Roslyn Mould Receives Distinguished Service to Humanism Award

From August 7-9, 2026, Humanists International, in collaboration with its member organization Humanist Canada, concluded the World Humanist Congress and Annual General Assembly in Ottawa, Canada.

The sold out event, attended by over 500 humanists from 41 countries, confronted global threats under the powerful theme “Humanism As Resistance.” Activists, scholars and leaders from around the world including Prof. Francesca Klug, Rebecca Goldstein, Senator Kris Wells and Prof. A.C. Grayling came together to discuss non-religious ethics, forge powerful collaborations and define the collective strategy of the global humanist movement. It also focused on global challenges like rising authoritarianism, religious nationalism, and anti-science disinformation.

The World Humanist Congress also marked the departure of Roslyn Mould, who is stepping down from her position as Vice President of the Board. Roslyn has served on the Board since 2019 and as Vice President since 2023, the first African Board member to hold this position.

Reflecting on her departure, Roslyn made the following statement:

“As I conclude my tenure, I do so with a heart filled with gratitude and appreciation. It has been one of the greatest privileges to serve this remarkable organization. I am deeply honored and sincerely thankful for the confidence and trust that Humanists International has placed in me by electing me to serve our organization consistently for 12 good years.”

Roslyn Mould was awarded a Distinguished Services to Humanism Award for her pioneering work promoting humanism across Africa. She is the President of Accra Atheists and first West African Humanist Network Coordinator. She was a Board Member of FoRB Leadership Network (UK), Board Member of LGBT+ Rights Ghana, former Secretary and Chair of the Young Humanists International African Working Group and Former President of the Humanist Association of Ghana (HAG), the first Humanist organization in Ghana.

A pioneer in the promotion of Humanism across Africa, Roslyn has also served as an advisor on policy and strategy at the intersection of freedom of religion or belief, feminism, anti-witchcraft campaigns, environmental awareness and LGBTI+ rights.

Receiving her award she thanked the organization, colleagues and most especially her sister, Monika Mould, for her relentless love and support throughout her Humanist journey and career as an activist.

The Distinguished Services to Humanism Award is the second time it has been given to an African (the first in 2017 was to Dr. Leo Igwe of Nigeria) making her the first Ghanaian and African woman to have ever received this award in its 74 year history of Humanists International!

Other Humanist awards which have been granted to Africans over the years include International Humanist Award 2014 to Wole Soyinka (Nigeria), Nobel Prize-winning author. The International Humanist Award recognizes outstanding achievements and contributions to the progress and defence of Humanism. The 2021 Freedom of Thought Award was given to Mubarak Balam who was sentenced to 24 years imprisonment for expressing his non-beliefs on Facebook. Through Humanists International’s advocacy, he was eventually released within five years.

The same award as Roslyn was also given to Norman (Norm) Robert Allen Jr, who served as Executive Director of African Americans for Humanism from 1991 to 2010 and edited its quarterly the AAH Examiner as well as two anthologies on Black Humanism.

The General Assembly concluded with excitement and anticipation for the upcoming World Humanist Congress in Lima, Peru in August 2027.