ILGCN Information Secretariat - Stockholm
(International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network)
www.ilgcn.tupilak.se
PRESS RELEASE March 5, 2007
Applications for 2008 stages coming from North America, Eastern Europe:
ILGCN World Conferences 2007 to Start in Vilnius
Vilnius/Stockholm - The 2007 ILGCN (International Lesbian & Gay
Cultural Network) world rainbow cultural conference stages in 2007 will
begin with Vilnius on May 24-25, continue to Toronto for the "Iran-in
Exile" stage in June and to Paris/Marseille in October for the
"Algeria in Exile"stage.
The Mauritius stage originally planned for 2007
will be postponed for a future date.
"We're happy to see applications already coming in for 2008 world
rainbow cultural conference from Eastern Europe and North America,"
says Bill Schiller, secretary general of the ILGCN Information
Secretariat in Stockholm. "This is in keeping with our desires to
see stages shared by both East and West -- and to share with different
cities on a large geographic scale knowing that many do not have the
ability to organize a mega event on their own."
ILGCN "titles" Without Payment
"This is also why we fully support the Polish initiative to share
Euro pride 2008 between Stockholm and Warsaw, and plan to give our full
support to the crucial Polish event," adds Schiller.
"Unlike some international prestige events such as Euro Pride ,
World Pride, and Gay Games which sell their titles for high prices
without offering any financial support whatsoever, we will continue to
hand out ILGCN world conference stage titles without any charge - and we
always make efforts to provide performers, films, art and photography,
and conference seminar hosts," concludes Schiller.
***************************
Note: See earlier press releases on 2007 ILGCN world rainbow culture
conference stages at www.ilgcn.tupilak.se
Supporting the ILGCN Information Secretariat:
www.tupilak.se
Nordic rainbow cultural workers
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Thursday, March 1, 2007
VILNIUS LAUNCHES 2007 WORLD CONFERENCE STAGES
ILGCN Information Secretariat - Stockholm
(International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network)
www.ilgcn.tupilak.se
PRESS RELEASE February 28, 2007
VILNIUS LAUNCHES 2007 WORLD CONFERENCE STAGES
Vilnius/Stockholm - The Lithuanian capital will be the first "stop" for this year's ILGCN (International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network) world rainbow cultural conference stages - followed by Mauritius (tderavel@intnet.mu )at the end of May (the first ILGCN confer-ence in Africa), the Toronto-based "Iran in Exile" (info@arshampasi.net) stage in June, and the Paris/Marseille-based "Algeria in Exile"(amineh.kouider@btinternet.com) stage in October.
"We invite all interested in international solidarity and rainbow culture to join us in Vilnius in May 18 - the day after our IDAHO celebrations - for this first ILGCN event in our country," says ILGCN Lithuanian co-ordinator, Arvydas Vogilis (avo@takas.lt ).
Plans are also to give prominent space to a "Belarus in Exile" event at the conference - following last year's arrests and the KGB torpedoing the planned ILGCN stage in Minsk last November.
Nordic Rainbow Council, Humanists
"We're also pleased that the Vilnius event will include this year's sessions of the Nordic Rainbow Council (promoting co-operation over Nordic borders and beyond), and the annual Nordic Rainbow Humanist gathering - especially discussing the ugly outburst of the Lithuanian church against homosexuality and the many members of parliament giving open support for this medieval, homophobic intolerance -- a threat to all our human rights and rainbow cultural identity," says Bill Schiller, international secretary of the Council and secretary general of the ILGCN Information Secretariat in Stockholm.
"We also plan to give a special Nordic tribute to our LGBT humanist colleagues in Nigeria who are courageously publically condemning the Nigerian parliament's draconian proposal to ban homosexual relations and even social contact between lesbians and gays," Schiller adds.
******************************
Photo caption: Arvydas Vogilis in Moscow for the 1st Pride 2006
Supporting the ILGCN Information Secretariat:
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Tupilak, Nordic Rainbow Council, ILGCN Information Secretariat & Nordic Rainbow Humanists members on both sides of the Baltic Sea….!
Tupilak, Nordic Rainbow Council, ILGCN Information Secretariat & Nordic Rainbow Humanists members on both sides of the Baltic Sea….!
After last year's successful Nordic Moonbow cultural brigades to Russia, Poland, Belarus, Latvia, etc., we're searching for funds from Swedish and other Nordic institutions for new challenges this coming year.
We hope to send Nordic musicians, singers, performers, artists, photographers, journalists to special rainbow events in the Nordic region and to the critical rainbow barricades in Eastern European and beyond …. and hope to accept invitations to events in Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, Torshavn, Mariahamn, Moscow, Minsk, Krakow, Poznan , Istanbul/Ankara, Toronto (Iranians in Exile), Paris/Marseille (Algerians in Exile) and Mauritius.
We're also planning fund-raising cabarets, seminars, photo exhibitions and art lotteries in Stockholm at Gallery Agúeli, Södra Teatern, Liljevalchs art gallery , Norden i Fokus (Nordic Council information center) and Herman's garden cafe, as well as on board Tallink passenger ships to Tallinn and Riga and at the May 17th Vilnius ILGCN culture conference.
Please let us know if you're interested in any of the above and in what way.
Bill Schiller, Stockholm
info@tupilak.se www.tupilak.se www.ilgcn.tupilak.se
P.S. Realizing that we never receive enough funding to send all the desired "Moonbow warriors" to rainbow events, let us know if you are making any travel plans of your own and might want to join in Stockholm fund-raising events and Moonbow delegations to other cities even when outside financial support becomes available.
Friday, December 1, 2006
EXILE, UNDERGROUND EVENTS PLANNED for BELARUS
ILGCN Information Secretariat - Stockholm
(International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network) http://www.ilgcn.tupilak.se
_________________________________________________
PRESS RELEASE
November 30, 2006
Response to Police Arrest of Gay Activists,
Cancellation of ILGCN Conference Stage:
EXILE, UNDERGROUND EVENTS PLANNED for BELARUS
Minsk/Stockholm - Plans are underway to organize rainbow events underground in Belarus and in "exile" during the next year - following the cancellation of the November 11th Minsk stage of the 2006 ILGCN (International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network) world rainbow cultural conference because of the arrest of 7 lesbian and gay Belarus activists.
"We had appealed to the international community to join us in Minsk to help break our isolation and make a difference - and we believe that this human contact is more important than ever before," says Slava Bortnik of LGBT Amnesty Belarus, one of those arrested.
The ILGCN had earlier arranged other "Belarus in Exile" events in Stockholm and London when Belarus authorities denied visas to foreigners and after earlier events in the Belarus capital were marred by police violence and where venues were shut down and participants thrown into the streets.
The Poznan stage of the 2006 ILGCN conference - taking place on November 18 -- supported efforts on behalf of Belarus in the coming year, and the new ILGCN Eastern Europe Secretariat in Warsaw is to give special attention to Belarus.
Exile Events in Warsaw, Riga,Vilnius?
"We are asking our ILGCN colleagues to help arrange "exile" events in neighboring Poland, Latvia and Lithuania -- and plan some kind of international underground rainbow events in Belarus," says Bill Schiller, secretary general of the ILGCN Information Secretariat in Stockholm. "It was crucial to meet face to face with these gay activists who had been detained and interrogated - noting that instead of becoming discouraged and giving up, they take this harassment and threats from the special police as part of daily life in this last dictatorship of Eastern Europe - determined to remain on the rainbow barricades."
"I'm proud also that the Swedish Institute supported my visit to Minsk - underlining that the official Swedish body responsible for international exchange gives both Belarus and rainbow rights there high priority," Schiller concludes.
**************************
Supporting the ILGCN Information Secretariat:
Tupilak (Nordic rainbow cultural workers)
Nordic Rainbow Council
Nordic Rainbow Humanists
(International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network) http://www.ilgcn.tupilak.se
_________________________________________________
PRESS RELEASE
November 30, 2006
Response to Police Arrest of Gay Activists,
Cancellation of ILGCN Conference Stage:
EXILE, UNDERGROUND EVENTS PLANNED for BELARUS
Minsk/Stockholm - Plans are underway to organize rainbow events underground in Belarus and in "exile" during the next year - following the cancellation of the November 11th Minsk stage of the 2006 ILGCN (International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network) world rainbow cultural conference because of the arrest of 7 lesbian and gay Belarus activists.
"We had appealed to the international community to join us in Minsk to help break our isolation and make a difference - and we believe that this human contact is more important than ever before," says Slava Bortnik of LGBT Amnesty Belarus, one of those arrested.
The ILGCN had earlier arranged other "Belarus in Exile" events in Stockholm and London when Belarus authorities denied visas to foreigners and after earlier events in the Belarus capital were marred by police violence and where venues were shut down and participants thrown into the streets.The Poznan stage of the 2006 ILGCN conference - taking place on November 18 -- supported efforts on behalf of Belarus in the coming year, and the new ILGCN Eastern Europe Secretariat in Warsaw is to give special attention to Belarus.
Exile Events in Warsaw, Riga,Vilnius?
"We are asking our ILGCN colleagues to help arrange "exile" events in neighboring Poland, Latvia and Lithuania -- and plan some kind of international underground rainbow events in Belarus," says Bill Schiller, secretary general of the ILGCN Information Secretariat in Stockholm. "It was crucial to meet face to face with these gay activists who had been detained and interrogated - noting that instead of becoming discouraged and giving up, they take this harassment and threats from the special police as part of daily life in this last dictatorship of Eastern Europe - determined to remain on the rainbow barricades."
"I'm proud also that the Swedish Institute supported my visit to Minsk - underlining that the official Swedish body responsible for international exchange gives both Belarus and rainbow rights there high priority," Schiller concludes.
**************************
Supporting the ILGCN Information Secretariat:
Tupilak (Nordic rainbow cultural workers)
Nordic Rainbow Council
Nordic Rainbow Humanists
Friday, November 24, 2006
ILGCN POZNAN CONFERENCE PART of EQUALITY WEEK
PRESS RELEASE
November 19, 2006
Rainbow Parade in Poland a Triumphant Success over Homophobes:
ILGCN POZNAN CONFERENCE PART of EQUALITY WEEK
Poznan - The 3rd stage of the ILGCN world rainbow culture conference
2006 in this western Polish city was a successful part of a highly
impressive week-long cultural, social and political festival including
discussions, debates, performances and exhibitions - culminating with a
triumphant rainbow parade with police clearing the homphobes and neo
Nazis determined to occupy the final meters of "Freedom Square."
Waiving rainbow flags from the podium and speakers at the
microphone denouncing homophobia earned loud cheers from the parade
participants who had refused to abort the march forcing the police to
take action - a sharp contrast to last year's homophobic, violent
attacks and police lethargy and arrests of LGBT participants.
Rainbow Culture, Humanist LGBT Support, New E.E. Secretariat
The conference includes reports on ILGCN activities in Poland by
Warsaw-based cultural ambassador, Lukasz Palucki and information work
carried out by the ILGCN secretariat in Stockholm. Rolf Solheim
reported on Humanist work in his native Norway and world humanist
support for LGBT rights.
"We are very pleased to have approved the idea of a new ILGCN
Secretariat for Eastern Europe in Warsaw - to give special emphasis on
the situations in Poland, Belarus, Ukraine and elsewhere," says Bill
Schiller of the Information Secretariat.
The conference also confirmed the sites of next year's
conference stages - in Mauritius and Vilnius, for Iranians in exile
(Toronto) and Algerians in exile (Paris/Marseille). The conference
approved new cultural ambassadors and co-ordinators from Lithuania,
Italy, Mauritius and Iran. (see website)
Because the 2nd ILGCN conference stage to be held in Minsk
November 3-5 was cancelled after KGB arrests of the organizers, the
Poznan conference approved plans to hold ILGCN "Belarus in Exile"
events in 2007 in Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. (The Poznan stage
replaced the stage scheduled for Jerusalem postponed because of the war.)
ILGCN Support for Europride & Outgames, Grizzly Bear Award to Poznan
Conference participants also approved support for ILGCN
activities in Poland when Stockholm and Warsaw share Europride 2008
events and continuing efforts to help the 2nd Outgames -- blending
human rights, culture and sports in Copenhagen in 2009 -- focus on the
crucial rainbow battles on Eastern European barricades.
Conference "Rainbow Warrior" awards were handed out to
Poles providing special help to the conference and LGBT identity in
Poland, and the organizers of the Poznan "Equality Week" received
the ILGCN "Grizzly Bear" 2006 for carrying out the successful
festival in the face of threats and shadows of last year's violence.
Also during the week, the ILGCN Warsaw ambassador and the
Information Secretariat protested over the Polish President's
statements on BBC news that gay culture "threatened to make
heterosexual culture disappear" as ridiculous and homophobic.
Moscow 2006 Stage Terminated by Bloody Violence
The first stage of the 2006 ILGCN world rainbow culture
conference took place in Moscow in May -- including a special 'Nordic
Lights' presentation supported by the Nordic Council's culture fund
and the Norwegian Embassy. However, the three days of events ended with
a bloody, violent, and tear-gas filled battle on Red Square with both
homophobes and police attacking LGBT activists trying to place flowers
at a memorial -- since the Pride parade itself was banned by the mayor
and condemned by all religious leaders in the city.
More information, photos:
Lukasz Palucki www.santi-moblog.pl santi@santi.net.pl
Information Secretariat www.ilgcn.tupilak.se
****************************
Supporting the ILGCN Information Secretariat:
TUPILAK -- Nordic rainbow cultural workers
Nordic Rainbow Council
Nordic Rainbow Humanists
November 19, 2006
Rainbow Parade in Poland a Triumphant Success over Homophobes:
ILGCN POZNAN CONFERENCE PART of EQUALITY WEEK
Poznan - The 3rd stage of the ILGCN world rainbow culture conference
2006 in this western Polish city was a successful part of a highly
impressive week-long cultural, social and political festival including
discussions, debates, performances and exhibitions - culminating with a
triumphant rainbow parade with police clearing the homphobes and neo
Nazis determined to occupy the final meters of "Freedom Square."
Waiving rainbow flags from the podium and speakers at the
microphone denouncing homophobia earned loud cheers from the parade
participants who had refused to abort the march forcing the police to
take action - a sharp contrast to last year's homophobic, violent
attacks and police lethargy and arrests of LGBT participants.
Rainbow Culture, Humanist LGBT Support, New E.E. Secretariat
The conference includes reports on ILGCN activities in Poland by
Warsaw-based cultural ambassador, Lukasz Palucki and information work
carried out by the ILGCN secretariat in Stockholm. Rolf Solheim
reported on Humanist work in his native Norway and world humanist
support for LGBT rights.
"We are very pleased to have approved the idea of a new ILGCN
Secretariat for Eastern Europe in Warsaw - to give special emphasis on
the situations in Poland, Belarus, Ukraine and elsewhere," says Bill
Schiller of the Information Secretariat.
The conference also confirmed the sites of next year's
conference stages - in Mauritius and Vilnius, for Iranians in exile
(Toronto) and Algerians in exile (Paris/Marseille). The conference
approved new cultural ambassadors and co-ordinators from Lithuania,
Italy, Mauritius and Iran. (see website)
Because the 2nd ILGCN conference stage to be held in Minsk
November 3-5 was cancelled after KGB arrests of the organizers, the
Poznan conference approved plans to hold ILGCN "Belarus in Exile"
events in 2007 in Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. (The Poznan stage
replaced the stage scheduled for Jerusalem postponed because of the war.)
ILGCN Support for Europride & Outgames, Grizzly Bear Award to Poznan
Conference participants also approved support for ILGCN
activities in Poland when Stockholm and Warsaw share Europride 2008
events and continuing efforts to help the 2nd Outgames -- blending
human rights, culture and sports in Copenhagen in 2009 -- focus on the
crucial rainbow battles on Eastern European barricades.
Conference "Rainbow Warrior" awards were handed out to
Poles providing special help to the conference and LGBT identity in
Poland, and the organizers of the Poznan "Equality Week" received
the ILGCN "Grizzly Bear" 2006 for carrying out the successful
festival in the face of threats and shadows of last year's violence.
Also during the week, the ILGCN Warsaw ambassador and the
Information Secretariat protested over the Polish President's
statements on BBC news that gay culture "threatened to make
heterosexual culture disappear" as ridiculous and homophobic.
Moscow 2006 Stage Terminated by Bloody Violence
The first stage of the 2006 ILGCN world rainbow culture
conference took place in Moscow in May -- including a special 'Nordic
Lights' presentation supported by the Nordic Council's culture fund
and the Norwegian Embassy. However, the three days of events ended with
a bloody, violent, and tear-gas filled battle on Red Square with both
homophobes and police attacking LGBT activists trying to place flowers
at a memorial -- since the Pride parade itself was banned by the mayor
and condemned by all religious leaders in the city.
More information, photos:
Lukasz Palucki www.santi-moblog.pl santi@santi.net.pl
Information Secretariat www.ilgcn.tupilak.se
****************************
Supporting the ILGCN Information Secretariat:
TUPILAK -- Nordic rainbow cultural workers
Nordic Rainbow Council
Nordic Rainbow Humanists
Tuesday, November 7, 2006
The annual ILGCN "Arco Nordica" 2006 award
Press Release from the International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network
Information Secretariat in Stockholm:
The annual ILGCN "Arco Nordica" 2006 award goes to Sweden's
Pol-Balt Network for pioneering efforts uniting many groups in this
Scandinavian nation - big and small, political, social and cultural -
into an active network linking colleagues at home and with those on the
barricades on the eastern side of the Baltic Sea - Estonia, Latvia,
Lithuania and Poland," says Bill Schiller, secretary general at the
secretariat.
"This comes at a crucial time when new waves of violent homophobia
and political and religious hostility threaten the rainbow struggle for
human rights. The network promotes awareness, solidarity and
action."
The award is presented in collaboration with the Nordic Rainbow
Council and Tupilak (Nordic rainbow cultural workers).
The ILGCN Arco Nordica has gone earlier to a number of pioneering
organizations in the Nordic region promoting cultural and political
rights to those realizing that efforts to cross borders enhances rather
than weakens the colors of the rainbow, and that putting a focus also on
the darker sides of the rainbow makes the whole rainbow that much more
brilliant.
Information: info@tupilak.se www.ilgcn.tupilak.se
Information Secretariat in Stockholm:
The annual ILGCN "Arco Nordica" 2006 award goes to Sweden's
Pol-Balt Network for pioneering efforts uniting many groups in this
Scandinavian nation - big and small, political, social and cultural -
into an active network linking colleagues at home and with those on the
barricades on the eastern side of the Baltic Sea - Estonia, Latvia,
Lithuania and Poland," says Bill Schiller, secretary general at the
secretariat.
"This comes at a crucial time when new waves of violent homophobia
and political and religious hostility threaten the rainbow struggle for
human rights. The network promotes awareness, solidarity and
action."
The award is presented in collaboration with the Nordic Rainbow
Council and Tupilak (Nordic rainbow cultural workers).
The ILGCN Arco Nordica has gone earlier to a number of pioneering
organizations in the Nordic region promoting cultural and political
rights to those realizing that efforts to cross borders enhances rather
than weakens the colors of the rainbow, and that putting a focus also on
the darker sides of the rainbow makes the whole rainbow that much more
brilliant.
Information: info@tupilak.se www.ilgcn.tupilak.se
Sunday, November 5, 2006
Sappho in Paradise Award to Kyrgyzstan, Sweden
ILGCN Information Secretariat - Stockholm
(International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network) www.tupilak.ilgcn.se
Press Release October 25, 2006
'Labrys' Publication in Bishkek, 'Normal' Publishers in Stockholm
Sappho in Paradise Award to Kyrgyzstan, Sweden
London/Stockholm – This year's library and publishing award from the ILGCN (International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network and Paradise Press is shared by 'Labrys' -- a pioneering publication in the former Soviet republic of Krygyzstan and the Stockholm-based, lesbian-owned 'Normal' publishers -- giving special emphasis to rainbow novels, literature, documentaries, biographies and photography.
"The Labrys publication is honored with the "Sappho in Paradise 2006" for its courageous struggle to create rainbow visibility in a region where rainbow identities are fighting for existence and where rainbow rights are under threat in a hostile environment," according to the ILGCN motivation.
"The Stockholm award winners are women who have brilliantly and successfully challenged forces in the publishing world so often dominated by hetero, macho and commercial interests -- only rarely and reluctantly giving space to the high quality of rainbow writers and photographers of Swedish and foreign backgrounds."
Joining Estonian, British, Danish, Latvian, Zimbabwean Winners
The award diploma also includes the latest publication of the Paradise Press in London and is named after the ancient Greek poet. The 1st 'Sappho in Paradise' – announced at the ILGCN world conference on homo culture in Berlin in 2003-- went to the pioneering, lesbian & gay Mea Culpa Library in Tallinn – the 1st of its kind in Estonia. The 2004 award went jointly to the courageous and pioneering Gays the Word Bookshop in London and the Danish-Latvian-owned Atena Publishing House in Riga and the 2005 award went to the Library Project of Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ).
……………………………
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