50th WUF Congress in Frankfurt: Free Thinking and the New Multipolar World Order

On the occasion of the 50th Congress of the World Union of Freethinkers, more than 100 people gathered in the Saalbau Bornheim in Frankfurt on 18 May to follow the panel on the topic “Free Thinking and the Multipolar World Order”. Speakers illuminated the topic from various aspects. The many requests to speak from the audience showed that the event had touched on a topic that was burning under the nails.

Ernesto Schwarz

Die Sänger Ernesto Schwarz und …

Guy Dawson

… Guy Dawson (All photos: K.-R. Landau)

The cultural contributions, which livened up the event, also attracted a lot of attention: Ernesto Schwarz with his songs against war and state of emergency accompanied by guitar, Ekaterina Frank on the piano with Russian classical music and folklore, and Guy Dawson spread a combative mood with his international peace and freedom songs.

Klaus Hartmann: “Turn of the times” between war and peace. The “turn of the times” proclaimed by the German Chancellor Scholz was the starting point of the presentation by Klaus Hartmann, President of the World Union of Freethinkers. The term marked the transition of the decades-long policy of encircling and surrounding Russia by NATO into direct war. In view of the exclusion and defamation of all those who do not follow the NATO line, the Freethinkers have an urgent task: enlightenment, enlightenment, enlightenment: “Let’s approach the people!” → to the presentation by Klaus Hartmann

Vladimir Kršljanin: From the 1999 NATO aggression against Yugoslavia to the war against Russia. We must organise, fight and welcome the new world – a just, multipolar and multilateral world based on international law, equality, cooperation, social justice and true democracy, as the community of destiny of humanity. → to the speech by Vladimir Kršljanin

Jean-Marie Jacoby: The world situation is changing. The EU member states are driving the economy to the wall with anti-Russian sanctions. There is a threat of loss of competitiveness and deindustrialisation. This can only be changed with ‘Yank go home and take your NATO with you’ as the basis for peace and friendship between nations. → to the report on the presentation by Jean-Marie Jacoby

Ekaterina Frank

Ekaterina Frank set the mood with Russian classical music and folk songs.

Dr. Corinna Oesch: 1848/2023 – on the historical and contemporary democracy movement. The role of women in the ’48 revolution remains underexposed to this day. All the delegates in the Paulskirche were men; the “ladies’ gallery” had to be expanded for the interested women. On the streets, however, large numbers of women campaigned for democracy. → Report on the presentation by Dr. Corinna Oesch

Peter Berger: Neutrality and multipolar world order. The status of neutrality is currently the subject of controversial debate in both Switzerland and Austria. How credible is the neutrality of the two countries against the background of their history and their actions in the current crisis? What perspectives arise for neutral states from the emergence of a multipolar world order? → to the presentation by Peter Berger

Sebastian Bahlo: The current tasks of the freethinker movement At the end of the conference, the chairman of the German Freethinkers’ Association stated that the historical goal of overcoming the self-alienation of human beings caused by class society remained, subordinated to which were sub-goals such as the propagation of enlightenment, criticism of religion and the fight against the social power of the churches, as well as the fight against economic exploitation and for political freedom. → to the presentation by Sebastian Bahlo.

→ Programme of the event

Media reports:

WUF Congress from 22 to 23 June 2018 in Basle

From 22 to 23 June, the Congress of the World Union of Freethinkers met in Basle. A public part was dedicated to the topic “Free Thinking and the Emancipation of the Personality”. The speeches on the topic by Klaus Hartmann (Germany), Jean-François Maréchal (Belgium) and Gilles Poulet (France) are available on «News».

The Bureau and the International Council of the WUF also met on this occasion to discuss statutory business. The representatives of the national organisations provided information about the situation in their countries and cultivated a lively exchange of experience. The International Council elected replacements to the Bureau and confirmed Klaus Hartmann as President of the World Union. Minka Hofer of the Free Thinkers of Northwestern Switzerland followed the discussions with observer status.

Continue reading →

Die Weltunion der Freidenker (WUF) traf sich am 1. und 2. September 2017 in Köln

Sorry, this entry is only available in Deutsch and Français.

Büro und Internationaler Rat der Weltunion der Freidenker trafen sich am 1. und 2. September 2017  zu einer gemeinsamen Tagung im Kölner Freidenker-Zentrum. Am Nachmittag des 2. September 2017  fand im Kölner Freidenker-Zentrum ein Kolloquium zum Thema

 „Fake news” – eine Herausforderung für die Verteidigung des freien Denkens

Es sprachen:

Gilles Poulet (Président de l’Association Des Libres Penseurs De France – ADLPF):
„Meinungsmache: Kunst der Politiker und Werbeagenten – Fake News: Teil ihres Arsenals“

Anneliese Fikentscher und Andreas Neumann (Vorstandsmitglieder der Arbeiterfotografie):
„Herrschaftsmittel Fake“

Klaus Hartman (Bundesvorsitzender des Deutschen Freidenker-Verbands):
„Gegen ‚Fake News‘ – nicht immer ein Kampf für die Wahrheit“

IR-Sitzung: Bericht des DFV (Ian Bailey)

Sorry, this entry is only available in Deutsch and Français.

Sitzung des Internationalen Rates
12. Februar 2016 in Paris
Bericht des Deutschen Freidenker-Verbands

Berichterstatter: Ian Bailey, Heidelberg

Ich möchte hiermit, kurz einige Wörter zur Tätigkeit des Deutschen Freidenker-Verbands seit unserer letzten Tagung im September 2014 in Spa sagen. Continue reading →

Liberté de conscience et Liberté d’expression

Sorry, this entry is only available in Français.

flyer2-2016-02-12

Chers Camarades,

le Bureau et le Conseil International de l’UMPL se réuniront le

Vendredi 12 Février 2016 de 10 à 17 heures à la
Mairie du 10è Arrondissement de Paris.
72, rue du Fbg St Martin
(Métro Château d’Eau Ligne 4)

10 – 12 :30 heures: Réunion commune du Bureau et du Conseil International

Continue reading →

Mannheim May 2013: Against the instrumentalization of religious fanatism for imperialist wars

44th Congress of theWorld Union of Freethinkers, Mannheim 24th – 26th May 2013

The World Union of Freethinkers accuses western militatry powers and NATO of waging more and more wars adverse to international law in pursuit of their economic interests and striving for domination. Countries which are not prepared to subordinate to their geostrategical interests and their exploitation are demonized, defamed with false allegations and are destabilized through the support of armed groups. Through regime changes and the destruction of states, a new world order is being created with only a few oligarchist commanders and a large number of vassals to whom they are obliged to pay tribute. All of this is happening in contradiction to the UN Charta. Continue reading →

Gegen die Privatisierung des Wassers und die Patentierung unserer Lebensgrundlagen

44th Congress of theWorld Union of Freethinkers, Mannheim 24th – 26th May 2013

The World Union of Freethinkers protests against endeavours to privatize water for profit interests and the attempts to patent seed and life in general.

Large international groups want to acquire mankind’s sources of life; they want to control them and make people obliged to pay tribute for them. In doing so, they are increasing the amount of hunger, misery and poverty in the world. These endeavours are incompatible with the right to life and the right of self-determination.

We freethinkers support all initiatives and protests aiming to end these activities hostile to mankind.

Kampf gegen Faschismus und Krieg bleibt auf der Tagesordnung

Sorry, this entry is only available in Deutsch and Français.

Kongress der Freidenker-Weltunion:

Vom 24. bis 26. Mai 2013 tagte in Mannheim der 44. Kongress der Weltunion der Freidenker. Der Baden-Württembergische Freidenker-Vorsitzende Ian Bailey begrüßte die Delegierten auf‚ heimischem Boden‘ im Bürgerhaus-Neckarstadt-West.

Im Mittelpunkt der Tagung stand das Verhältnis des Freien Denkens zur Politik: Der Vorstellung, die Freidenker sollten sich auf Themen der Religions- und Kirchenkritik beschränken, hielt Klaus Hartmann, Vorsitzender des Deutsch en Freidenker-Verbandes, in seinem Referat entgegen: „Freidenker kämpften immer gegen die Privilegien der Kirche. Wenn die Kirchen das Privileg beanspruchten, zu allen Fragen der Welt Stellung zu nehmen, werden Freidenker „die Kirchen doch nicht auch noch dafür honorieren, dass wir ihnen auf Gebieten, für die sie absolut unzuständig sind, das Feld überlassen, uns zurückziehen, und nur noch über die jungfräuliche Empfängnis, den Weihnachtsmann oder, wenn’s hochkommt, über pädophile Priester reden.“ Continue reading →