Sunday, September 9, 2018

ILGCN'S 3rd NORDIC RAINBOW HISTORY & CULTURE MONTH -- October, 2018 

Stockholm -- Preparations continue for the ILGCN's (international rainbow culture network) 3rd Nordic Rainbow History & Culture Month -- October, 2018 again in a dozen Nordic cities on both sides of the Baltic Sea -- from Umeå in northern Sweden and again in the southern Baltic capital of Vilnius in Lithuania.
  
The Nordic Month begins for the third time in Umeå -- this time as a "curtain raiser" part of Umeå Pride. The 2018 Month again includes the 2nd Rakvere Festheart LGBT Film Festival in the northern Estonian town of Rakvere -- this time the 2nd festival --  and for the first time, the Estonian city of Tartu -- with a focus on rainbow art and the Finnish painter/ author, Tove Jansson of Moomintroll fame.  

The Nordic Month's 2018 events include the 2nd LGBT culture program at Södertälje Konsthall (art gallery)  in this city just south of Stockholm and for the first time, the day-long Södertälje LGBT Film Festival at a city cinema. 

At the Stockholm stage, special guests from outside of the Nordic region include Kurt Krickler of Austria, making a presentation both in Södertälje and Stockholm about early Austrian co-operation with colleagues in Eastern Europe. Others are American artist, Victor Adenian -- new LGCN culture ambassador from Colorado, the Australian ambassador to Sweden, Jonathan Kenna and a representative of the Canadian Embassy in Sweden.

Nordic speakers will include Swedish journalist Anne-Marie Sörberg, Johan Earhart of the Norwegian Bamse Bear organization, GöranStanton of the Swedish Police talking about hate crimes against LGBT people, Rolf Solheim of Norway on humanistic support of LGBT rights, Sarah Florén, chair person of Tupilak (Nordic rainbow culture workers)Ulf Andersson of Amnesty Press, Swedish veteran activist, musician and song writer,  Jan HammarlundAnders Paulsson soprano saxophonist and diver to save coral reefs, Swedish musicians Dosan Johansson and Peter Fröberg, etc.

Outstanding immigrant/refugee input is coming from Sama Abdelsamie of RFSL newcomers and RFSL trans persons, Swedish/Iraqi artist David Amin and Belarus activists/ LGBT refugees in Sweden.

The Stockholm stage of the Nordic Month also includes the 2nd Bear International Festival October 15-18 -- discussing Bear solidarity, culture and co-operation with colleagues in Eastern Europe.  
                  
Month-long History & Culture Events in Finland

"We are so pleased that our colleagues in Finland have decided not to have only a day or two for LGBT culture and history, but a whole month--  from October 15-November 15," says Bill Schiller from the ILGCN Information Secretariat-Stockholm. 

The ILGCN also plans meetings  with the prize-winning Bear Park Café in the Finnish capital, Helsinki Gay Theater and a Russian-speaking meeting in the nearby city of Espo.

New for this year is an event in the Norwegian city of Bergen with the "queer training" of museum staff by the Skeivt Archive (rainbow archive) of the University of Bergen and ends in Oslo at the end of October during the Nordic Council sessions with invitations to Nordic Council parliamentarians meeting to discuss Nordic LGBT co-operation -- and support for  rainbow culture and identity.

More information:  

Sarah Florén, Month co-ordinator for Södertälje , Tupilak     facebook    www.tupilak.org
Sander Cecilia Neant Falk, Month co-ordinator for Södertälje,     Tupilak     facebook
Bill Schiller, Month co-ordinator for StockholmILGCN   facebook    www.ilgcn,tupilak.org

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

ILGCN's "BEYOND EUROPE" EUROPRIDE EVENT FEATURES CANADIAN ARTIST

Stockholm -- Music, song, poetry and cultural presentations were part of the program at the ILGCN´s "International Rainbow Event - beyond Europe" celebrating this "Pride in the City" part of Stockholm Pride & Europride 2018 in the Swedish capital.

The star performer of the event was Lynx Dean, an LGBTQ artist from Canada, proving that music is indeed the universal language. Lynx had the entire room clapping along to their song "10 Things" - a song that is performed every year at Toronto City Hall for "Trans Day Of Remembrance." Following the performance, people expressed that they were "impressed, inspired and moved."

The event took place at the Whippet Lab & Social Justice Club in the Swedish capital -- a venue promoting LGBT culture and international solidarity.

Following this successful performance and a second "Pride in the City" performance at another Stockholm venue, Lynx Dean has been invited to return to Stockholm for a performance in January, 2019.

Photo by Mita Hans




























More information: bill@tupilak.org
ILGCN Information Secretariat-Stockholm "facebook"