Trump policies force global Humanist conference to abandon U.S. plans

Organizers of the global event cited safety concerns, threats to civil liberties, and growing hostility toward secular values under the Trump administration

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Since 1952, a group of non-religious leaders around the world have been gathering in person every few years to talk about the issues they’re facing in their respective countries—human rights violations, blasphemy laws, environmental concerns, abortion rights and end-of-life care, etc.—and discuss ways to work together, use their influence to change public policies, and promote the work Humanist groups are doing.

They call it the World Humanist Congress and it’s been held in places like Oslo (2011), Oxford (2014), London (2017), and Denmark (2023).

The next WHC event was slated for August of 2026 in Washington, D.C.

But after considering the instability for foreign visitors to the United States right now, the entire conference has just been moved to Ottawa, Canada.

American Atheists, which was going to co-host the event, announced the change yesterday, saying it couldn’t ensure the “admissibility or security of attendees,” especially from parts of the world that the Trump administration has targeted. The move to Ottawa means the event will take place in a “more inclusive and accessible setting.”

The decision to relocate comes after a thorough assessment of the social, political, and economic environment in the United States under the current administration. Escalating religious nationalism and executive actions restricting movement, targeting civil society, and eroding human rights protections have created an inhospitable environment for an international gathering rooted in the values of secularism and inclusion.

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The Trump Administration’s increasingly aggressive stance toward legal immigration, its creation of ideological commissions to police “anti-Christian bias,” and retributive actions against nonprofit advocacy organizations — including humanist groups — pose serious risks to both domestic and international participants. Reductions to the U.S. Department of State’s visa application and approval capacity, combined with attendees’ reluctance to travel to D.C. and American Atheists’ inability to predict and mitigate future threats pose too large a risk to event attendees, staff, and volunteers.

The last time the event had to change venues due to instability in the host country was 2017, when the planned event in São Paulo, Brazil had to be moved to London due to concerns about the national economy and “uncertainty over changing visa requirements.” Yesterday’s move comes after genuine concerns about whether other global events can seriously take place in the United Stated over the next couple of years, including the 2026 World Cup (taking place jointly with Canada and Mexico) and the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Hell, just last week, the Senegalese women's basketball team had to scrap plans to train in the U.S. after their visas were denied. Given the way even legal immigrants have been treated by this administration, the very people who could benefit from a conference like this could be in danger if they step foot in the country.

Thankfully, Canada remains welcoming to foreigners who want to visit:

“Humanists all over the world are alarmed by the escalating religious nationalism and decline in human rights protections in the United States. As a stable, inclusive, and rights-affirming environment, Canada will allow us to convene an event that truly reflects humanist values,” said Gary McLelland, Chief Executive of Humanists International. “We’ve already had very positive discussions with Canadian authorities about how they can help humanists come together in their country, and Canadian humanists are eager to welcome our global community.”

“The necessity of this relocation reflects a deeply troubling reality,” said Nick Fish, President of American Atheists. “The current U.S. government is fundamentally opposed to the ideals of pluralism, religious liberty, and free thought. They are damaging our nation’s reputation overseas and dismantling the institutions and constitutional rights that undergird our democracy here at home.”

“Nonetheless, our ability to convene in Canada next year demonstrates the tireless resilience of the secular community,” added Fish. “At a time when our people and values are increasingly under attack, the World Humanist Congress will carry on — not in retreat, but with a renewed purpose to peacefully yet powerfully reaffirm our unshaken support for reason, religious freedom, and equal rights for all.”

Fish told me yesterday that he had been having multiple discussions with the board of Humanists International (which sponsors this event), and they always discussed various risks for an event like this. But after the Trump administration came into power again, those concerns only heightened. That was especially true in recent months given the actions of ICE, the recent Trump travel ban, and things like the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias (which could easily target critics of the faith). American Atheists was hoping the risks could be mitigated, but it felt increasingly unsafe to ask people from around the world to come to the United States.

On top of that, American Atheists informally surveyed members of Humanists International and people who expressed interest in attending the conference and directly asked them if they had any concerns. (It was an open-ended question.) About “two thirds” of respondents, Fish told me, expressed reservations about coming to the U.S. right now. Those weren’t just people from Islamic countries; they included plenty of Europeans and other ostensibly free places.

This decision, in other words, wasn’t made in a vacuum. It took a couple of months to go from We can’t host this to Thankfully, Canada can host this.

Martin Frith, President of Humanist Canada, said he was “thrilled” to take the baton and host this event:

We are deeply grateful for the trust placed in us by Humanists International and for the thoughtful collaboration of our colleagues at American Atheists. Their decision to prioritize the safety, accessibility, and integrity of our shared movement reflects the very best of humanist leadership.

Some may criticize the move because it’s capitulating to the Trump agenda, but organizers have a responsibility to make sure attendees aren’t put in the crosshairs of an authoritarian and thin-skinned regime that can’t handle free speech if it criticizes them or their Christian beliefs.

While the World Humanist Congress is hardly a huge event—they were expecting roughly 1,000 attendees—it’s unique in that it attracts people from so many parts of the world that are subject to religious extremism.

It’s deeply troubling that an event in the United States has to be relocated because its hosts cannot guarantee the safety of guests coming in from across the globe. If I told you there were concerns over an event meant to honor, celebrate, and protect the idea of religious freedom, you might think it was taking place in a theocracy. Now, the Christian Nationalism and “America First” actions of Republicans have made some visitors leery of coming to the U.S., even for short trips.

The red flags of this administration “have become flashing red lights,” Fish said.

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