“The highest value, the most precious value we have is not peace—it’s freedom.” — Michael Bauer This week on Humanism Now, we’re joined by Michael Bauer, CEO of Germany’s Humanistische Vereinigung—a 175-year-old humanist organisation offering professional community services without religion, grounded in ethics, dignity, and freedom. From ceremony to solidarity, Bauer shows how organised humanism is more than a philosophy—it’s a movement of services, institutions, and action. Dis...

Show Notes
Guest Profile

“The highest value, the most precious value we have is not peace—it’s freedom.” — Michael Bauer

This week on Humanism Now, we’re joined by Michael Bauer, CEO of Germany’s Humanistische Vereinigung—a 175-year-old humanist organisation offering professional community services without religion, grounded in ethics, dignity, and freedom.

From ceremony to solidarity, Bauer shows how organised humanism is more than a philosophy—it’s a movement of services, institutions, and action. Discover how practical humanism is creating a visible, inclusive, and values-driven future.

We discuss:

How the Humanist Association of Germany began in the 1848 and how it survived twice being banned
The importance of physical infrastructure and visible presence for secular communities
How humanism serves as an ethical alternative providing meaning, guidance, and community—without supernatural belief
Why inclusive, values-led services matter in a plural society, and how secular support systems can serve everyone
The Humanists Shelter Program and the three-year diplomatic effort to bring humanist Mubarak Bala to safety
The need for political engagement, funding, and infrastructure to build influence and lasting change
A powerful personal reflection on defending humanist values in times of crisis

About Michael Bauer

🔗 michaelbauer.info

📰 Interview with In-sight Publishing

Connect with Humanistische Vereinigung
🔗 humanistische-vereinigung.de

📷 @humanistischevereinigung
🐦 @HV_Presse
🌳 Linktree: humanistischevereinigung

References:

Humanists Shelter Program, Humanistische Vereinigung
Cause for celebration: Mubarak Bala arrives in Germany, Humanists International

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Michael Bauer

President, Humanistische Vereinigung

Michael Bauer is the President and Treasurer of the Humanistische Vereinigung, Germany's leading humanist organisation, with a history dating back to 1848. Under his leadership the organisation reaches and supports 30,000 people a year, among them some thousand members, and runs schools, kindergartens, refugee support programmes, social services and popular scientific exhibitions, all based on humanist values.

Michael is also a political scientist and author, and was President of the European Humanist Federation from 2020 to 2023. He has been a tireless advocate for human rights, freedom of belief, and the development of pluralistic, values-based public services.

34. Michael Bauer on Community Services Without Religion: Practical Humanism for a Secular Future