Atheist Alliance International (AAI) is a global network of atheist and freethought groups and individuals, committed to educating its members and the public about atheism, secularism and related issues.
- Strengthens co-operation between atheist and freethought organisations around the world;
- Supports the establishment of new atheist/freethought organisations, particularly in developing countries; and
- Facilitates and supports projects/events that promote atheism, critical thinking and empiricism, while combating discrimination against atheists and freethinkers around the world.
Education
Education is the core approach of Atheist Alliance International. AAI supports its members and the public in the acquisition of new knowledge by:
- Publishing a quarterly magazine, Secular World
- Hosting atheist conventions with local groups around the world, to provide the opportunity for communities to hear from established and new atheist speakers
- Supporting the establishment of new atheist/freethought groups, particularly in developing countries
- promoting books by atheist and freethought authors
Advocacy
Basic rights, justice and social responsibility form the foundation of what it means to be human. AAI works to defend and protect the rights of atheists and like-mined people by publicising relevant issues, distributing media releases, developing policy statements and cooperating with other groups to bring issues and injustices to the attention of media and government.
Community-Building
AAI recognises the value of social communities and the importance of providing a strong and protective foundation for individuals, families and groups. In addition to promoting and encouraging the formation of new atheist organisations around the world, AAI supports international outreach and community-building programs such as the atheist "OUT" campaign. Such programs raise general awareness of the atheist community, help new communities to become established and counter the bias and discrimination directed at atheists. Some of these activities are operated through the AAI Foundation.
Atheist Alliance International is run by a volunteer international Board of Directors and relies on membership fees and donations to fund its activities. If you support atheism and secularism please join us!
History
Atheist Alliance International was founded in the United States as the Atheist Alliance in 1991 by four local atheist organisations: Atheists United (Los Angeles, California), Atheist Coalition (San Diego, California), Atheists of San Francisco Region (California) and the Atheist Network (Houston, Texas).
Atheist Alliance quickly added additional affiliates. Within a year, it had eight US organisations as members and by the end of 1992, its first international affiliate.
Atheist Alliance began publishing its magazine, Secular Nation, in the second half of 1994.
Atheist Alliance began hosting US conventions in 1995, with the first one held in Los Angeles, California. The Atheist Alliance website went on-line in 1997.
By 2001, the organisation had a half-dozen affiliates outside the US, and so changed its name to Atheist Alliance International (AAI).
In 2006, AAI held its first international conference, in Reykjavik, Iceland. In 2010, it began its current program of co-hosting conventions with Affiliate and Associate Members, starting with the extremely successful 2010 Global Atheist Convention held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
In 2010 AAI determined that it could more effectively pursue its goals by separating its US-focused activities from its global activities. The US-focused group, Atheist Alliance of America, became an Affiliate Member of AAI.
Values
1. Reason and rational thought. Reason and rational thought are the basis of logical decision making and essential to address the issues faced by humanity.
2. Compassion. Human compassion and empathy are the basis of a cooperative social structure that benefits all people.
3. Purpose. This life is the only life we know we will have and it is up to each of us to utilise it meaningfully.
4. Empiricism. Our ethics and values are based on the evidence of what we can sense and measure in the natural world. We make conclusions based on the best available evidence and change our conclusions accordingly as new evidence becomes known.
5. Science. The scientific method is the best tool we have for seeking truth and understanding our world.
6. Freedom. All people are entitled to freedom from discrimination on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and disability. All people are entitled to freedom of conscience. AAI supports the values outlined in the International Convention of Human Rights.
