The Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) is hosting a panel
discussion meeting and film presentation focusing on homophobia at
Moscow Pride in May this year, and in other Eastern European
countries.

The public meeting will be held at 7.30 pm on Friday 10 November at
Conway Hall Humanist Centre, 25 Red Lion Square, Holborn, London, and
all are welcome.

GALHA has lined up five panellists for the event including the
courageous Russian gay activist, Nicolai Alekseev, who is being flown
in from Moscow for the meeting and as guest-of-honour/speaker at the
group's annual lunch.

Nikolai Alekseev is a lawyer who lives and works in Moscow. He is the
founder and head of Project Gay Russia and the executive secretary of
the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO). He has been actively
challenging homophobia in Russia for the last four years and took a
leading role in Moscow Pride. Since then he has been very active in
campaigns in other Eastern European countries, notably Latvia.

The other panellists are Andy Harley (a gay journalist who took part
in Moscow Pride), Derek Lennard (a former GALHA chairperson who was at
Moscow Pride and spoke at the IDAHO conference which coincided with
it) and Peter Tatchell (human rights campaigner who was also at Moscow
Pride).

Jason Pollock, Executive Director of Pride London, who has worked with
ILGA to produce a document "Prides against Prejudice: A toolkit for
pride organising in a hostile environment" will round off the panel.

The GALHA membership lunch, at which Nicolai Alekseev will be
presented with an award, will take place on Saturday 11 November at
Chez Gerard in London's Southbank. The award is being made "for his
courage in challenging homphobia in Russia and beyond".

ENDS

More information from
GAY AND LESBIAN HUMANIST ASSOCIATION
NATIONAL OFFICE
34 SPRING LANE, KENILWORTH
WARWICKSHIRE CV8 2HB
UNITED KINGDOM

EMAIL  secretary@galha.org
WEBSITE www.galha.org

Affiliated to Amnesty International & the International Humanist &
Ethical Union

GALHA President: Maureen Duffy. Vice-Presidents: Michael Cashman MEP;
Patrick Harvie MSP; Dr Evan Harris MP; Dr James Hemming; Darren
Johnson; Sir Michael Levey LVO, FBA, FRSL; George Melly; Maryam
Namazie; Taslima Nasreen; Claire Rayner MBE; Dr Harry Stopes-Roe;
Barbara Smoker; Professor Rob Tielman; Angela Willans.