Gary McLelland on the World Humanist Congress 2023

Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen

Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project

Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2023/11/15

Gary McLelland has been with Humanists International since February, 2017. He is the Chief Executive of Humanists International, working for Humanist Society Scotland before as their Head of Communications ad Public Affairs since 2013. McLelland has a BSc (hons) in psychology, a diploma in childhood and youth studies and master’s in human rights law, in which he researched the approach of the European Court of Human Rights and the United Nations’ approach to so-called ‘blasphemy laws.’ Here he talked about the World Congress and General Assembly of Humanists Inernational in Copehagen in August of 2023.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: It was great to meet everyone again in Copenhagen. This is simply a quick roundup of the big takeaways from the World Congress and the General Assembly. For starters, what were your favourite moments of the World Congress and the General Assembly?

Gary McLelland: My favourite moments are always seeing friends and colleagues who I don’t get to the opportunity see for, maybe, 1 or 2 years from time to time. I spend a lot of my time on Zoom calls and Google Meet calls with our members and associates from all different parts of the world. It is exciting. You can get a sense of people’s excitement and the projects that they are involved in. You can build a certain amount of rapport over these calls. However, there is really no alternative to spending time in person, just hanging out with people and talking to them in a more relaxed environment. For me, it is always a real buzz to see all the people that I spend my time communicating with in person and to see them altogether. It’s always a really good feeling. I don’t know if there is any particularly favourite moments. For me, the whole period of 4 or 5 days. It really just feels like one big event, where you get to hang out and talk about important issues. Sometimes, serious issues, but also I think to reinvigorate and re-energize the common bonds that unite all of our different organizations all ove the world, to feel like you’re part of this bigger, global movement; it is this exciting thing.

Jacobsen: My first experience in Copenhagen was missing the bike lanes – right in front of my eyes, like a clueless idiot – and almost getting hit by an elderly Danish man on a bicycle who exclaimed the first words of Danish I have ever heard, as far as I recall, “Idiot”. Welcome to Denmark! How was your trip to Denmark?

McLelland: [Laughing] I must confess. That this year for the Congress, I think I left the hotel twice. I had very bold ambitions to get up early day, to go for a swim in the harbour, to go for a run around the lakes. I must confess that I think I spent too much time socializing in the evening. So, my morning plans were somewhat curtailed by that. So, I didn’t get to see much of Copenhagen. I went out twice to a couple dinners, but, yes, other than that; I spent my entire time in the hotel, in the conference centre. But! I really can’t complain. That was the purpose for me being there, obviously to work and oversee the General Assembly, but to meet, support, and network our various members and associates. Obviously, it is always lovely being in Copenhagen. As a keen cyclist, I am very much a supporter of their cycling culture and cycling infrastructure. Also, I’ve been very fortunate to have some personal trip to Copenhagen before. So, I have explored all of the beautiful tourism before. Yes, it was not the most touristic visit to Copenhagen for me this year. 

Jacobsen: It has been about 9 years since the last World Congress. What were the reasons for the delay outside of the Covid-19 pandemic?

McLelland: Well, yes, as you say, it’s been 9 years since we had the last World Humanist Congress back in 2014. There’s, probably, quite a number of reasons for this. The economics and, indeed, the kind of carbon and climate economics of flying 1,000 people around the world to listen to lectures is, obviously, something I think coming under greater and greater strain for understandable reasons. That’s definitely part of it. There are, actually, more kind of local reasons why the last two congresses – they were meant to take place every year. One was meant to take place in 2017. That would have been in Sau Paolo in Brazil. Another was meant to take place in 2020 in Miami in Florida. There were some local reasons that didn’t happen. Brazil, at the time, went some severe economic challenges. Our member there came under quite a lot of economic pressure. So, the logistics of that event really just weren’t able to withstand those challenges. That event had to be cancelled. At the very last minute, Humanists UK put on an international conference in London, which was really an excellent save of the event. 

The event in 2020 in Miami had to cancelled because of the Covid pandemic. As I said, there are these overarching doubts and questions some of us have over the congress. That is not to take away from the fact that what happened in Copenhagen was an overwhelmingly successful and positive event. The feedback from the participants underlines that. The next congress in Washington, D.C. in 2026; I’m sure will also be an incredibly positive and successful event. However, there are, I think, growing challenges to this model of having a big 1,000-person in-person event travelling around the world. I that the pressure for economic reasons to make sure that the event is open to people from all different parts of the world with all different economic opportunities, and also to really make sure that the vast amounts of carbon that are released from the flights can be justified, frankly. There are big challenges to the future of the congresses. It would be, obviously, for the members and associates of Humanists International to discuss and decide about the best way to maintain and energize and invigorate and manage our democratic forums in the future. So, yes, I think that would be a very good question in the short-to-medium-term. 

Jacobsen: A lot of North American media presence can be skewed over the last few years by the Twitter presence, at the time, of former American president Donald J. Trump. It was common for people to nervously scroll and look for the next inflammation from the Trump Administration’s social media. However, a lot continues to happen and moves forward in the world. Although, things have calmed down a bit with President Biden. What have been some of the more significant changes in the African, Latin American, European, and Asian contexts for secular humanists, while North America has been, prototypically, self-absorbed?

McLelland: That’s a very big question. I’m, obviously, a resident of North America. Although, I think I am quite clued into North American politics. There have been some very serious challenges to humanist values that we promote. You’ve seen across Latin America and all around in Europe, and so on, the rise of so-called “strong men politics,” e.g., Bolsonaro and so on, and a number of populist leaders across Europe. The weaponization of the so-called “culture wars.” These attempts at fostering a divisive narrative and separating people into pro or anti this, that, or the other thing. That is something that has bee happening globally. It will manifest itself in different ways given the amount of  foreign policy power that the US and economic power that the US projects globally. It’s obvious that they will always, to some extent, be one of the most visible in the, certainly, English-speaking world. If you talk to the humanist organizations in India, they will tell you about the really concerning rise of religious inspired strong man politics and populism in India with Modi’s BJP party. It is very much a global phenomenon. Of course, there are examples of this being pushed back against and progressive, democratic movements trying to safeguard institutions and so on. That is something which back in 2019 with our declaration against populism; we tried to bolster and underline as part of the humanist movement. I’m not a political theorist, but I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to draw a line between since 2008 and the severe economic shocks of the credit crunch. We know political and civil unrest is following these massive economic shocks. It is definitely concerning. One of the challenges is that the answer to these challenging times, even after the pandemic: The questioning of global supply chains and whether we need to go back to nationalistic approach to apply and demand, and economics. These are very big questions. I think that what we have to say is beware of those people who will offer you a simple answer to these profound global challenges. That will always be the challenge for us as humanists to give measured, reasonable, and calm, inspiring messages, but in the knowledge that we are up against people who are offering simple, pithy, angry, but, nonetheless, false solutions to these complex problems.

Jacobsen: Copenhagen Declaration on Democracy: a humanist value was adopted as policy at the General Assembly in Denmark, which is huge. It seems obvious, but formal stipulations matter in this regard. You don’t need to argue with anyone too, too much, simply forward them the link to a policy. I still have a project in mind to run through each policy since the inception of Humanists International, but, I think, this will take significant focus and effort and time commitment. Certainly, more than a year. What were other declaration themes or topics considered for this 2023 General Assembly?

McLelland: So, in terms of what was considered for the Congress, there only ever was really a plan to have one declaration broadly on the theme of democracy. There was then some discussions in the drafting committee to the extent that this should be a timeless, aspirational declaration about what humanists believe in democracy, why we believe in democracy, where we see democracy going in the broadest terms. Something that would resonate 10, 20, 30, 50 years, or whether it should be something that is much more of the moment. Something which elucidates our concerns, our fears, our worries, our more local aspirations for some of the challenges mentioned previously. In the end, we agreed – the resolutions committee agreed – to do two statements. The first was a declaration that was moulded by the wider congress. It was this more timeless, aspirational declaration about how democracy is, how to sustain and maintain it, how to recognize and push against anti-democratic tendencies. Then the General Assembly separately adopted a statement which was a much more timely piece, which draws some concerns about the more local and specific concerns we’re facing now. An attempt to link them both together. Taht was definitely one of the aims for this year. Interestingly, going back to the 2020 planned congress, which was obviously cancelled, the theme of that congress was going to be on culture. I think that’s something we as a humanist movement have an incredibly rich, diverse, deep and proud culture, and also an appreciation of wider culture – art, drama, of everything that motivates and moves us in the human experience. But I think there’s a growing appreciation among some leaders that the subjects of our statements and activities, and so on, tend sot be on the harder rational science, policy sides. The harder aspects of life, and that we need to make a space to make known our position and our support and desires for culture. I think that’s one that we will hopefully return to in the near future. 

Jacobsen: What has been the feedback on the GA and WC so far?

McLelland: The feedback on the General Assembly and the World Congress so far has been very positive, I must say. There has been a real appreciation to see a good global representation from different parts of the world and the participants. Clearly, it is not a fully, globally diverse group of people given that we’re meeting in Europe. Definitely, I think there has been great efforts on the parts of the organizers with the Norwegians and the Danish humanists and with Humanists International to make sure that we have as many resources as we can to offer travel bursaries to people from less economically powerful parts of the world. So, that has been a powerful thing to get feedback on. The content of the speeches and sessions received really good feedback. People said that it was very comprehensive look at things, almost in a negative way, I think, especially during the parallel breakout sessions. Choosing which one to go to was a very, very difficult choice, they wish that they had had a chance to go to different sessions. That’s a positive, I think, as well as something that we’ll need to reflect on in the coming years. Broadly speaking, all of the feedback has been positive. I think everyone felt everything was very well organized, explained, and understood. I think there has been two good pieces of constructgive feedback. One is that – both related – the language of the congress is conducted in English; it would be helpful, especially for those talks and sessions of a higher academic nature to provide written summaries or papers, ideally, in advance to give those who don’t use English every day a better opportunity to engage with the session. Similarly, I think a reminder to participants, again, for people who are not using English everyday to remember to be patient with those people who maybe need a bit more time with their English and might need to remember to be a bit more patient when people who don’t often use English are trying to make complicated points or speak in public. I think that’s one thing that we need to reflect on. 

Jacobsen: What was the inspiration for choosing Singapore for next year’s GA?

McLelland: There wasn’t any particular inspiration for choosing Singapore. Every year or two, we will put out a call for interest from all our member organizations about hosting a general assembly or congress. It is up to the members themselves to bid to host a congress. The Humanist Society Singapore had been keen for a while to do one. They bid to host one next year. Very excellent organization, I would encourage people to go online and check them out. They have been an active member of Humanists International many years. It is not in some way a choice made by Humanists International, but it is more of an expression of the interest of the Humanist Society Singapore. 

Jacobsen: Any final thoughts?

McLelland: So, thank you for your time, Scott, I don’t have much more to add. I hope that I will see you and all of your readers in Singapore next year. Do remember to check out the dates and the venue on the Humanists International website, which is humanists.international. You can sign up for email alerts, so you can receive alerts when ticket and bookings are available. 

Jacobsen: Thank you for the opportunity and your time, Gary. 

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