Today, May 17, is IDAHO Day- International day Agaianst Homophobia. Main Press release and also a Press release from Jean Lambert Green Party MEP.
1)Today-May 17th is IDAHO day and some of us whose live shave been dominated by this campaign in the last few months, can barely believe it.
This event will be marked in over 50 countries from New Zealand to Iran, from Uganda to Poland. (Sorry, geography’s never been my strong point).
These events will in many cases vary greatly. In Uganda, IDAHO will be marked at a hotel in Kampala including a five minutes silence, and all those present will sign a letter demanding LGBT rights in Uganda, and this letter will be presented to the Ministry of Justice tomorrow. In Italy there will be an art and photography exhibition concerning the Eldorado Night Club, a thriving gay centre closed down by the Nazis. In Iran there are a number of statements supporting IDAHO on many websites.
In the European Parliament there will be a seminar addressing threats to LGBT rights in Europe.
The campaign in the UK has grown considerably since last year, with many more events covering a much wider area of the country, with messages of support from the four major political parties, a new website, an early day motion in support of IDAHO in the House of Commons which currently has 70 signatures, a launch meeting which was attended by over 100 people, and last but by no means least IDAHO-UK’s pivotal role in protesting at the threatened ban of Moscow Pride-an event which will be very much on our minds today.
AS for UK events, there is in London, a demonstration in support of the rights of LGBT asylum seekers, a special meeting about the gay community in Iraq, a major rally to stamp out homophobia in East London, police and community information and advice concerning safety issues all day in Leicester Square, a gathering/vigil to commemorate those who have died through homophobic violence in Croydon, a Queer Spirit Circle to consider the personal and political effects of homophobia, and a meeting for people with HIV about homophobia and internationalism.
In Manchester, a special four page pink tabloid edition of “Daily Out” exclusively devoted to IDAHO is being widely circulated, Manchester Town Hall will be flying the rainbow flag as the new Mayor’s inauguration takes place, there are special seminars to mark the day in Bolton and Oldham, where rainbow flags will be featured prominently, and the minutes silence observed. There will be information stalls in shopping centres around the area,. The British Council will be promoting IDAHO internally and externally on their websites, and raising awareness in their many overseas offices. The George House Trust and the Lesbian and Gay Foundation will beraising awareness of the day with Operation fundraising events around Manchester’s gay village today.
In Brighton –the first council to pass a resolution supporting IDAHO-a gathering outside the Town Hall at 7pm will reflect on homophobic and transphobic violence, with a performance by the Rainbow Chorus, a talk by a Ugandan asylum seeker, an open microphone session for people to give their perspectives on world homophobia and a minutes silence. The Rainbow Flag will also be flying in Brighton, where an innovative survey called “Count me in Too” will be launched. There will also be a free film showing of the film, “Dangerous Living: Coming Out in the Developing World” –“ a moving documentary exploring the personal stories of LGBT people in non-wesrtern countries.
There are community events, raising awareness of IDAHO and local and international resources to fight homophobia in Surrey, Portsmouth, Leicester and Bournemouth.
In Canterbury there will be a vigil in the city centre involving the police and community groups , and the Bournemouth organisation “Over the Rainbow” will also operating a stall focussed on personal safety issues/crime reporting in the town centre.
In Gloucester, a gay pub will be observing a minute’s silence and fundraising for the LGBT community. In Sheffield the Centre for HIV and Sexual Health in partnership with the SHOUT Centre in arranging a one-minute “noise” to speak out loudly and clearly that homophobia is simply not acceptable .
In Edinburgh the Metropolitan Church has already conducted a service about IDAHO and world homophobia, and the one minute’s silence will be observed at a major gay history exhibition also in Edinburgh.
All these events follow an information stall and panel discussion on IDAHO and Moscow Pride which took place over the weekend aspart of Student Pride.
Finally Schools Out have produced a lesson plan about homophobia for use in schools today, drawing on the life and career of Dusty Springfield.-see www.schools-out.org.uk Mailing 21.
Derek Lennard.
IDAHO UK CO-ordinator.
---------------------------------------------------
2) NEWS RELEASE
> From The Office Of Jean Lambert, London's Green MEP
>
>17th May 2006
>
>GREEN MEP PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR IDAHO
>
>Green MEP Jean Lambert has today given her support to the second
>International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) and emphasized the importance
>of eliminating homophobia from the world completely.
>
>Jean, who is a member of the European Parliament's Intergroup on Gay and
>Lesbian Rights said the day would give hope and encouragement to Lesbian
>Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Communities in those countries still
>allowing discrimination and homophobic behavior. Jean said; "IDAHO gives
>us all a chance to make a stand against homophobia and show our support
>for all LGBT Communities across the UK and Europe.
>
>"Everyone is equal regardless of their sexuality, gender or race and even
>though the UK has made significant progress to stamp out homophobia, at
>least 80 countries around the world still forbid homosexual acts by law.
>Some are killed, many attacked and even more are ostracized for simply
>being who they are.
>
>"This cannot be seen as acceptable and the events held today and across
>the weekend really will demonstrate that these attitudes will no longer be
>tolerated. Standing together we can celebrate diversity and ensure LGBT
>communities have the rights they deserve."
>
>With a range of events taking place around the world today and across the
>weekend IDAHO marks the 16th Anniversary of the day the World Health
>Organisation removed homosexuality from its list of mental disorders. The
>day aims to raise awareness of the homophobic attitudes many people are
>still subjected to.
>
>ENDS
>
>For more information please contact:
>Morwenna Holland, Media Officer
>tel: 020 7407 6280 or 07813149812
>email:
media@jeanlambertmep.org.uk
>www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk
>
>Notes to editors:
>Jean Lambert: In October 2005 Jean was named MEP 2005 for Justice and
>Human Rights. Jean was first elected Green Party Member of the European
>Parliament for London in the 1999 European elections. She was re-elected
>in 2004. She is one of nine MEPs representing London and one of two UK
>Green representatives in the European Parliament.
>
>--
>Morwenna Holland
>Media and Public Relations Officer
>Office of Jean Lambert MEP - London's Green MEP
>Suite 58, The Hop Exchange
>24 Southwark Street
>London, SE1 1TY
>
>Tel: 00 44 (0)20 7407 6280
>Fax: 00 44 (0)20 7234 0183
www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk
-----------------------------------------------
>
This event will be marked in over 50 countries from New Zealand to Iran, from Uganda to Poland. (Sorry, geography’s never been my strong point).
These events will in many cases vary greatly. In Uganda, IDAHO will be marked at a hotel in Kampala including a five minutes silence, and all those present will sign a letter demanding LGBT rights in Uganda, and this letter will be presented to the Ministry of Justice tomorrow. In Italy there will be an art and photography exhibition concerning the Eldorado Night Club, a thriving gay centre closed down by the Nazis. In Iran there are a number of statements supporting IDAHO on many websites.
In the European Parliament there will be a seminar addressing threats to LGBT rights in Europe.
The campaign in the UK has grown considerably since last year, with many more events covering a much wider area of the country, with messages of support from the four major political parties, a new website, an early day motion in support of IDAHO in the House of Commons which currently has 70 signatures, a launch meeting which was attended by over 100 people, and last but by no means least IDAHO-UK’s pivotal role in protesting at the threatened ban of Moscow Pride-an event which will be very much on our minds today.
AS for UK events, there is in London, a demonstration in support of the rights of LGBT asylum seekers, a special meeting about the gay community in Iraq, a major rally to stamp out homophobia in East London, police and community information and advice concerning safety issues all day in Leicester Square, a gathering/vigil to commemorate those who have died through homophobic violence in Croydon, a Queer Spirit Circle to consider the personal and political effects of homophobia, and a meeting for people with HIV about homophobia and internationalism.
In Manchester, a special four page pink tabloid edition of “Daily Out” exclusively devoted to IDAHO is being widely circulated, Manchester Town Hall will be flying the rainbow flag as the new Mayor’s inauguration takes place, there are special seminars to mark the day in Bolton and Oldham, where rainbow flags will be featured prominently, and the minutes silence observed. There will be information stalls in shopping centres around the area,. The British Council will be promoting IDAHO internally and externally on their websites, and raising awareness in their many overseas offices. The George House Trust and the Lesbian and Gay Foundation will beraising awareness of the day with Operation fundraising events around Manchester’s gay village today.
In Brighton –the first council to pass a resolution supporting IDAHO-a gathering outside the Town Hall at 7pm will reflect on homophobic and transphobic violence, with a performance by the Rainbow Chorus, a talk by a Ugandan asylum seeker, an open microphone session for people to give their perspectives on world homophobia and a minutes silence. The Rainbow Flag will also be flying in Brighton, where an innovative survey called “Count me in Too” will be launched. There will also be a free film showing of the film, “Dangerous Living: Coming Out in the Developing World” –“ a moving documentary exploring the personal stories of LGBT people in non-wesrtern countries.
There are community events, raising awareness of IDAHO and local and international resources to fight homophobia in Surrey, Portsmouth, Leicester and Bournemouth.
In Canterbury there will be a vigil in the city centre involving the police and community groups , and the Bournemouth organisation “Over the Rainbow” will also operating a stall focussed on personal safety issues/crime reporting in the town centre.
In Gloucester, a gay pub will be observing a minute’s silence and fundraising for the LGBT community. In Sheffield the Centre for HIV and Sexual Health in partnership with the SHOUT Centre in arranging a one-minute “noise” to speak out loudly and clearly that homophobia is simply not acceptable .
In Edinburgh the Metropolitan Church has already conducted a service about IDAHO and world homophobia, and the one minute’s silence will be observed at a major gay history exhibition also in Edinburgh.
All these events follow an information stall and panel discussion on IDAHO and Moscow Pride which took place over the weekend aspart of Student Pride.
Finally Schools Out have produced a lesson plan about homophobia for use in schools today, drawing on the life and career of Dusty Springfield.-see www.schools-out.org.uk Mailing 21.
Derek Lennard.
IDAHO UK CO-ordinator.
---------------------------------------------------
2) NEWS RELEASE
> From The Office Of Jean Lambert, London's Green MEP
>
>17th May 2006
>
>GREEN MEP PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR IDAHO
>
>Green MEP Jean Lambert has today given her support to the second
>International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) and emphasized the importance
>of eliminating homophobia from the world completely.
>
>Jean, who is a member of the European Parliament's Intergroup on Gay and
>Lesbian Rights said the day would give hope and encouragement to Lesbian
>Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Communities in those countries still
>allowing discrimination and homophobic behavior. Jean said; "IDAHO gives
>us all a chance to make a stand against homophobia and show our support
>for all LGBT Communities across the UK and Europe.
>
>"Everyone is equal regardless of their sexuality, gender or race and even
>though the UK has made significant progress to stamp out homophobia, at
>least 80 countries around the world still forbid homosexual acts by law.
>Some are killed, many attacked and even more are ostracized for simply
>being who they are.
>
>"This cannot be seen as acceptable and the events held today and across
>the weekend really will demonstrate that these attitudes will no longer be
>tolerated. Standing together we can celebrate diversity and ensure LGBT
>communities have the rights they deserve."
>
>With a range of events taking place around the world today and across the
>weekend IDAHO marks the 16th Anniversary of the day the World Health
>Organisation removed homosexuality from its list of mental disorders. The
>day aims to raise awareness of the homophobic attitudes many people are
>still subjected to.
>
>ENDS
>
>For more information please contact:
>Morwenna Holland, Media Officer
>tel: 020 7407 6280 or 07813149812
>email:
media@jeanlambertmep.org.uk >www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk
>
>Notes to editors:
>Jean Lambert: In October 2005 Jean was named MEP 2005 for Justice and
>Human Rights. Jean was first elected Green Party Member of the European
>Parliament for London in the 1999 European elections. She was re-elected
>in 2004. She is one of nine MEPs representing London and one of two UK
>Green representatives in the European Parliament.
>
>--
>Morwenna Holland
>Media and Public Relations Officer
>Office of Jean Lambert MEP - London's Green MEP
>Suite 58, The Hop Exchange
>24 Southwark Street
>London, SE1 1TY
>
>Tel: 00 44 (0)20 7407 6280
>Fax: 00 44 (0)20 7234 0183
www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk
-----------------------------------------------
>
