What we’re about
Welcome to Central London Humanists!
CLH provides a meeting place for humanists, the secular, and other non-religious people, particularly those who live or work in the central London area of the UK.
Every month we hold a talk/lecture and several social events. Our social activities include group socials, a book group, picnics, walks, museum & cultural visits and theatre trips.
If you're not religious, or doubting your faith or belief and like open-minded communities, and would like to meet like minded people, come along and join us!
As we don't have a membership fee, a donation of £3 is suggested at each meeting. This goes towards our running costs, partnership fees and charitable donations. If it's your first time, we don't expect a donation.
We are a partner group of Humanists UK.
We are an Associate Member of Humanists International.
We're also on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Some of our previous talks are available on YouTube.
Anyone who joins us on Meetup can participate fully in events. They can suggest events, participate in organising events and much more.
As we are such a large group, each year we hold an AGM and elect a committee to help manage the group. To be a voting member of Central London Humanists, or to be a member of the committee, you must be a paid up member of Humanists UK (to join go here).
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- The Assisted Dying Bill - Your Questions AnsweredLink visible for attendees
On Friday 29 November, Kim Leadbeater MP’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill will have its Second Reading. This vote could well bring about real compassionate change to people who are dying.
But religious and other groups are pushing back against the bill. They claim the topic is too complex and potentially dangerous.
Humanists and indeed a majority of the UK disagree.
Our panel (see below) will present the arguments and guide the discussion. We will aim to clarify the issues and provide accurate information to help attendees inform their understanding of the topic.
Please come along to learn more about this important chance to improve the lives of those who suffer unnecessarily.
We will take your questions live but you can also post questions in advance for the panel by using the comment section on this Meetup page or by emailing [email protected].
And if you haven't done so already, please reach out to your MP to tell them you support the bill and they should too, see here .
Your panel:
- Susan Watt is a science and philosophy editor who works on the HUK campaign for assisted dying.
- Barry Newman is a retired medical doctor (anaesthesia and intensive care), a member of Dignity in Dying and a Humanist school speaker.
- Christopher Geake works with the Non-Religious Pastoral Support Network.
- Christian Jensen will moderate. He organises campaigns and activism for Central London Humanists.
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Join us for an informative session on all these points. We will begin with a short presentation of the situation, introduce our panel to give their perspectives and then open the floor to participants to raise their questions.
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Date: Tuesday 19th November 2024
Time: 7pm - 8.30pm
Venue: Zoom (Link provided upon RSVP)
………………References and Suggested Reading
The Humanists UK Campaign position on assisted dying
Humanism Now Podcast from CLH, episode with Nathan Stillwell, Humanists UK's Assisted Dying Campaign Coordinator, Campaigns and Communications Manager at My Death My Decision and a member of The Assisted Dying Coalition Secretariat.
BBC Radio, The Briefing Room, episode on assisted dying, featuring practice in other European countries
HUK briefing: ‘Canada’s assisted dying legislation – dispelling the myths’
- HUK briefing:’ Assisted dying and palliative care’: (2024 HUK Briefing on Assisted Dying and Palliative Care)
- Jersey Ethics Review – Humanists UK’s Response
- Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill
Article on disability and assisted dying by medical ethicist/academic philosopher Ben Colburn
Frances Crook, former director of the Howard League with lived experience of a terminal condition, newsletter on shortcomings of the bill
Latest News:
https://humanists.uk/2024/11/11/humanists-uk-welcomes-assisted-dying-bill/New poll shows every constituency backs assisted dying:
https://humanists.uk/2024/10/16/new-poll-shows-every-constituency-backs-assisted-dying/We do not charge to attend our online talks – but we ask for a £3.00 suggested donation from those who are able, to help cover the group's costs (we do not have a membership fee like other groups).
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Central London Humanists is a volunteer-run community group. We aim to provide a safe space for the humanist community in London to come together for fellowship, learning and fun. We receive no financial support and are entirely funded by donations from our membership and event attendees.Our events are 18+ unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. We encourage dialogue, debate, and sharing of information, but ask people to keep their comments cordial. Any individual's views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the group at large.
- CLH Talks | From the River to the Sea - an Israeli-Palestinian dialogueLink visible for attendees
Join us for this personal exploration of the Israel-Palestine conflict, through the eyes of two guest speakers who have significant and deep links to the region and its the culture and history. The aim will be to enlighten and share perspectives, not to persuade or debate.
What is our CLH Talks programme?
These meetings feature long-form lectures, or interview-style dialogues conducted with special guest speakers with an in-depth knowledge of the chosen field.Get to know the guest speakers
Yaniv Aknin is a British-Israeli software engineer, living in London with his wife and two boys. He was born and raised in Israel, most of his family and friends still live there. He’s a member of Humanists UK and participates in CLH activities.Ahmad Al Saadi is a Palestinian activist, he was born in the diaspora and is currently based in Germany. As the director of the peace project Shalom und Salam, he is committed to fostering understanding and dialogue between communities. His work centres on raising awareness of Palestinian perspectives and promoting constructive conversations around human rights, justice, and social equity.
Ahmad and Yaniv met in 2023, as part of a dialogue group organised by the School for Peace in Neve Shalom / Wahat as-Salam, a cooperative village in Israel. The village was jointly founded by Israeli Jews and Arabs in an attempt to promote peaceful coexistence in the region.
The moderator
Alavari Jeevathol serves as a director and trustee of Humanists International. He is a founding trustee of the National Multifaith Youth Centre in the UK. He also serves as national coordinator of Young Humanists UK. His particular focus is on young humanists, on dialogue between faith and belief groups based on a shared humanistic spirituality, and on supporting non-religious asylum seekers and refugees. He also strives to work on issues of ecological sustainability for future generations. He was born in south India and is based in London, UK.The meeting will offer personal perspectives on:
- The Israeli and Palestinian diaspora experience
- How the conflict affects daily life, and deciding to be an activist
- Being a Palestinian living and working in Germany right now
- Receiving and responding to family, friends, and neighbours with different views on the conflict
- How a humanist/atheist stance can be relevant to understanding the conflict and taking up a conscientious position
- What practical steps can those in the UK, Germany, and other higher-income Western countries do in response to the conflict
- The biggest misconceptions on both sides of the conflict
- What dialogue looks like , and why it can offer a path for progress
What will the format of the discussion be?
A moderated dialogue for the first part, and then audience questions.Are RSVPs essential?
Yes, attendee spaces are limited.Is there a cost to attend?
We ask for a £3.00 suggested donation from those who are able, to help cover the group's costs (we do not have a membership fee like other groups).Photos and social media clips
This meeting will be recorded as an online webinar on Zoom and published afterwards on YouTube and other CLH social media. The moderator and two speakers will be recorded on video and audio. The audience will not be recorded.Click here for a full list of FAQs related to Central London Humanists, and our events.
