The NSS has a short list of candidates for secularist of the year.
Jacques Berlinerblau – for his book How to be secular: A call to arms for religious freedom and for broadening the appeal of secularism by dispelling the misconception that it synonymous with atheism.
British Muslims for a Secular Democracy – for raising awareness within British Muslims and the wider public, of democracy – particularly ‘secular democracy’, helping to contribute to a shared vision of citizenship.
Carlos Celdran – Performance artist and political/cultural activist in the Philippines, for his tireless challenges to the privileged Catholic Church there, particularly in his advocacy for gay health and freedom, and for the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 which guarantees universal access to methods of contraception, fertility control, sexual education, and maternal care – long opposed by the Catholic church.
The Dalai Lama – for his promotion of secular ethics beyond religion and respect for nonbelievers globally.
Oliver Kamm – Leader writer and columnist for The Times, for his regular and excellent defence of the separation of Church and State.
Malala Yousafzai – for campaigning for girls’ education in the face of violent and brutal Islamist opposition.
The Dalai Lama? Seriously? He’s done some dissing of nonbelievers. So has Berlinerblau, for that matter.