- New campaigns and projects. We recently funded a billboard campaign in Guatemala. People were told they didn’t have to believe in God to be good and they were not alone. In December last year, we funded and supported the first ever atheist national convention in Nigeria. It attracted over 100 delegates including students who resolved to set up atheist groups at their universities.
In 2018 we are planning a campaign to counter belief in witchcraft in several countries. We are planning to sue the governor of Akwa Ibom state in Nigeria for his project to use public funds to build a multi-billion Naira worship center. We want to increase public awareness and understanding of atheism. It’s time for atheism to emerge from the shadows. There are plenty more opportunities, you can help us find them and take action.
- Support to atheists setting up local groups. In many parts of the world, it’s not easy to be an atheist. Atheists are excluded, disparaged, discriminated against and even criminalized. AAI wants to help atheists connect to fight against discrimination and normalize atheism. We provide funding, advice and other resources to keep groups strong and growing. All this works toward our goal of a world in which government and public policy are free from religious dogma and where atheists are free to associate, speak out and openly run for public office.
- An international voice. We can, and will, help atheists fight against religious abuse of power, and against discrimination and marginalization of atheists wherever it occurs. But, more than this, atheists need representation on international bodies where human rights are on the agenda. As an alliance of international atheist groups, AAI is ideally placed to fulfill this role. That is why we have Special Consultative Status to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, and we are members of the Conference of NGOs at the Council of Europe, the continent’s leading human rights organization.
We plan to introduce an Atheist Bill of Rights this year. We will work with our affiliates and members to draft it, and we will present it at international bodies where we can. This is an opportunity to get atheism on the world agenda and to stimulate the discussion of atheism across world media.
- AAI has changed. In recent months, Board members have worked hard to re-organize AAI. We fixed failing systems, made cost improvements and launched a new user-friendly website which we will develop into a valuable resource for atheists, members, affiliates and the media worldwide.
Our goal is to become the number one international organization for atheists. We are ready to do battle for atheists—to help create more groups, to help our affiliates change laws that discriminate against atheists, to help individuals who are under attack for expressing their non-belief, to increase secular education, public awareness, and understanding of atheism. Atheist Alliance International says “No to discrimination!” and “No to privileging religious dogma!” We stand for a secular world based on reasoning, rationality, and evidence. And we stand with atheists everywhere.
The world needs reason and rational thinking now more than ever. AAI has never been more ready and more organized to make this happen. You can help by renewing your membership, making a donation, or offering to help as a volunteer.
Go to our new website and take a look around. Renewing your membership is easy. Go to: www.atheistalliance.org/ and log in using . Because we have installed a new membership system, your old password will probably not work, so click on the Lost Your Password? link and enter your email address to get a new password. Actually, you'll receive two emails—the first will ask you to click on a link to confirm you want to receive a new password, and the second will be your new password.
Once you’ve logged back into your account, browse the membership options at www.atheistalliance.org/membership/ and click on the one that you are comfortable with—there are plenty to choose from. You can use our secure system to pay by bank card, or by PayPal.
I would love to welcome you back!
If you have any questions at all, just reply to this email and we can talk.
Kind regards,
Bill Flavell
Vice President
Atheist Alliance International
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