World Center of Humanist Studies

Background

The WCHS was created by the 1st. World Humanist Forum celebrated in Moscow between October 7th. and 9th., 1993 under the initiative of Mario Rodriguez Cobo (Silo).  It began its activities based on the orientation of the Universal Humanism, developing activities until beginning of 1998.

The Universalistic Humanism or New Humanism is a multiform cosmovision that enriches and expands itself with the effort of thinkers, writers, philosophers, scientists, educators, artists, newspaper men and women, union people, cooperative people and members of organizations and social, cultural and political institutions from different places, ideologies, parties and schools.  Its vital impulse receives nutrition from the complementary principles of universality and diversity.  Its strength expresses itself in its ability to surpass wretched and provisional passions and to interpret the universal interests and eagerness of the concrete human being.  It places man and its future as the central value and concern, and it resists all manifestations of violence and discrimination, whatever the veil that may cover them.

The Universalistic Humanism or New Humanism is inspired in the doctrine given by Silo, published in his Complete Works, Volume I, II which the source of permanent council and inspiration for those who participate in the WCHS.

Also, many humanist investigators have developed this cosmovision in many works in specific fields (sciences, arts, social, political and cultural  activities)

The WCHS has performed a series of seminars and studies, devoted to the investigation of humanist traditions and innovations in different cultures of the world.  These seminars were jointly given with Institutes of the Academy of Sciences of Russia, Hebrew Centres of Cultures of Buenos Aires and Santiago, and diverse universities and scientific institutions.  These activities were published as the “Yearbook of the World Centre of Humanist Studies” in the years 1994, 1996 and 1997.  Also, the “Dictionary of New Humanism” was published, that is nowadays included in Vol. II of Complete Works.

Proposal of the “World Centre of Humanist Studies”

At present time, investigations on humanism, as well as on human being from the humanist point of view, are dispersed and there are no centres that may coordinate these works.

Starting from the interest manifested by different investigators and scholars that have been contacted with these activities, the existence of a major ambit has been seen as desirable and necessary and therefore, on April 2006, the CEHBA has proposed to promote the continuity of the “World Centre of Humanist Studies”.

Although its origin was constituted mainly by academic members, the Centre tends to give participations to investigators of the ethics and practice of humanism in its historiologist context.  So, it proposes to unify energies and the creative potential of those interested in these topics.

The aim of the WCHS is the production, qualification and distribution of the New Humanism vision, oriented towards the social transformation, promoting the open participation of those that have a genuine interest to perform investigations and works towards the proposed objective.

The proposal is to motivate the exchange of contributions and to mix creative efforts of the participants, in order to study the most difficult present problems of humanism as a universal stream of consciousness and social action.

The WCHS as an organization of investigation, study and development of sciences (specially historiology, psycho-sociology, history of cultures, economy, law, philosophy, anthropology, politology, among others) has the intention to perform investigations and studies that may contribute to humanize science and technology, emphasizing the problems of education for all, thus orienting its efforts with priority on education of younger generations.

It supports every tendency to the development of knowledge, beyond limitations imposed to thought by prejudices accepted as absolute and immutable truths, thus promoting the structural, dynamic, related and critical thought.

The WCHS promotes, among others, the study and production on the following topics:  the increasing intervention of supposed peace organisms in the internal affairs of the countries; the manipulation of human rights as a pretext of intervention; the real situation of human rights in the world; the increase of poverty in diverse regions and different layers of wealthy societies and the increase of world unemployment; the progressive deterioration of health and education; the increasing racism and discrimination; the religious persecution and the radicalization of religious groups; the action of secessionist forces; the increase of drug addictions; the increase of suicides; the psycho-social phenomenon of alteration and violence; the real dangers, duly priorized, of environmental destruction.

Organization

The above mentioned background of the WCHS start from its creation in a World Forum and its subsequent extension towards the whole.

The proposal for this moment is to do it starting from the formation of Centres of Humanist Studies (CHS) in each place where there are persons interested in promoting its creation and development.  The structurization of the CHS will constitute the WCHS under the federation form.

The CHS will conform autonomously according to the characteristics of each place, both in the operational aspect as well as legal, giving itself its own dynamic, regarding organization and activities; that although framed by the orientation of New Humanism, it is not part of any of the usual structurizations of the Movement.

It is recommendable that the CHS will grant themselves some basic requisites of organization that include permanence and increase of the promoting group, a subject program, a working calendar, incorporation of new members, formation of qualifiers and investigators and the production and distribution of their Works.

It will be fundamental to work in groups and teamwork, to perform exchanges of contributions, joint works among various Centres, to observe a common methodology based in the “Structural Dynamic Method”, to remain inclusive and open to participation; to maintain a memory of what is being done and to formulate projects towards the future.  It will also be important to have translating teams, in at least, Spanish, English and French.

The intention is that the WCHS will grow starting from the strong build up of local CHS and as long as these developments are being carried out, we will go ahead with the edition of joint materials (for example to continue with Yearbooks) and to perform Regional and World Forums to display its productions.

The reference point of the WCHS, will be placed in the city of Moscow.

In order to coordinate this stage of re-launch of WCHS, it will be extremely helpful to know the intention of the promoters of the CHS in each place, initially contacting via mail with Oscar Cevey (CEHBA) oscar47@fibertel.com.ar, Jorge Pompei (CEHBA) jpompei@gmail.com or Hugo Novotny (CEH Moscow) hugonov@yandex.ru.