New Humanist Update

Urgent appeal for the Mustard Seed Secular School, Uganda

There are currently three humanist schools in Uganda: Mustard Seed School, Busota, Isaac Newton School, Masaka, and Fair View School, Kamengo. Each offers a broad non-dogmatic education to secondary pupils, where students are encouraged to develop their own views about religion and the world. Each has received significant financial support from humanists and rationalists in the UK. New Humanist and the Rationalist Association have taken a central role in supporting the Mustard Seed School, Busota. Readers have so far donated more then £35,000, which has allowed the school to educate hundreds of children who would not otherwise have gained a secondary education. Mustard Seed School has made great strides in the past year, becoming certified by the Ministry of Education (having met their exacting standards), sinking a borehole to provide clean water and building a science block and computer lab. For the first time every pupil had access to books this year, enabling the school to achieve their best ever exam results.

But they still need your support. The main need is for more space for the school to grow. An historic opportunity has come up, because the Muslim School next door to Mustard Seed has closed down, and the land come up for sale. It includes a block of four classrooms, offices and a kitchen, and would enable Mustard Seed to become a local exam centre, meaning students would not need to travel long distances to do exams, and bring the school additional revenue. The land and school have been offered at a very competitive price, but the offer is time-limited. We need to raise £22,000 as quickly as possible.

If you can help please visit the Uganda Humanist Schools Trust's donation page or call Steve Hurd on +44 (0) 1782 750338.

To learn more about Mustard Seed, take a look at Andrew West's photo essay from the current issue of New Humanist. 

July/August issue of New Humanist

The July/August issue of New Humanist is out now, featuring Terry Pratchett on the right to die with dignity, novelist AL Kennedy on what she discovered about psychics researching her new book, comic Marcus Brigstocke on how he found God and then carelessly misplaced him and sex blogger Zoe Margolis on why we should say No to Nadine Dorries and her anti-choice agenda.

Plus: we answer some of the big questions: is it racist to criticise Islam? Can science explain human nature? How does the Moon make life on earth possible? What makes people evil? What are those weird tattoo things on the surface of Mars? What is a ‘darkman’s budge’ and what was AC Grayling thinking when he set up a private college of the humanities?

You'll see from the links that there's lots to read online, but if you want it all, why not take the rational option and subscribe? We'll even send you a free pack of God Trumps.



Listen to our latest podcast

In our latest podcast, novelist AL Kennedy tells us what she learned researching the practices of psychics for her new novel, and science writer John Gribbin fills us in on what we owe the Moon. We also discuss our current cover story on Islamophobia and the right to criticise religion.

Everything you need for listening and downloading can be found on the blog.

Freethinking in the Arab Spring

Among the many groups enjoying the newfound freedoms afforded by Egypt's revolution, we haven't heard a great deal about are humanists and atheists. But as we reveal in an exclusive report from Cairo, freethinkers who previously dared only to meet online have found the confidence to get together and discuss unbelief and the future of the Middle East.

Also from Egypt, we recently published a fascinating interview with a hardline Salafi sheik, who shared his views on the new democracy. Will strict Islamic parties work within the system, or seek to impose conservative Islamic rule?

Also online, see Ebenezer Obadare's analysis of the scapegoating of gay Africans, and Les Back's guide to a sociologist's holiday reading.

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Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People 2011 on sale now

Tickets are now on sale for our fourth annual rational Christmas science, comedy and music extravaganza Nine Lessons and Carols for Godless People. Running at London's Bloomsbury Theatre for six nights from 18-23 December, this year's shows will feature host and mastermind Robin Ince, alongside Richard Herring, Josie Long, Helen Arney and Martin White.

They'll be on every night, but as always the line-ups will be packed full of special guests, many of whom we will reveal over the coming months as they are added to the bill. So far we can confirm that Darren Hayman will appear on the 18th and 19th, Helen Keen on the 19th, Isy Suttie on the 20th and 21st, Mark Miodownik on the 22nd and Stewart Lee on the 23rd. More being added daily so keep up on our blog.

Tickets cost £25 (£15 concessions) and are on sale now from the Bloomsbury website, or the box office on 020 7388 8822.