Minutes of the Niagara Secular Humanists, Wednesday October 17, 2009

1. The meeting began just after noon with the reading of the minutes of the September meeting

2. Roy Blake read the Treasurer’s report

3. Horst introduced the speaker, Viktor Nagornyy, Conventions Director for Atheist Alliance International, the group NSH has recently become affiliated with.  He’d driven to St. Catharines from Rochester, New York.

4. Viktor Nagornyy explained his role in AAI. The organization has no offices but has a mailing address in Washington, D.C.  The goal of AAI is to educate the public that atheists are not evil people who eat babies. Through AAI’s Ambassador Program they are trying to assist and co-ordinate the local atheist/secular humanist groups in their efforts to publicise themselves and increase membership. AAI maintains a speaker’s bureau providing speakers to local organizations usually for no fee. They have provided speakers from Australia, Mexico and from different parts of the USA. They also have affiliates in Uganda and Nigeria. AAI tried to assist – with some success- the local group in their attempt to stop Uganda’s government from pushing religion through radio and TV.  Full affiliate organizations are invited to join the AAI board.

The AAI website is atheistalliance.org.

AAI’s conventions have been big money-raisers. Money was also raised at a comedy night. Viktor Nagornyy recommends the use of newspaper advertising, MySpace, YouTube to advertise and increase membership. Groups should try to project the image of the “happy atheist” and raise profile by helping out in the community, adopting a highway, and so forth.

A lively q & a followed the talk.  The meeting ended about 2 PM.