Message from the IAFT to the International Congress in Warsaw
Dear Congress Participants,
The International Association of Free Thought (IAFT) was founded on August 10th, 2011 in Oslo, Norway. It leads resolute actions on all continents for the defence and promotion of freedom of conscience, expression and research. The IAFT considers that only a complete separation between religions and states can guarantee such liberties.
That is why freethinkers from around the world are deeply committed to secularism which allows each individual to dispose freely of his or her own body and mind in all possible forms of expression.
Here in this prestigious location, the University of Warsaw, the IAFT wishes to affirm its resolve to defend academic freedom which had to be wrenched from the grip of existing powers and clergies everywhere. Without such freedom, universities and the sciences could not exist.
Academic freedom is threatened everywhere by political, economic and religious constraints. We must defend this freedom tirelessly. Democracy depends upon it.
For years, freethinkers have acted, particularly in Europe, to promote cooperation among secularists, humanists and freethinkers in defence of science. Although members of the great family of rationalists may take differing approaches towards institutional questions — and this is only normal — there can be a genuine rapprochement in order to take joint action to defend materialism and science.
There is much more that unites us than divides us. It is this will for unity that we wish to assert on the occasion of this important colloquium.
In the words of the great Jaurès, “It is by flowing towards the sea that the river remains faithful to its source.” It is by going to the source of our shared deliberations that we can develop joint actions.
We wish you a valuable and productive congress.
For the International Association of Free Thought:
Nina Sankari, David Rand & Christian Eyschen
Spokespersons of the IAFT
