East London Humanists Op piece Docklands and East London Advertiser November 2025.
I was among several Humanist representatives to speak at Remembrance Day services around East London this November. It’s an honour. But there is still a long way to go before these civic events fairly reflect today’s cultural landscape and do full justice to this major occasion.
Its importance to our national life can be measured by the fact that ceremonies take place year after year in just about every community up and down the land. It was heartwarming to see how many, young and old, took part in the ones I attended.
However, many services are still overwhelmingly Church of England in character, dotted throughout with hymns, prayers and Bible readings. These carry little if any meaning for the vast majority who belong to other faiths or none.
Humanists aren’t asking for special treatment, simply a level and inclusive playing field for everyone. It is shocking, for example, that invitations aren’t always extended to representatives from the Muslim community. An estimated 4.5 million Muslims fought on the allied side against fascism in WWII, many in the far East. An estimated 9-12000 Palestinians fought alongside us in Egypt. The National Muslim War Memorial Trust is campaigning for a permanent memorial.
Humanists have struggled for years to secure inclusion of the non-religious. It took until 2018 before a representative from Humanists UK was finally able to officially participate in the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph. Subsequently, I have had an official role in four different local ceremonies. It has been a first for Humanists in each case.
The non-religious have been marginalised even though countless servicemen and other victims of war have been without faith. Today, over 40% of the regular armed services have no religion (UK armed forces biannual diversity statistics: April 2025).
It was only in June this year that the UK armed forces swore in its first-ever non-religious pastoral carer, Dr Chris Weddell, who has served in several conflict zones. Humanists UK is the endorsing authority appointed by the Ministry of Defence for the new roles.
Remembrance Day should be about communities coming together to remember all victims of war and to remember its lessons. Words about conciliation, and living in harmony, are rather empty when whole sections of our communities are sidelined or omitted all together.
Paul Kaufman
Chairperson East London Humanists
