Date
06/07/2019
Time
9:00 am - 6:30 pm
Location
RELC International Hotel
30 Orange Grove Road
Singapore
|
thanks YOU for participating in Asian Humanism Conference 2019!  Post-event reports
|
Featuring NMP Anthea Ong and award-winning social activist and interfaith champion Siti Noor Mastura, the Asian Humanism Conference 2019 will tackle some big, big questions under the theme of ‘InterBelief, InterActivity’. How should we handle situations where people are easily offended? Is protecting the lowest common denominator the only way to preserve religious harmony? How will women’s rights be affected with the women’s movement splintered in multiple directions?
Topics and speakers featured this year
From Self-Centered to Selfless
by Tan Tatt Si, President of the Humanist Society (Singapore).
To the uninformed, humanism may be seen as a ‘selfish’ platform. However, we know that it is a way to create a better future for humankind, by applying rationality, passion, and compassion to instil empathy. (Full text.)
Starting from the Lowest Common Denominator
by Anthea Indira Ong, Nominated Member of Parliament.
As people of diverse beliefs subscribe to different rules and follow them to varying degrees, it can be difficult to find common ground. How can the Lowest Common Denominator help the larger society to carve out shared spaces? (Full text.)
Empowering All Women in a Secular Society
by Siti Noor Mastura, award-winning social activist and interfaith champion.
The feminism movement has been split across multiple directions by its various stakeholders. How are secularism and humanism relevant in a discussion on female empowerment? (Excerpt.)
Inter-Belief & Inter-Activity
featuring Nazhath Faheema, founder of hash.peace.
The inter-belief panel will explore the intersection of humanism, inter-belief, as well as secularism and discuss the relevance of such work in the modern Asian society. The session will be moderated by Mr Tan Tatt Si.
Taking Offence
by Woon Chet Choon, Managing Consultant for Groom Talent.com
It is difficult to handle criticism personally, but what if the criticism were directed at something that one holds dearly? This is often the dilemma faced by people with strong belief systems, as criticisms or discussions become seen as ridicule of attack on one’s values. This talk will give examples of Conflict Resolution, in a friendly and non-confrontational way, to illustrate how ‘offence’ should be taken into context.
Media and Communications Workshop
by Jamilah Lim, media professional who engages in advocacy and events management.
Facilitated by Xue Jianyue, former journalist from TODAY.
This workshop will teach individuals and organisations how to deal with fake news and misinformation, as well as handle sensitive topics in a tactful manner. It will also discuss what are some of the digital skills needed by organisations to get their message across to the right audience effectively.
Why join the conference?
At this exciting conference, you get to:
- Network with passionate and driven humanists around the globe.
- Listen to heartfelt stories from men and women who have dedicated their lives to creating a better and fairer world.
- Learn new skills and build your capacities at our marketing workshop.
- Immerse in the wonderful exhibits of the Asian Civilisations Museum
- Ask some good questions at an inter-faith dialogue.
- Build a common ground for productive dialogue.
Schedule
| Friday, 5 July 2019 CLOSED-DOOR |
||
|---|---|---|
| Time | Programme | Venue |
| 13:00 | Registration | RELC International Hotel Room 603 |
| 13:30 | Welcome and Orientation | |
| 14:00 | Closed-door presentations by delegates and organisation representatives of the Asian Working Group |
|
| 15:00 | Coffee Break | |
| 15:30 | Asian Working Group Internal Meeting | RELC International Hotel Room 603 |
| 16:30 | Closing Remarks | |
| 17:00 | End of Programme | |
| 18:00 | Dinner | Newton Food Centre |
| Saturday, 6 July 2019 OPEN TO PUBLIC |
||
| Time | Programme | Venue |
| 09:00 | Welcoming Remarks (full text) Tan Tatt Si |
RELC International Hotel Rooms 603 & 604 |
| 09:45 | Opening Address: Starting From the Lowest Common Denominator (full text) Anthea Indira Ong |
|
| 10:15 | Coffee Break | |
| 10:45 | Empowering All Women in a Secular Society (excerpt) Siti Noor Mastura |
RELC International Hotel Rooms 603 & 604 |
| 11:15 | Panel Presentation & Discussion: Inter-Belief & Inter-Activity Nazhath Faheema Manisha Mahajan Danielle Hill |
|
| 12:30 | Lunch | |
| 13:30 | Workshop 1: Handling Offence Woon Chet Choon |
RELC International Hotel Rooms 603 & 604 |
| 14:30 | Workshop 2: Fake News, Media, and Communications Jamilah Lim & Sze Jianyue |
|
| 15:30 | Coffee Break | |
| 16:00 | Excursion Briefing | RELC International Hotel Rooms 603 & 604 |
| 16:30 | Excursion Museum Visit: Faith and Belief |
Asian Civilizations Museum 1 Empress Place Singapore 179555 |
| 18:30 | End of Programme | |
| Sunday, 7 July 2019 BY INVITATION, FREE AND EASY |
||
| Time | Programme | Venue |
| 10:00 | Brunch Meeting | Telok Ayer Market (also known as Lao Pa Sat) 18 Raffles Quay Singapore 048582 |
| 12:00 | R&R | |
| 14:00 | End of Programme | |
More information
Held for the second time in Singapore, the Asian Humanism Conference is an annual meeting of humanists across Asia, aimed to strengthen networks across people and humanist organisations in the pan-Asian region. Previous conferences have been held in India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Singapore, which hosted AHC back in 2015.
- About Humanists International and Young Humanists International
- The Asian Humanist Conference 2015 hosted by the Humanist Society (Singapore)
- Accommodation recommendations
About the Humanist Society (Singapore)
In 2010, a group of humanists, atheists, agnostics, sceptics, and other like-minded people came together to form Humanist Society (Singapore). We represent a non-religious community in Singapore which pursues ethical and fulfilling lives that are guided by reason, informed by evidence, and driven by compassion. Find out more.
