Some Rainbows in Europe

September 15, 2024 - Stockholm

ROMANIA, FRANCE, GERMANY, BULGARIA, ITALY & SWEDEN

Stockholm-- On September 15, 2024, Tupilak (Nordic rainbow culture workers) and the ILGCN (international rainbow culture network) will hold a Zoom & Live ceremony in the Swedish capital to hand out well-deserved award diplomas for art and film to colleagues in Romania, France, Germany and Sweden and honor activists in Bulgaria and Italy.

The "Wings 2024" film award is to go to Romanian film maker and theater director, Eugen Jebeleanu, for his film "Poppy Field" -- about a closeted gay policeman in Romania confronting to homophobic colleagues -- and for his opera and productions.

The award is named after the world's first gay film -- by Swedish gay film maker, Maurice Stiller, in 1917 "Wings" -- portraying a love affair between a sculptor and his naked model -- representing the beautiful youth, Ganymedes -- about to be plucked up the heavens by the god, Zeus in the form of an eagle.

Another Romanian Film Director and Activist

Also receivng the "Wings 2024" is gay Romanian film maker, Paul Muresan --- for his life-and-death animated, short film, "Ceva" and his continuing firlm work for the Romanin LGBT organization, Accept.

Gay photographer. Tiberiú Capudean of Romania -- who has already received a Tupilak/ILGCN award, will join us on the Zoom link to comment on his work.

Gays in France, Germany, Sweden

Tupilak/ILGCN award diploma 's "Orfeo Imago 2024 " honoring rainbow art work goes to gay French artist, Bruno Albéric and to the Berlin-based duo, Greif Lazic.

This award is named after the ancient Greek musician Orpheus, who was also proud of his male lovers -- including Calais - fellow traveller on the ship Argo.

The "Thor's Hammer 2024" goes to Pierre Alatbeh, Swedish/Syrian, now living in Malmö, southern Sweden, for his make-up work at the local theater and for launching the organization of AILE of Sweden -- supporting LGBT in the area and giving special support to LGBT refugees.

The award is named after the Viking god of thunder and lightning, who used his hammer as a weapon against the giants and in defense of mankind.

Bulgaria, Sweden, Italy in Focus

Another focus will be on Bulgaria, where LGBT culture and identity seem to be totally ignored. One project planned is "Rainbows in Bulgaria -- a film project to help combat homophobia" -- Zhata of Bulgaria.

Another focus will be on a letter appeal to Swedish EU parliamentarians to condemn Bulgaria's new ban on LGBT books and information in the schools" --written by Bill Schiller of Tupilak/ILGCN and Zhata of Bulgaria.

A short film, "Joy" by Sweden's Peter Fröberg, is a very positive note describing rainbow solidarity between gays and straights in a small Italian village, with food and drink under the summer sun.

RAINBOW CULTURE VS. SILENCE & IGNORANCE

"What many homophobic politicians, religious leaders, journalists and others in many countries do not realize that rainbow culture is a vital weapon for creativity, identity and progress," says Schiller.

The September event will screen the trailer of the "Poppy Field" and the short film, "Ceva" a short film from the United Nations LGBT short film series, "Free and Equal," and display some of the work of Tiberíu, Bruno and Greif Lazic.

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Photos: Eugene, Poppy Field, Paul, Ceva, Tiberiu, Naked, Bruno,, Reif Lazic, Pierre, Peter, Tupilak logo, ILGCN logo.

TUPILAK/ILGCN & FRIENDS HONOR INTERNATIONAL DAY OF RAINBOW CULTURE

Stockholm -- Tupilak (Nordic rainbow culture workers) and the ILGCN (international rainbow cultur network) marked August 9 - International Day of Rainbow Culture -- with participants in person and via Zoom from Sweden, UK, Canada, Argentina, Bulgaria, Austria and Japan.

The day was chosen as the birthday of Finnish author, Tove Jansson, creator of the "Mumintroll" books.  

Two award diplomas were handed out at the event -- "Thor's Hammer 2024" -- to two Canadians for their long supportfor Tupilak and the ILGCN -- Ian Stewart -- gay writer of short stories, heading the ILGCN Literature Secretariat, and co-inspiration of the International Rainbow Culture Day -- and and Alister MacKinnon -- year's long, crucial web master for the ILGCN.   

The award is named after Thor -- the Viking god of thunder and lightnig, using his hammer to combat giants and serpents and defend mankind.

Special guests via Zoom helping honoring the International day were Rosemary   and Ian Hembury  of the London-based Gay Author's Workshop -- encoouraging lesbian and gay writers to get feed-back on their works in progress in the aim of future publication.  

International Day ipnut from Austria, Argnetina, Bulgaria, Sweden

Also via Zoom was Barbara Flöhlich of Vienna -- member of the Austrian LGBT anti-fascist committee, explaining about the coming December ceremony at the Mauthausen concentration camp -- marking the 40th anniversary of the LGBT monument there -- the oldest such monument in the world.

Other gests were Marysol de Pablo and Juliette Brizzi, of the duo, Capusa Tango -- the ILGCN Secretariat for Latin America, now living in the southern Swedish city of Malmö and performing and running workshops in different cities in Sweden and Denmark.

Poetry was read by Tomas Åberg, Tupilak´s "house poet".  Another participant in Stockholm was Felix S, a Bulgarian student of films here in Stockholm, who mentioned how difficult it is to "come out" in Bulgaria where homosexuals are labled "pedophiles" and how rainbow culture is almost totally non-existent there.

"As a salute to the International Day, Tupilak & the ILGCN have pledged with Felix to work together to create a film that could reach LGBT people in Bulgaria to give them a stronger voice and the confirmation they are not alone, " says  Bill Schiller of Tupilak & ILGCN.

The event also screened one of the films from the United Nations LGBT film series, "Free and Equal".  This was "The Welcome" filmed in India, where a young gay man brings home his boyfriend for the first time -- at first getting silence and frozen looks and then the entire family bursts into smiles and cheers and furious dancing.

"It is high time to salute the LGBT culture workers of the world --- in half the planet LGBT rights are still banned and even where homosexual relations are legalized, there are many nations where rainbow culture workers are still outlawed with risk of getting fired from the theatre, schools, the tv or radio or newspaper, dance company or publishing house," adds Schiller

  

"Even many LGBT activits have long frowned on rainbow culture workers -- fearing this was competition instead of an important ally in the struggle,"  Schiller concludes.

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Photos:  Tove, Bill, Ian, Barbara, Mauthausen monument, Carpusa, Tomas, Free and Equal, The Welcome, Tupilak, ILGCN

Tove-Jansson and Mummin Face

Tommy Åberg

Mauthausen Monument

Ian Stewart

Carpusa Tango

Bill Schiller

Barbara Getting Orfeo Iris

Stockholm Calling

Stockholm, Friday, August 9 --(19.00-21.00)

The INTERNATIONAL DAY of RAINBOW CULTURE -- birthday of

Tove Jansson, Nordic artist, author (Finland).

Salute to Tove and her woman, art historian, Tuulikki Piptilä

Tove's "Autumn Song" and other words from Finland.

Tupilak/ILGCN award diploma announcements "Thor's Hammer" --

Ian Stwewart & Alister Mackinnon (Canada)

Zoom (or film music) from ILGCN Latin American secretariats,

Capusa Tango (Argentina/Malmö)

Zoom: Barbara Fröhlich, Austria LGBT -- preparation for 40th anniversary ceremony of Mauthausen LGBT Monument -- the oldest in the world.

Film: "Tupilak -- 30 Years" - Alaa Haziem, Willi Reichhold (Sweden)

Poetry - Tomas Åberg (Sweden)

Monolgue: "Changing Dragons into Friends -- Amnesty International and the United Nations!" -- Bill Schiller (Sweden)

Photos: Tove, Tuulikki, Capusa Tango, Bill. Logos: Tupilak, ILGCN

Hello ILGCN SECRETARIATS in Canada, Estonia, Norway, USA, Australia, Latin America and friends:

Join us with a skål (a Swedish toast") to our international day....
If you send us a line, we will be happy to read it out loud!.
If you send us a photo of your "skål" will be happy to publish it in our Facebook/website!.

Hugs, Bill Schiller at the ILGCN Information Secretariat in Stockholm.

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Stockholm, Friday, August 9 --(19.00-21.00)
The ILGCN-declared INTERNATIONAL DAY of RAINBOW CULTURE -- birthday of
Tove Jansson, Nordic artist, author ("Mother" of Mumin!) (Finland).
Salute to the late Tove and her woman, art historian, Tuulikki Piptilä
Tove's "Autumn Song" and other words from Finland.
Tupilak/ILGCN award diploma alnnouncements "Thor's Hammer" --
Ian Stwewart & Alister Mackinnon (Canada)
Zoom (or film music) from ILGCN Latin American secretariats, Capusa Tango (Argentina/Malmö)
Film: "Tupilak -- 30 Years" - Alaa Haziem, Willi Reichhold (Sweden)
Monolgue: "Changing Dragons into Friends -- Amnesty International and the United Nations!"
-- Bill Schiller (Sweden)
Film: "The Welcome" (India) -- UN LGBT Film series, "Free and Equal"

TUPILAK/ILGCN AWARDS, SEMINARS at WESTPRIDE, ÖREBRO

GOTHENBURG/ÖREBRO -- Award presentations took place -- June 11-14 -- by Tupilak (Nordic rainbow culture workers) and the ILGCN (international rainbow culture network) at the seminars taking place at WestPride in the Swedish west coast city of Gothenberg and the June 15 award ceremony in the central Swedish town of Örebro.

The "Golden Tupilak" award went to Vanja Södergren, who launched the first Pride March in Sweden (in Europe? In the world?) back in 1971 in Örebro and marched again this year, along with a street-dance group led by ILGCN's roving ambassador, Filip Kjowski (Poland ) (an earlier Tupilak/ILGCN award winner), who handed over the award diploma.

Vanja's first historic, rainbow-flag waving march was a defiant reaction to a local newspaper refusing to publish the engagement announcment of Vanja and her partner.

"Orfeo Thalia" Award to Carl Ewerth
At a WestPride seminar on rainbow history and culture, Gothenburg resident Carl Ewerth, actor and singer, received his "Orfeo Thalia" award -- named after the ancient Greek musician, Orfheus -- proud of his male lovers -- and the ancient Greek muse of theater and performances. Carl was also praised in the award motivation for bringing to life some of the mega stars of Sweden's past musical history, such as Zarah Leander.

LGBT Monuments, Tourist Ads from Blood on the Rainbows
Tupilak/ILGCN Bill Schiller at another seminar at WestPride covered the Gothenburg launch of the renewed Tupilak/ILGCN campaign for LGBT monuments in the Nordic zone -- pointing out that while many LGBT monuments exist all over the world, the only permanent LGBT monument in the Nordic region -- inaugrated last year -- is in Gothenburg. (see photo)

Schiller at another seminar made the WestPride Gothenburg launch of the Tupilak/ILGCN campaign "Blood on the Rainbow" to write to the BBC, CNN, Sky News, etc. and ask why they keep running tv ads from national tourist offices of countries which discrimante, imprison, torture, banish and execute LGBT people.

Between seminars, Tupilak's Gunilla Bourdette discovered the statue of the well-loved, Swedish lesbian poet and playwrite, Karin Boye, was drapped in a rainbow flag. This was just outside the WestPride Pride House - the city library.

Gunilla was the organizing force for sending a Tupilak/ILGCN team of musicians and singers to Bucharest in a dictator-ruled Romania.

Seminar Films, International Rainbow Culture
Films screened at the seminars included "Unchechen" by Stefan Hornby (UK), "Halleluja" of Mattew Richardson (Canada), "Queer Egypt Under Attack" of Ahmed Shihab-Eldin (US/Palestine), "Why We Fight" UN LGBT series "Free and Equal" and "LGBT Monuments - World Wide" of Willi Reichold (Sweden).

COMING EVENTS:

Tupilak/ILGCN seminars at STOCKHOLM PRIDE.

Monday, January 29 -- "Rainbow Culture/The Real Story of Swedish Singer, Ulla Billquist"

Tuesday, January 30 -- "The Continued Campaign: for LGBT Monuments in the Nordic Zone"

Friday, August 2 (14.00) International Conference: "The Advantages/Disadvangates of Homophobic Legislation"

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Stockholm, Friday, August 9 -- International Day of Rainbow Culture -- birthday of Tove Jansson, Nordic artist, author (Finland).

Salute to Tove and her woman, art historian, Tuulikki Piptilä

Song & music: Tove's "Autumn Song" by Peter Fröberg (Sweden)

Tupilak/ILGCN award diplomas "Thor's Hammer" -- Canadians

Zoom (or film music) from ILGCN Latin American secretariats,

Carpusa Tango (Argentina/Malmö)

"Don't Cry for Me, Chicago!" -- Bill Schiller (Sweden)

Gothenberg LGBT Monument

Bill, Carl and Husband

Vanja and Filip Örebro

Latest TUPILAK/ILGCN Awards - London, Vilnius, Anti-HIV/AIDS Culture

Stockholm – Information has reached the Swedish capital about the handing over of the latest award diplomas from Tupilak and the ILGCN -- the "Sappho in Paradise" (for literature and publications) also supported by the Paradise Press (London) -- to Kathryn Bell, long-time secretary of the Gay Authors' Workshop (UK) and celebrating her 90th birthday! and the "Rainbow Warrior 2024" to the Lithuanian Gay League (LGL) -- now celebrating it's 30th anniversary.

May 17 Report - Awards to "HIV/AIDS" Authors/Salute to IDAHOT Day
Stockholm - A "double" ceremony took place in the Swedish capital on Friday, May 17, 2024 -- one honoring two Swedish authors writing about the situation, the struggle and the long discrimination of people with HIV and AIDS, and a salute to the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia -- finally becoming a official United Nations day.

Kathryn's award also honors her partner, writer and poet, Elsa Bechett, who died in 2015. Creating Kathryn's diploma and handing it over, Peter Scott-Presland, theater man and member of the Gay Auhors' Workshop, has also earlier received a Tupilak/ILGCN award diploma. Another Workshop colleague handing over the diploma to Kathryn was Hastie Salih.

The diploma to the LGL also salutes their annual Baltic Pride co-operation with neighboring colleagues in Riga, Latvia and Tallinn, Estonia. Information about the coming Pride celebrations in Vilnius can be seen on facebook.

The Stockholm event took place at the offices of Sweden's PositHIVa Gruppen, with a warm welcome deliverd by the PG's Ola Ståhle. The award diplomas were given to Bodil Sjöström for her long work with HIV/AIDS cases and for her books, including the latest "Där Kärlek Sker" and Steve Sjöqvist, once close to death himself and for writing a series of books including the latest," "Vägen Valde Dig."

These award diplomas are named "Phanes" -- after the ancient Greek god of birth and creation. Also reading from his book, "A Muskalisk Valp" was Jan Hammarlund, veteran Swedish singer and song writer. Music and song was provided by Swedish singer/musician, Robert Hill.

Salute to IDAHOT Day
The event also paid tribute to the originator of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia – Caribbean-born Frenchman, Louis-Georges Tin. What started as only local events, IDAHOT has finally become a official United Nations day. Louis-Georges came to Stockholm to receive the Golden Tupilak award in 2005.

At the event, members of Swedish Amnesty's LGBTI group also commented on their work for rainbow rights and identity. Bill Schiller of Tupilak/ILGCN pointed out that the legal situation for LGBT people is getting worse including the growing number of the death penalty in a number of nations, and that even where legislation is o.k., the lack of rainbow cultural workers and events can scare LGBT people into total silence and invisibility.

Bodil, Steve, Jan (by Angelo Strina)

Bodil, Steve, Bill (by Angelo Strina)

Hastie and Kathryn

Peter and Kathryn

Louis-Georges

TUPILAK/ILGCN at CERVANTES INSTITUTE-Stockholm

Stockholm - A Spanish/English-language rainbow event took place on September 15 at the Cervantes Institute in the Swedish capital, with award ceremonies to Spainish artists, music and song from Argentine, film and poetry -- hosted by Tupilak (Nordic rainbow culture workers) and the ILGCN (international rainbow culture network.)

Award diplomas presented via Zoom went to gay artists, Javier Tremis Sempere of Spain -- receiving the double diploma the "Orfeo Imago" (named after the ancient Greek musician proud of his male lovers) for outstanding LGBT art work and also inclunding fine art portraying the elderly -- the "Elli's Rainbow" (named after the Viking goddess of age).

The motivation was:--- for outstanding art work often centered around the naked human male figure in erotic and sensual form – both the young and muscular and the elderly faces filled with power, wisdom and determination.

 

…. and for confirming that art work today and over the centuries has been a powerful weapon against homophobia, intolerance, invisibility as a crucial part of the struggle for LGBT rights and identity.

  

The other award diploma going to Manolo Yanes of Spain -- also a double diploma both the "Orfeo Imago" for outstanding rainbow art work and the "Clio and her Silver Cup" (named after the ancient Greek muse of historical poetry and the 2,000-year old Greco-Romano silver drinking cup portraying copulating male couples).

The motivation was: for outstanding art work often centered around the naked human male figure in erotic and sensual form. And for confirming that art work today and over the centuries has been a powerful weapon against homophobia, intolerance, invisibility as a crucial part of the struggle for LGBT rights and identity.

 

…. and for lifting up from the often obscure history of the ancient Greek lovers and heroes and their male lovers, illustrating that despite the obligations of the anciet world to have wives and children, the real passion for these heroes, legends and gods was for their male lovers.

United Nations film,  music, poetry

The event also included music and song from the Argentine duo, Carpusa Tango -- Marysol del Pablo and Julietta Brissi , also earlier receiver of the Tupilak/ ILGCN "Orfeo Musica" award and ILGCN Secretariats for Latin American with the Cubans.  Also, the poetry in Spanish by Tupilak's "house poet" Tomas Åberg, and a film from the United Nations LGBT series of films "Free and Equal" with a world-wide portraying LGBT activiists in "Why We Fight" -- with a reminder than only a few years ago, the United Nations and all its committees refused to support LGBT rights since they were not mentioned in the UN Declaration of Human Rights.

   

Concluding words from the Cervantes didretor, Juan Carlos Vidal Garcia expressed a strong fiendship for Tupilak and the ILGCN and a desire to see future co-operation and joint events. 

Bill Schiller of Tupilak and the ILGCN is suggesting that a future event at Cervantes could be a tribute to the prisoners

of the gay concentration camp Tefía -- set up by Franco on the island of Fuerteventura, 10 years after Auschwitz was liberated with the words "never again!".

more information:  bill@tupilak.org

Carpusa with awards

Cervantes logo

Clio-Mignard

Elli and Thor drawing

Javier arts from Spain photo

Javier elder man

Javier Trelis Sempere nude

Manolo Yanes

Orpheus and Calais, Manolo Yanes Canara Islands, Heroic Friends

Silver Cup

Tommy Åberg

Tupilak logo