Humanism As Resistance with Maggie Ardiente

Sign up for the Humanists International NewsletterThis week’s episode features a conversation with Maggie Ardiente, President of Humanists International, reflecting on the global defence of freedom of belief and the role of humanists in resisting rising authoritarianism.Maggie shares the origin story of the Freedom of Thought Report, explaining how early engagement with the US State Department helped ensure discrimination against atheists and humanists was formally documented. What began as a modest advocacy intervention has grown into Humanists International’s flagship annual publication, used by diplomats, policymakers, and civil society organisations worldwide.We also explore how humanists engage international institutions such as the UN Human Rights Council and UNESCO, the growing coordination of nationalist movements across borders, and why coalition-building across beliefs is essential to defending democracy and universal human rights. The episode concludes with a look ahead to the World Humanist Congress in Ottawa and the theme of humanism as resistance.In this episode, we coverThe origins and growth of the Freedom of Thought ReportHow documentation translates into international advocacyHumanists working inside the UN Human Rights CouncilWhy cultural expression and media freedom matter at UNESCOThe rise of interconnected nationalist movementsFunding asymmetries in global human rights workWhy coalition-building across beliefs is essentialHumanism as resistance and the World Humanist Congress 2026Further reading and referencesFreedom of Thought Report:  https://humanists.international/what-we-do/freedom-of-thought-report/UN Human Rights Council overview:  https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/hrc/about-councilUNESCO 2005 Convention on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions:  https://www.unesco.org/creativity/en/2005-conventionWorld Humanist Congress 2026: https://humanists.international/event/world-humanist-congress-2026/Follow Humanist InternationalSign up for our free NewsletterSupport Humanists InternationalFollow our CampaignsAbout - Humanists International Join us at the World Humanists Congress 2026This podcast is produced by Humanise Live.Start your podcast today, visit: humanise.live🎶Music: Horizon by Simon FolwarPodcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.