View source for Organization:European Council of Skeptical Organisations

{{Short description|Umbrella of skeptical organizations in Europe}}
{{Infobox organization
| name          = European Council of Skeptical Organisations
| image         = ECSO-logo.svg
| image_size  = 250px
| image_border  =
| alt           = ECSO logo
| caption       =
| abbreviation  = ECSO
| formation     = {{start date and age|1994}}
| type          = [[Engineering:Nonprofit organization|Nonprofit organisation]]
| status        = Eingetragener Verein registered in Darmstadt
| purpose       = Co-ordination between European organisations and individuals that promote [[Philosophy:Scientific skepticism|scientific skepticism]]<ref name="About">{{Cite web |url=http://www.ecso.org/about-us |title=ECSO: Skeptics in Europe – About |publisher=ECSO website |access-date=25 September 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20170925165942/http://www.ecso.org/about-us/ |archive-date=25 September 2017 }}</ref>
| leader_title  = President
| leader_name   = Claire Klingenberg<ref name="About" />
| headquarters  = Roßdorf, {{wipe|Germany}}
| location      =
| region_served = [[Earth:Europe|Europe]]
| website       = {{url|http://www.ecso.org/|ecso.org}}
}}
The '''European Council of Skeptical Organisations''' ('''ECSO''') is an [[Organization:Umbrella organization|umbrella]] of organisations defending [[Philosophy:Scientific skepticism|scientific skepticism]] in [[Earth:Europe|Europe]].

== Goals ==
Founded on 25 September 1994, the ECSO aims to co-ordinate activities of European organisations and individuals that aim at critically investigating [[Unsolved:Pseudoscience|pseudoscientific]] statements and claims regarding observations of [[Unsolved:Paranormal|paranormal]] phenomena, and to make the results of its investigations known to the broad public.<ref name="About" /> It means to continue the series of European skeptical congresses that preceded its foundation<ref name="EarlierEvents">{{Cite web |url=http://szkeptikustarsasag.hu/14th-european-skeptic-congress/earlier-european-events |title=Earlier European skeptic events |publisher=HSS website |access-date=21 May 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527214128/http://szkeptikustarsasag.hu/14th-european-skeptic-congress/earlier-european-events |archive-date=27 May 2014 }}</ref> and supports a biennial congress and a symposium every other year.<ref name="About" />

The Charter of the European Council of Skeptical Organisations states that it strives
<blockquote>
1) To <u>protect</u> the public from the promulgation of claims and therapies which have not been subjected to critical testing and thus might pose a danger to them.<br />
2) To <u>investigate</u> by means of controlled tests and experiments such extraordinary claims which are on the fringe of or contradict current scientific knowledge. In particular this applies to phenomena commonly identified as "paranormal" or "pseudoscientific". However no claims, explanations or theories will be rejected in advance of objective evaluation.<br />
3) To <u>promote</u> public policy based on good practice in science and medicine.<ref name="ERSO">{{Cite journal |last1=de Jager |first1=Kees |date=December 1994 |title=Een Europese Skeptische organisatie |journal=Skepter |publisher=Stichting Skepsis |volume=7 |issue=4 |pages=11|language=nl}}</ref>
</blockquote>
The Charter was signed by Amardeo Sarma (GWUP), Michael Howgate (UK Skeptics), Miguel Angel Sabadell (ARP), [[Biography:Paul Kurtz|Paul Kurtz]] ([[Organization:Committee for Skeptical Inquiry|CSICOP]]), Tim Trachet (SKEPP), Arlette Fougnies ([[Organization:Comité Para|Comité Para]]) and Cornelis de Jager ([[Organization:Stichting Skepsis|Stichting Skepsis]]).<ref name="ERSO" />

== Structure ==

=== Board of directors ===
[[File:ECSO executive 24 Sep 2017 02.jpg|thumb|300px|The board gathered in Wrocław at ESC 2017.<br />Back: de Jong, De Gobbi, Böckman, Sarma, Pintér.<br />Front: Heap, Trachet, Klingenberg, Korteweg.]]
Cornelis de Jager served as first president until 2001, when he was replaced by Amardeo Sarma (2001–2013),<ref name="Mahner" /> who in turn was succeeded by [[Biography:Gábor Hraskó|Gábor Hraskó]] (2013–2017). Since 2017 the president has been Claire Klingenberg. As of September 2019, the ECSO board is composed as follows:<ref>{{Cite web|title=About ECSO|url=https://www.ecso.org/about-us/|website=European Skeptics|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-18}}</ref>
* Claire Klingenberg (Sisyfos){{snds}}President
* Tim Trachet (SKEPP){{snds}}Vice-President
* Catherine de Jong (VtdK){{snds}}Vice-President
* Amardeo Sarma (GWUP){{snds}}Treasurer
* Paola De Gobbi (CICAP){{snds}}Member
* Pontus Böckman (VoF){{snds}}Member
* Michael Heap ([[Organization:Association for Skeptical Enquiry|ASKE]]){{snds}}Member
* András Gábor Pintér (SzT){{snds}}Member
* Jean-Paul Krivine (AFIS){{snds}}Member
{{clear}}

=== Member organisations ===
The ECSO brings together the following skeptic groups:<ref name="ECSOmembers">{{Cite web |url=http://www.ecso.org/member-org |title=Skeptics Organisations: ECSO Members |work=ECSO website |publisher=European Council of Skeptical Organisations |date=16 March 2008 |access-date=5 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140927094904/http://www.ecso.org/member-org |archive-date=27 September 2014 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!style="width:400px"| Local name
!style="width:400px"| English name
!style="width:8px"| Abbrev.
!style="width:8px"| Founded
!style="width:10px"| Region served
!style="width:80px"| Notes
|-
| Alternativa Racional a las Pseudociencias – Sociedad para el Avance del Pensamiento Crítico<ref>[http://www.escepticos.es/ ARP-SAPC website]</ref> || Rational Alternative to Pseudoscience – Society for the Advancement of Critical Thinking || ARP-SAPC || 1986 || {{ESP}} || Founding member.<ref name="ERSO" />
|-
| [[Organization:Association for Skeptical Enquiry|Association for Skeptical Enquiry]] || Association for Skeptical Enquiry || ASKE || 1997 || {{UK}} ||
|-
| Association française pour l'information scientifique || French Association for Scientific Information || AFIS || 1968<ref>{{in lang|fr}} {{cite web |url=http://www.pseudo-sciences.org/spip.php?article23 |title=Notre histoire |author=Jean-Pierre Thomas |work=Website AFIS |publisher=AFIS |access-date=3 April 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140706105911/http://www.pseudo-sciences.org/spip.php?article23 |archive-date=6 July 2014 }}</ref>  || {{FRA}} || Member since 2001.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.aske-skeptics.org.uk/resources/Adversaria/Adversaria5.doc |title=From the Chairman: The 10th European Skeptics Congress |author=Mike Heap |work=Skeptical Adversaria |publisher=Association for Skeptical Enquiry |date=June 2002 |access-date=29 October 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923175325/http://www.aske-skeptics.org.uk/resources/Adversaria/Adversaria5.doc |archive-date=23 September 2015 }}</ref>
|-
| Comitato Italiano per il Controllo delle Affermazioni sulle Pseudoscienze || Italian Committee for the Investigation of Claims of the Pseudosciences || CICAP || 1989 || {{ITA}} ||
|-
| [[Organization:Comité Para|Comité belge pour l'Analyse Critique des parasciences]] || Belgian Committee for the Critical Analysis of Parasciences || Comité Para || 1949 || {{BEL}} || Serves Wallonia and Brussels. Founding member.<ref name="ERSO" />
|-
| Círculo Escéptico || Skeptical Circle || CE || 2006 || {{ESP}} ||
|-
| Föreningen Vetenskap och Folkbildning || Science and Popular Enlightenment / Swedish Skeptics Association<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vof.se/about |title=About VoF |access-date=2016-11-01 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113025227/http://www.vof.se/about/ |archive-date=2016-11-13 }}</ref> || VoF || 1982 || {{SWE}} ||
|-
| Gesellschaft zur wissenschaftlichen Untersuchung von Parawissenschaften || Society for the Scientific Investigation of Parasciences || GWUP || 1987 || [[File:German-Language-Flag.svg|24px|border]] D-A-CH || Based in Roßdorf, Germany. Founding member.<ref name="ERSO" />
|-
| Irish Skeptics Society || Irish Skeptics Society || ISS || 2002 || {{IRL}} ||
|-
| Klub Sceptyków Polskich || Polish Skeptics Club || KSP || 2010 || {{POL}} || Member since 2017.<ref name="fresh">{{cite web | title=European Skeptics elect fresh leadership | website=European Skeptics | url=http://www.ecso.org/news/european-skeptics-elect-fresh-leadership/ | access-date=2017-09-26 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20170926083452/http://www.ecso.org/news/european-skeptics-elect-fresh-leadership/ | archive-date=2017-09-26 | url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| Observatoire Zététique || Zetetic Observatory || OZ || 2003 || {{FRA}} ||<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.zetetique.fr/index.php/faq#spec |title=FAQ |work=OZ website |publisher=Observatoire Zététique |access-date=18 November 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129021225/http://www.zetetique.fr/index.php/faq#spec |archive-date=29 November 2014 }}</ref>
|-
| [[Organization:Skepsis ry|Skepsis ry]] || Skepsis || Skepsis || 1987 || {{FIN}} ||
|-
| Skeptiker Schweiz – Verein für kritisches Denken || Swiss Skeptics – Association for Critical Thinking || Skeptiker || 2012 || {{CHE}} ||<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/leben/gesellschaft/Wir-Skeptiker-sind-keine-Noergler/story/25938892 |title=Wir Skeptiker sind keine Nörgler |author=Gregor Schenker |work=Tages-Anzeiger |publisher=Tamedia |date=24 March 2014 |access-date=5 October 2014 |language=de |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141214022052/http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/leben/gesellschaft/Wir-Skeptiker-sind-keine-Noergler/story/25938892 |archive-date=14 December 2014 }}</ref>
|-
| [[Organization:Stichting Skepsis|Stichting Skepsis]] || Skepsis Foundation || Skepsis || 1987 || {{NLD}} || Founding member.<ref name="ERSO" />
|-
| Studiekring voor de Kritische Evaluatie van Pseudowetenschap en het Paranormale || Study Circle for the Critical Evaluation of Pseudoscience and the Paranormal || SKEPP || 1990 || {{BEL}} || Serves Flanders and Brussels. Founding member.<ref name="ERSO" />
|-
| Szkeptikus Társaság || Hungarian Skeptic Society || SzT || 2006 || {{HUN}} ||
|-
| Vereniging tegen de Kwakzalverij || Association against Quackery || VtdK || 1881 || {{NLD}} || No formal membership yet.<ref>The VtdK membership has not been formalised yet, but there is close cooperation with the ECSO, and its chairwoman Catherine de Jong already serves as ECSO board member.</ref>
|-
| Český klub skeptiků Sisyfos || Czech Skeptics Club Sisyfos || Sisyfos || 1995 || {{CZE}} ||
|}
Furthermore, the [[Organization:Committee for Skeptical Inquiry|Committee for Skeptical Inquiry]] (CSI, formerly CSICOP), whose founder and long-time chairman [[Biography:Paul Kurtz|Paul Kurtz]] was actively involved its formation (especially because the ''[[Unsolved:Skeptical Inquirer|Skeptical Inquirer]]'' had many subscribers in Europe),<ref name="ERSO" /> and the Israel Skeptics Society are associate members of the ECSO.<ref name="ECSOmembers" />

== European Skeptics Congress ==
{{Main|Philosophy:European Skeptics Congress}}
[[File:ECSO 2003.jpg|300px|thumb|ECSO Board and CSICOP members meeting at the 11th European Skeptics Congress in London.]]
[[File:Speakers ESC 14.jpg|300px|thumb|Speakers at the 14th European Skeptics Congress in Budapest.]]
[[File:ECSO meeting 2015 London 1.JPG|300px|thumb|Meeting of the representatives of ECSO member organisations at the European Skeptics Congress 2015 in London]]
European Skeptics Congresses (ESCs), in which skeptical organisations from many different European countries participate, have been held ever since 1989. The conferences are often held in the month of September, and may last from two up to four days. The ECSO was formed at the 6th ESC on 25 September 1994 in Ostend, Belgium. Since its foundation, the ECSO co-ordinates in the organisation of new ESCs that take place (on average) every other year, and is hosted by a different member organisation each time. Skeptical organisations that are non-ECSO members may also send their delegations. Past ESCs have been:<ref name="EarlierEvents" /><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://lanyrd.com/series/ecso/ |title=European Skeptic Congress and ECSO Events |publisher=[[Social:Lanyrd|Lanyrd]] |access-date=22 May 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140723182247/http://lanyrd.com/series/ecso/ |archive-date=23 July 2014 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Event !! Date !! City !! Country !! Notes
|-
|1st European Skeptics Congress || 5–7 May 1989 || Bad Tölz || {{FRG}} ||
|-
|2nd European Skeptics Congress || 10–11 August 1990<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Michels |first=Hans |date=1990 |title=Over de frontlijn. De European Skeptics Conference 1990 |journal=[[Unsolved:Skepter|Skepter]] |publisher=[[Organization:Stichting Skepsis|Stichting Skepsis]] |volume=3 |issue=4 |pages=30–31|language=nl}}</ref> || Brussels || {{BEL}} ||
|-
|3rd European Skeptics Congress || 4–5 October 1991<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hulspas |first=Marcel |date=December 1991 |title=Van APE-mensen tot wijntherapie. Het derde Euroskeptics Congres |journal=Skepter |publisher=Stichting Skepsis |volume=4 |issue=4 |pages=30–31|language=nl}}</ref> || [[Place:Amsterdam|Amsterdam]] || {{NLD}} ||
|-
|4th European Skeptics Congress || 17–19 July 1992<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Koene |first1=Bart |last2=Nanninga |first2=Rob |date=September 1992 |title=Quali prove? Het vierde EuroSkeptics congres |journal=Skepter |publisher=Stichting Skepsis |volume=5 |issue=3 |pages=1–3|language=nl}}</ref> || Saint-Vincent || {{ITA}} ||
|-
|5th European Skeptics Congress || 29–31 August 1993 || Keele || {{UK}} || Theme: "Science for Life: Health, Medicine and Well-Being". Organised by the UK Skeptics.
|-
|6th European Skeptics Congress || 23–25 September 1994 || Ostend || {{BEL}} || Theme: "Science, Pseudoscience and the Environment".<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Poley |first1=Stephen |date=December 1994 |title=Bijeen in Oostende. Het zesde EuroSkeptics congres |journal=Skepter |publisher=Stichting Skepsis |volume=7 |issue=4 |pages=8–10|language=nl}}</ref> ECSO formed.<ref name="ERSO" />
|-
|7th European Skeptics Congress || 4–7 May 1995 || Roßdorf || {{GER}} ||
|-
|8th European Skeptics Congress || 4–7 September 1997 || A Coruña || {{ESP}} ||
|-
|9th European Skeptics Congress || 17–19 September 1999 || Maastricht || {{NLD}} ||Hosted by Stichting Skepsis<ref name="Groene">{{Cite news |url=http://www.groene.nl/artikel/sceptici-aller-landen |title=Sceptici aller landen... |author=Ted de Hoog |work=De Groene Amsterdammer |date=6 October 1999 |access-date=24 August 2014 |language=nl |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160519125424/http://www.groene.nl/artikel/sceptici-aller-landen |archive-date=19 May 2016 }}</ref>
|-
|10th European Skeptics Congress ||  7–9 September 2001 || [[Place:Prague|Prague]] || {{CZE}} ||Theme: "Rise and Development of Paranormal Beliefs in Eastern Europe"<ref name="Mahner">{{cite journal |last=Mahner |first=Martin |date=February 2002 |title=10th European Skeptics Congress: Rise and Development of Paranormal Beliefs in Eastern Europe |url=http://www.csicop.org/si/show/10th_european_skeptics_congress_rise_and_development_of_paranormal_beliefs_ |journal=[[Unsolved:Skeptical Inquirer|Skeptical Inquirer]] |publisher=[[Organization:Committee for Skeptical Inquiry|CSICOP]] |volume=26 |issue=1 |access-date=23 May 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528010034/http://www.csicop.org/si/show/10th_european_skeptics_congress_rise_and_development_of_paranormal_beliefs_ |archive-date=28 May 2014 }}</ref>
|-
|11th European Skeptics Congress || 5–7 September 2003 || [[Place:London|London]] || {{UK}} ||
|-
|12th European Skeptics Congress || 13–15 October 2005 || Brussels || {{BEL}} ||Theme: "Pseudoscience, Alternative Medicine and the Media"<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://alpha.uhasselt.be/~gjb/esc2005/ |title=European Skeptics Congress 2005 |publisher=[[Organization:University of Hasselt|University of Hasselt]] |date=11 October 2005 |access-date=30 July 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528011306/http://alpha.uhasselt.be/%7Egjb/esc2005/ |archive-date=28 May 2014 }}</ref>
|-
|13th European Skeptics Congress || 7–9 September 2007 || [[Place:Dublin|Dublin]] || {{IRL}} ||Theme: "The Assault on Science: Constructing a Response"<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.irishskeptics.org/events/2007/2007-09-07 |title=13th Congress of the European Council of Skeptical Organisations (ECSO) |publisher=ISS website |date=2007 |access-date=23 May 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150419211958/http://www.irishskeptics.org/events/2007/2007-09-07 |archive-date=19 April 2015 }}</ref> 100+ attendees.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Surely it's not the sceptics? |author=Shane Hegarty |work=The Irish Times |date=7 September 2007 }}</ref>
|-
|-
|-
|16th European Skeptics Congress || 10–13 September 2015 || [[Place:London|London]] || {{UK}} || Organised by [[Organization:Association for Skeptical Enquiry|Association for Skeptical Enquiry]] and Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit<ref>[http://euroscepticscon.org/ European Skeptics Congress] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140518073922/http://euroscepticscon.org/ |date=2014-05-18 }}</ref>
|-
|17th European Skeptics Congress || 22–24 September 2017 || Wrocław || {{POL}} || "Where great minds meet" Organised by Klub Sceptyków Polskich and Český klub skeptiků Sisyfos<ref>[http://euroscepticscon.org/en/congress.html European Skeptics Congress] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20170720082724/http://euroscepticscon.org/en/congress.html |date=2017-07-20 }}</ref>
|-
|18th European Skeptics Congress || 30 August – 1 September 2019 || Ghent || {{BEL}} || "The Joy of Skepticism" Organised by SKEPP and [[Organization:Comité Para|Comité Para]]<ref>{{cite web |title=The Joy of Skepticism |url=https://www.esc2019.be |website=18th European Skeptics Congress 2019 |access-date=23 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223180712/https://www.esc2019.be/ |archive-date=23 February 2020}}</ref>
|-
|19th European Skeptics Congress
|September 9 - September 11 
|[[Place:Vienna|Vienna]]
|{{AUT}}
|
|-
|20th European Skeptics Congress
|May 30 - June 2 2024
|Lyon
|{{FRA}}
|Organized by Association Française pour L'information Scientifique
|-
|
|}

== Other ==
[[Biography:Gábor Hraskó|Gábor Hraskó]], who was then President of ECSO, stated in a 2015 interview<ref name="ESP">{{cite web|title=Episode #001, feat. Gábor Hraskó|url=http://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/episode_001_gabor_hrasko.html|website=The European Skeptic Podcast|date=18 November 2015 |access-date=4 May 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170905171802/http://theesp.eu/podcast_archive/episode_001_gabor_hrasko.html|archive-date=5 September 2017}}</ref> that some goals of ECSO are to facilitate communication between the member groups; organise the regular conferences, and keep track of the active leaders for the various European groups. Sometimes a leader or a whole group will "disappear", and some groups are still active but with new leaders; it is important to "establish networks". At the 2015 conference held in London, Hraskó felt that he had learned a lot about organising from the UK skeptic groups. They operate differently than the continental Europeans, which tend to be one group that runs everything. The UK groups are all independent and more grassroots, but they end up working together on big conferences and projects. The 2017 conference "hopefully will be with the Polish and Czech skeptics".  Hraskó stated that the Czech skeptics disappeared for some time, and he hopes that they have re-organised and they and the Polish skeptics will formalize the plans for the 2017 conference. This was achieved with the Polish Skeptics’ Club in cooperation with the Czech Skeptics’ Club Sisyfos organising the [[Philosophy:European Skeptics Congress#17th European Skeptics Congress|17th biannual European Skeptics Congress 2017]] in Wrocław, Poland.<ref name="Congress17">{{Cite web|url=http://euroscepticscon.org/en/|title=17th European Skeptics Congress|website=euroscepticscon.org|language=en-gb|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170720084149/http://euroscepticscon.org/en/|archive-date=2017-07-20|url-status=dead|access-date=2017-08-03}}</ref> They were denied access to their initial venue on religious grounds,<ref name="SZ">{{cite podcast|url=http://skepticzone.libsyn.com/the-skeptic-zone-457-23july2017-0|title=The Skeptic Zone: The Skeptic Zone #457 – 23. July.2017|date=23 July 2017|time=8:20|access-date=4 August 2017|website=skepticzone.libsyn.com|language=en|last=Saunders|first=Richard|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170804113142/http://skepticzone.libsyn.com/the-skeptic-zone-457-23july2017-0|archive-date=4 August 2017}}</ref> then they changed venue to the Faculty of Law, Administration and Economics at the University of Wrocław.<ref name="Congress17" /> The ECSO met at the end of the conference and new leadership was elected. Claire Klingenberg took over as president from [[Biography:Gábor Hraskó|Gábor Hraskó]]. In an interview with Eran Segev for the Skeptic Zone podcast, Klingenberg said that the conference “went great … quite productive and stimulating.” When Segev congratulated her on her new role as president of ECSO, he asked her what her top priority for ESCO was. Her answer was, “make ECSO important … it has to be more relevant, more influential … and seen as a partner not just with European skeptics, but with organizations all over the world.”<ref>{{cite web|last1=Gerbic|first1=Susan|author-link=Susan Gerbic|title=Skeptical Adventures in Europe, Part 2|url=https://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/skeptical_adventures_in_europe_part_2|website=www.csicop.org|date=9 February 2018 |publisher=Committee for skeptical inquiry|access-date=29 April 2018}}</ref>

Catherine de Jong stated that having an organization overseeing the entire European skeptic groups is helpful to disseminate information when an alt med lecturer is planning a European tour. She gave the example of faith healer Peter Popoff being one who planned a tour of Europe. The UK skeptic Michael Marshall was able to contact the ECSO, who in turn were able to notify all the leaders of the other groups. They were able to share information and plan how to handle the events.<ref>{{cite web|title=Episode #002, feat. Catherine de Jong|url=https://soundcloud.com/user-721155342/theesp-ep-002-catherine-de-jong#t=0:00|website=[[Philosophy:European Skeptics Podcast|European Skeptics Podcast]]|access-date=4 May 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160519125443/https://soundcloud.com/user-721155342/theesp-ep-002-catherine-de-jong#t=0:00|archive-date=19 May 2016}}</ref>

András Gabor Pinter reported from the 2019 conference in Belgium that they heard presentations about investigating psychics, the anti-vaccination movement, GMOs, and nuclear power. "Energy policies should be driven by science and as skeptics that’s what we advocate, after all."<ref>{{Cite web|title=ESC in Gent – The European Skeptics Congress including Skeptics and a lot of Skeptical Fun {{!}} Skeptical Inquirer|url=https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/esc-in-gent-the-european-skeptics-congress-including-skeptics-and-a-lot-of-skeptical-fun/|last=Nicaise|first=Alexander|date=2019-10-07|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-18}}</ref>

== Awards ==
During the 6th World Skeptics Congress (Berlin, 18–20 May 2012<ref name="WSC6">[http://www.worldskeptics.org/program 6th World Skeptics Congress Program] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140905142241/http://www.worldskeptics.org/program |date=2014-09-05 }}</ref>), co-sponsored by the ECSO, GWUP and the [[Organization:Committee for Skeptical Inquiry|Committee for Skeptical Inquiry]] (CSI), the ECSO presented the "Outstanding Skeptics Award" to Wim Betz (SKEPP) and Luigi Garlaschelli (CICAP) "in recognition of [their] dedication and outstanding contributions in promoting science and investigating extraordinary claims". Simultaneously, the CSI presented [[Biography:Simon Singh|Simon Singh]] and Edzard Ernst with the "In Praise of Reason Award" "in recognition of [their] distinguished contribution to the use of critical inquiry, scientific evidence, and reason in evaluating claims to knowledge".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.aske-skeptics.org.uk/blog/files/22e1978ecfe61dbd27b532548f26d5e1-5.php |title=The Sixth World Skeptics Congress |author=Chairman's Blog |publisher=ASKE website |date=8 October 2012 |access-date=23 May 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511130334/http://www.aske-skeptics.org.uk/blog/files/22e1978ecfe61dbd27b532548f26d5e1-5.php |archive-date=11 May 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dwnTC1ji5o |title=World Skeptics Congress 2012: In Praise of Reason Award / Outstanding Skeptics Award (Introduction) |author=World Skeptics Congress |publisher=[[Company:YouTube|YouTube]] |date=16 June 2012 |access-date=23 May 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140523221208/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dwnTC1ji5o |archive-date=23 May 2014 }}</ref>

== See also ==
* European Humanist Federation
* List of skeptical conferences
* List of skeptical organizations
* QED: Question, Explore, Discover
* The Amaz!ng Meeting (TAM!)

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==


[[Category:Scientific skepticism]]
[[Category:Organizations (Philosophy)]]
[[Category:Organizations|Philosophy]]

{{Sourceattribution|European Council of Skeptical Organisations}}