Mourning after terrorist attacks in Brussels

“I am appalled by today’s terrorist attacks in Brussels. We mourn with the families, friends and colleagues of those killed. These acts have reaffirmed our conviction that a humanist approach to life is an essential prerequisite for creating and maintaining a peaceful and non-violent world. It is therefore essential to remove the ground from all forms of extremism, fanaticism, fundamentalism and the inhuman attitudes that arise from them through education that works towards this,” said Frieder Otto Wolf in Berlin on Tuesday afternoon. Wolf continued: “Even if it should turn out that these new acts of barbaric violence were committed out of religiously understood attitudes, we appeal to European society not to allow propagandists of xenophobia and racial hatred to damage the cohesion of believers living peacefully among us and participating in rational discourse in the face of terror by extremist groups. Instead, it is necessary that the peaceful and tolerant parts of the Muslim communities are utilized as partners in the fight against extremism and violence. This can only succeed if they do not have to constantly defend themselves against blanket judgments and unjustified resentment. Strong Muslim voices that confront the ideologues behind the murders authentically and convincingly are important.” Due to the events in the Belgian capital, the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency has decided to postpone the start of this year’s theme year “Free Faith. Free thinking. Equal rights.” by around two weeks. As a result, the Humanist Association will not hand over the “Glass Walls” report on the discrimination of non-religious people in Germany to the 630 members of the German Bundestag until the new start date of the theme year.