RAINBOW RIGHTS FOR EASTERN EUROPEANS -- during EUROPRIDE - OSLO
Amnesty International Norway invites you to a seminar
on Wednesday June 22nd from 12.00 - 18.00
at the Human Rights House in Tordenskioldsgate 6 B
The living conditions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered
people differ widely throughout the world. While the gay rights movement in
Norway during the last decade has paid little or no attention to matters of
international solidarity, the Norwegian solidarity movement has paid
little attention to the situation of gays and lesbians. Amnesty wishes to
bridge this gap, which is why we are inviting you to take part in this seminar
with a focus on what human rights activist - whatever their sexual
orientation may be - can do to enhance the fundamental rights of gays
and lesbians in Eastern Europe.
Despite the decriminalization of homosexuality in Eastern Europe after
the fall of the Berlin wall, the public attitude in many Eastern European
countries continues to be severely homophobic. Gays and lesbians
experience human rights violations on a daily basis. Changing these attitudes
takes courageous individuals who dare to be visible, and international
organizations who dare to support their work. We have invited human
rights defenders from Poland, Russia, Moldova and Bosnia-Herzegovina to speak
about their work and what kind of support and cooperation they envisage
from us. They represent organizations which offer gays, lesbians,
bisexuals and transgendered people a safe space to explore their identities,
monitor and report human rights abuses, lobby for changes in discriminatory
laws and engage in public debate.
Speakers:
Maxim Anmeghicigan is the leader of Information Center GenderDoc-M, i Chisinau, Moldova. He is also a board member of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) Europe.
Konstantin Egornov is the leader of Krug in Murmansk, Russia.
Svetlana Djurkovic is the leader of Q-Association, Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Ania Gruszczynska is the coordinator of the Krakow department of the Campaign against Homophobia, Poland. Dennis Van der Veur is the author of the report Homosexuality in South
Eastern Europe, based on a fact finding mission in Albania, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Slovenia, and Moldova. Dag Øistein Endsjø heads the Norwegian Human Rights Alliance. He will talk about what protection lgbt, have under international law, and what the addition of new member states to the European Union could mean to the
rights of gays and lesbians in Europe.
The seminar will be conducted in English. There is no conference fee,
but you need to register with marna@chello.no before June 20th.
The seminar is funded by the Freedom of Expression Foundation.
