PRESS RELEASE Stockholm, September 16, 2004
Emergency sessions discussing homophobia,
homo culture, fund-raising:
London/Copenhagen/Stockholm - This year's ILGCN (International
Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network) world homo culture conference stages
will take place in Copenhagen on October 23st and in London on November 13, 2004.
"These emergency planning sessions will replace the Steptember
conference stage planned in San Juan, Puerto Rico - postponed because of illness and aborted sponsorship - and the August stage in Minsk - cancelled because of neo nazi threats and warnings from the dictatorial regime that foreign delegates would be deported if they tried to meet Belarus activists," says Bill Schiller of ILGCN-Nordic and ILGCN conference co-ordinator.
The sessions in the Danish and British capitals will also
provide a chance for some of the ILGCN co-ordinators and cultural
ambassadors and other supporters of international cultural solidarity
to review e-mail recommendations and proposals from those unable to attend in such short notice.
Support for Krakow, Minsk, Jerusalem, Oslo & Montreal
"Burning issues will include planning ILGCN support for colleagues
in such crisis areas as Krakow -- planning its 2nd cultural festival
next May despite this year's violent neo Nazi attacks -- and "cultural
festivals in exile" for Minsk. Discussions will also cover ILGCN
support for World Pride in Jerusalem and Europride in Oslo in 2005 and the giant "Right to be Different" conference as part of the Montreal Rendez-Vous games in 2006," Schiller adds.
Other business will be to approve the sites for the 8th world
conference stages next year, crucial fund-raising for future conference
hosts unable to find financial backing in hostile, homophobic
environments, giving formal approval to new ILGCN co-ordinators and
ambassadors and announcing the winners of the last of this year's ILGCN awards.
"In London, we'll be pleased to be meeting at the historic
Conway Hall - a traditional meeting place of the Humanist movement well known for its support of homo rights -- and to be on hand to help
salute the lesbian and gay humanist organization, GALHA on its 25th
anniversary," Schiller concludes.
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