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2006 PROGRAM
Our 2006 initiatives
LIFT GAY BLOOD BAN IN RUSSIA
In May 2006, Nikolai Alekseev and Nikolai Baev sent a request to the General Prosecutor of Russia asking to stop the discrimination on blood donors. In 2001, the Ministry of Health issued an instruction defining gays as part of a high risk group together with drug addists and prostitutes. There is nothing in the law that should prevent gays to give their blood claimed the activists from Project GayRussia in their letter. In a reply sent early July, the General Prosecutor agreed and asked the Ministry of Health to amend its instruction to allow gays to donate their blood. This is the first major legal success for Gays & Lesbians in Russia since 1993 which saw the decriminalization of male homosexuality.
MOSCOW GAY & LESBIAN MAP
On Valentine day, Project GayRussia released the first ever Gay & Lesbian Map of Moscow. Available in Russian & English language, the map is distributed for free in the Gay & Lesbian venues of the capital. It is also possible to download it on this site.
Download the Gay & Lesbian Map of Moscow:
(PART 1) (PART2)
The map was printed at 20'000 copies and run as a non-profit project. The costs of design and printing were financed by nine gay bars, clubs, saunas, travel agency and organizations that advertized in the map.
This project also helped to unite the gay community.
ILGA-WORLD GENEVA, CONFERENCE : MARCH 27th to APRIL 3rd
The conference has voted the proposal of Project GayRussia to elect the hosting city every 4 years and, to choose Moscow as the hosting city of the 2010 Ilga-World conference. 35 organizations from 17 countries of Europe, America, South America, Africa and Asia have co-signed the motion (article).
Project GayRussia was a co-sponsor of the conference.
MOSCOW PRIDE '06 FESTIVAL: MAY 25th to MAY 28th
Announced, in July 2005, the Festival has been a tremendous success for Russian gays & lesbians. Despite the ban of the pride by the Mayor of Moscow, all the events took place. The Moscow Pride will remain in the memory of all, a first Eastern Stonewall. All the information on the festival can be found HERE or at www.moscowpride.ru
CLICK HERE TO DOWLOAD THE PROGRAM IN ENGLISH
PUBLICATIONS
In May 2006, Project GayRussia and LGBT Media Publishing (Gays & Lesbian Publishing house) released two books in russian language about Oscar Wilde : "Son of Oscar Wilde" by Vyvyan Holland, his son, and "A Real Trial of Oscar Wilde" by Merlin Holland, his grandson. Merlin Holland presented both publication on May 25th in Moscow on the 111th anniversary of the trial of his grandfather.
TORINO PRIDE & CONFERENCE: JUNE 16th to JUNE 17th
One day before the National Italian Pride took place in Turin a conference "Friendly City" during which Nikolai Alekseev was invited to talk about the Moscow Pride and show the special movie produced by Project GayRussia. The next day took place the Turin Pride with around 100'000 people. Thanks to our Italian friends, the banner of the Moscow Pride was shown during the pride (article).
PARIS PRIDE : JUNE 24th
Project GayRussia was invited with the Polish organization KPH as guest of honour of the marche. On this occasion, the logo of the Moscow Pride was pasted on a float (article).
LONDON EUROPRIDE & "PRIDE AGAINST PREJUDICE CONFERENCE" : JUNE 30th to JULY 1st
On June 30th, Project GayRussia took part to the conference organized on behalf of EuroPride by Amnesty International, the European Pride Organisers Association, and ILGA-Europe. The aim of the conference was to provide practical support to LGBT activists who organise or plan to organise a Pride event in a hostile environment, whether in Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe, or elsewhere in Europe. The 12 minutes short version of the Moscow Pride '06 festival produced by Project GayRussia has been successfully shown to the audience. On July 1st, Project GayRussia took part to the EuroPride during which Ken Livingtsone, mayor of London, but also Michael Cashman (MEP) and Sir Ian McKellen (Actor) have all helped to carry the banner pf the Moscow Pride in the streets of the British capital (article).
PROTEST IN FRONT OF THE IRAN EMBASSY : JULY 19th
Project GayRussia answered the appeal of OutRage! and the "IDAHO Committee" to mark the tragic anniversary of the hanging of 2 gays in Iran. Our demonstration in front of the Embassy received an authorization from the local prefecture and was protected by the police. It is the first successfull demonstration of LGBT people in Moscow, as reported by Russian TV channel "Ren TV". About 20 of us took part to the protest including representatives from our Russian network (article).
RIGA PRIDE & FRIENDSHIP DAYS: JULY 20th to JULY 22nd
Project GayRussia joined Mosaic, its Latvian partner organization, in the 2nd Latvian pride and "Friendship days" organized in Riga. Following the ban of the Pride by the City Council and the Latvian Court, Project GayRussia raised statements of support from European Politicians and Intellectuals. Also, Project GayRussia oragnized a "live coverage from Riga" during the siege that took place at the Hotel Revalla Latvia where the LGBT activists hosted a conference. Our coverage was republished the same day in several LGBT medias. Nikolai Alekseev, head of Project GayRussia, gave a speech on this occasion.
MONTREAL 1st WORLD OUT GAMES : JULY 26th to JULY 29th
The Conference emphasised the rights of the majority of the world's LGBT individuals, those living in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe, where issues include the relevance of "Western" or "Northern" LGBT identities, and the need for social and economic rights as well as civil and political rights. Project GayRussia presented a workshop about Freedom of Expression, Assembly and Association called "LGBT Pride Parades and Associations in Central and Eastern Europe and Turkey". This workop took place exactly 2 months after the first Moscow Gay Pride. On this occasion, the 12 minutes movie we have produced about the Moscow Pride was shown to the audience during the closing plenary and received a standing ovation from all the conference.
ILGA-EUROPE SOFIA, CONFERENCE : OCTOBER 25th to OCTOBER 29th
The Russian delegation was lead by GayRussia's activists Nikolai Alekseev and Evgenia Debrianskaya. The 12' film of the Moscow Pride was screened to the participants.
INTERPRIDE PORTLAND, CONFERENCE : OCTOBER 25th to OCTOBER 29th
The Russian delegation was lead by GayRussia.Ru's lawyer Dmitri Bartnev. The movie of the short movie of the Moscow Pride produced by our organization was presented to the plenary as a US Premiere. Summary to follow.
LONDON : NOVEMBER 10th to NOVEMBER 12th
The Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) hosted a panel discussion during which the short movie of the Moscow Pride produced by our organization was presented and sold. Peter Tachell, Andy Harley, Derek Lennard, Jason Pollock joined Nikolai Alekseev in the discussion. The next day, at the annual GALHA lunch, Nikolai Alekseev received an award from GALHA for the organization of the first ever Moscow Pride Festival.
MOSCOW : NOVEMBER 25th
Exactly 6 months after the start of the Moscow Pride Festival was screened at the Moscow "National Film Center" the 84' movie featuring all the events that took place in May. More than 60 participants took place to this private event during which the team in charge of organizing the '07 edition discussed the possible actions for next year?
More to follow... |
