Anyone interested in joining the organization and sharing the values it promotes can enroll on the Introductory Course of Comparative Philosophy of East and West which IONA’s School of Philosophy in the Classical Tradition regularly offers at all its centers. On this course you will be given the necessary knowledge about the principles and actions of IONA in its different facets, and their philosophical basis. Membership status entitles you to receive continuing education and training, following a program of studies which is adapted to people’s needs and requires no previous qualifications. Our courses are not designed for merely theoretical or academic purposes, but to provide explanations that are useful for daily life. Members of IONA are well-integrated into their social and family environments, as their activity as members does not separate or isolate them.
Each New Acropolis venue establishes the amount of the fees, depending on the location of the venue and the possibilities of its participants.
New Acropolis has a decentralized economy, with periodic external audits and bases its income and financial sustainability on four pillars:
- Training courses and sale of cultural products, made in our branches;
- All members contribute a monthly fee, which entitles them to participate in all its activities and have access to the international network of cultural centers of the IONA;
- The support of volunteers, combined with a small and efficient administrative staff;
- The support and sponsorship of private companies and other institutions.
No. The founding principles establish respect for the different institutionalized forms of religion.
We are convinced that ignorance and fanaticism only generate violence and hatred “in the name of God” and therefore we invite a careful comparative study that allows for the generation of bonds of understanding instead of walls of separation. We believe in God and we respect the different religious forms of our partners, which is why New Acropolis exists and is maintained in Christian, Buddhist, Muslim countries, etc.
The study of historical cycles and the philosophical principles of the search for a just society are part of our training program. As with religion, we believe that fanatical and closed positions only generate violence and separateness and that the study and deep reflection of history gives the individual tools for tolerance and understanding towards their fellow citizens. In our societies, citizens are needed, willing to work together for the common good, beyond any political preference.
Yes. In all the countries where we work, our centers are registered by the government authorities and we scrupulously comply with the legal regulations of each country. Likewise, we promote respect for them in our partners and friends. In addition, the IONA, as an international non-profit association, is registered in the International Register of Associations, recognized by the Royal Decree of February 12, 1990 nº 3/12-941/s of the Kingdom of Belgium.
You can freely participate in the various volunteer programs and cultural and social activities carried out by the IONA around the world, which will enable you to learn about our activities and principles in action.
We understand that those who feel threatened by this frank respect for diversity disagree and have attacked us at certain times, and although we respect and learn from criticism, since we are not perfect, we reject and denounce the defamation that sometimes unscrupulous people make use of on the Internet and some media. Our response can only be the example of our work in favor of education and freedom of thought in more than fifty countries and our doors are open to all who wish to meet us.