Thursday, August 20, 2009
Manchester Pride to hold Eastern Europe LGBT rights discussion
A panel discussion about the state of human rights for LGBT groups in Eastern Europe, will take place as part of Manchester Pride’s ten-day festival line-up. The 'Hate and Pride in Eastern Europe' event, hosted by Amnesty International and Manchester Pride, will take place in the City Inn Hotel on Monday August 24, at 7pm.
The discussion will look at discrimination faced by LGBT people in many parts of Eastern Europe. It will also celebrate the activists who organise and campaign for LGBT rights despite this type of discrimination.
The panel will include;
- Kapars Zalitis from Mozaika, Latvia
- Eduardas Platovas from The Lithuanian Gay League
- John Amaechi, a former professional basketball player and Human Rights Ambassador for Amnesty International
- Stonewall education officer, Lydla Malmedle
- Amnesty LGBT campaign manager, Kim Manning-Cooper (acting as chair)
Panellist John Amaechi, said:
"My experience living in America and seeing the legalised oppression of the LGBT community in parts of Europe and Africa has highlighted to me the need to expose institutionalised bigotry.
“The root of bigotry is ignorance teamed with misinformation, the new law for the ‘protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information’ in Lithuania will act to demonise and further damage both the LGBT community as well as anyone perceived to be different.”
Jackie Crozier, festival manager of Manchester Pride, said:
“Our event with Amnesty International is a great example of what Manchester Pride is ultimately all about. Although the week is also a celebration of diversity in the LGBT community, I hope this discussion will provoke some thought and trigger extra support in fighting discrimination.”
The event is free to attend, but expected to be popular so to avoid disappointment, RSVP to nicola.fisher@manchesterpride.com to confirm a place.
For further information about Manchester Pride, check out: www.manchesterpride.com
For further information about Amnesty International’s campaign for LGBT rights, visit:
www.amnesty.org.uk/lgbt
