World Humanist Day: What is humanism and when did it start?

The annual celebration takes place on Friday 21 June

(Getty Images)

World Humanist Day is about celebrating the achievements of humanists around the globe.

Humanism is a philosophical movement attributed to those who reject religious and supernatural ideologies.

A humanist lives their life according to a set of values that prioritise scientific reasoning and empathy for other human beings, the charity Humanists UK explains on its website.

World Humanist Day takes place every year on the June solstice, which this year falls on Friday 21 June.

Ahead of the annual celebration, read on for everything you need to know about humanism.

What is humanism?

Humanism is a philosophical approach to life.

The Humanists UK charity states that humanists are primarily concerned with how human beings relate to the world and believe in ethical principles that prioritise human welfare and happiness.

The organisation explains that the community also believes that the universe is a natural phenomenon with no scientific design behind it and that meaning is something we create ourselves as opposed to being something that is out there for us to find.

Dictionary definitions vary, but the Oxford Companion to Philosophy defines humanism as “An appeal to reason in contrast to revelation or religious authority as a means of finding out about the natural world and destiny of man, and also giving a grounding for morality.

"Humanist ethics is also distinguished by placing the end of moral action in the welfare of humanity rather than in fulfilling the will of God.”

Humanists UK defines a humanist as someone who:

• "Trusts the scientific method when it comes to understanding how the universe works and rejects the idea of the supernatural (and is therefore an atheist or agnostic)"

• "Makes their ethical decisions based on reason, empathy, and a concern for human beings and other sentient animals"

• "Believes that, in the absence of an afterlife and any discernible purpose to the universe, human beings can act to give their own lives meaning by seeking happiness in this life and helping others to do the same"

What do humanists believe?

According to Humanists UK, humanists believe in sending children to schools that don’t enrol pupils based on their religious beliefs and instead think that pupils from all backgrounds should be educated together in a shared environment. The charity is currently campaigning for humanism to be taught in schools.

Other beliefs shared by humanists include: equality, assisted dying and the legalisation of humanist marriages.

When did humanism begin?

Humanism is thought to have begun in the late 14th-century in Italy and was a major movement of the Renaissance.

According to research published in Oxford Bibliographies, it spread to the rest of Europe in the mid-15th century and by the 16th century, it was the dominant intellectual movement. Back then, humanism was primarily about reviving classical learning methods and was about literary knowledge and linguistic skills, as opposed to an overarching approach to life.

It became the humanism we now know it to be in the mid-1800s when the word was used by German historian Georg Voigt to describe a philosophy centred on humankind.

What is a humanist wedding?

A humanist wedding is a non-religious ceremony conducted by someone who practices humanism and has been trained to conduct weddings and/or funeral according to the movement’s ideologies.

Humanist weddings are not legally recognised in England and Wales (they are in Scotland), but that’s not stopping hundreds of couples from having them.

Recent figures claim that humanist weddings have risen by more than 250 per cent in the last 15 years.

How is World Humanist Day celebrated?

This year, World Humanist Day will be acknowledged by Humanists UK with live entertainment and a performance from the London Humanist Choir at The Battersea Bridge in London.

In the US, celebrations will be led by the American Humanist Association, who have created a Facebook event with a description that reads: "Each year we celebrate by spreading awareness of humanism and gathering together locally to act on our humanist values".

How has the term 'humanist' been misused?

Some people misuse the term “humanist” when discussing issues surrounding feminism.

For example, in February, actor Sarah Jessica Parker described the need for better quality roles for women in the entertainment industry as a “humanist” issue.

“My fervent hope is that the quality of parts will get better because we’re having the conversation that it’s necessary,” the Sex and the City star told Metro. “But I think it’s not just about a feminist call-to-arms, it’s humanist… it’s about the LGBTQ community. We have to do better by everybody.”

Parker isn't the only celebrity to describe herself as a humanist in this context.

In September 2015, actor Meryl Streep told TimeOut London that she's a humanist, saying: "I am for nice easy balance".

Actor Susan Sarandon also stated that she's a humanist during a 2013 interview with The Guardian, saying that she thinks the term is "less alienating" than feminism.