangelical Christianity and the fascinating tradition of Catholic-Mayan syncretism. Leon meanwhile shares updates including cautious optimism around the Hungarian election result, ongoing tensions in Iran and the Middle East, the worrying composition of the newly elected UN Committee on NGOs, and welcome news that UN High Commissioner has endorsed the codification of gender apartheid as an international crime.

This week's guest is Janalee Morris, Executive Director of Humanist Canada, which is co-hosting the 2026 World Humanist Congress in Ottawa this August. Janalee gives a wide-ranging overview of Humanist Canada's work — from training officiants and chaplains to advocacy on the census religion question, publicly funded Catholic schools, and Alberta's restrictions on gender-affirming care and medical assistance in dying. She also shares her excitement about the Congress and what it means to bring the global humanist movement together at this critical moment.

In this episode we cover

• Evangelical Christian growth in Guatemala and Catholic-Mayan syncretism
• Cautious optimism on Hungary's election result
• Endorsements for codification of gender apartheid as an international crime
• Humanist Canada Campaigns, Advocacy and Activities
• Humanist ceremonies, officiants and the provincial licensing challenge
• Why Attend The World Humanist Congress 2026

Further reading and references

• Humanist Canada: https://www.humanistcanada.ca
  • Humanist Canada chaplaincy programme: https://www.humanistcanada.ca/programs/chaplaincy/
  • Humanist Canada Choice Chat podcast on reproductive rights: https://www.humanistcanada.ca/programs/podcast/choice-chat-podcast/
• Humanistas Guatemala: https://www.facebook.com/HumanistasGuatemala
• Volker Türk supports codification of gender apartheid as a crime against humanity — OHCHR: https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/01/turk-urges-ambition-crimes-against-humanity-treaty

Follow Humanist International

• Sign up for our free Newsletter
• Support Humanists International
• Follow our Campaigns
• About - Humanists International
• Join us at the World Humanists Congress 2026

This podcast is produced by Humanise Live.

Start your podcast today, visit: humanise.live

🎶Music: Horizon by Simon Folwar

Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

Sign up for the Humanists International Newsletter

This week's guest is Dr. Lucy Potter, postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Sociological Studies at the University of York. Her landmark three-year study — Freedom of Religion or Belief for All: Recognising and Protecting the Non-Religious in the Asylum System — reveals how the UK's asylum system routinely misunderstands and fails people fleeing persecution for leaving their religion. Lucy shares her key findings, her policy recommendations to the Home Office, and how she has been taking this research to Parliament and the UN.

In this episode we cover

• The UN Committee on NGOs — why the newly elected slate of states is alarming for civil society
• The crisis in the Middle East and the erosion of the rules-based international order
• What drew Dr. Lucy Potter to research non-religious asylum claims
• Why the asylum system struggles to assess non-religious identity claims
• Key recommendations — updated Home Office policy, staff training, and adjusting the burden of proof

References

• Dr. Lucy Potter's report — Freedom of Religion or Belief for All: Recognising and Protecting the Non-Religious in the Asylum System: https://humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/Freedom-of-Religion-or-Belief-for-All-report.pdf
• Humanists UK — work on asylum and FoRB training: https://humanists.uk/campaigns/asylum/
• UK All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group: https://humanists.uk/campaigns/parliament/all-party-parliamentary-humanist-group/
• UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief: https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-religion-or-belief
• UN Committee on NGOs: https://csonet.org
• Freedom of Thought Report: https://fot.humanists.international

Follow Humanist International

• Sign up for our free Newsletter
• Support Humanists International
• Follow our Campaigns
• About - Humanists International
• Join us at the World Humanists Congress 2026

This podcast is produced by Humanise Live.

Start your podcast today, visit: humanise.live

🎶Music: Horizon by Simon Folwar

Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.