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Sofia Pride organisers seek support from Rainbow Cities Network

Leader of Brighton & Hove Council sends message of support to organisers of Sofia Pride.

The 11th Sofia Pride will take place on Saturday, June 9, 2018 in Sofia, Bulgaria. Eleven years after joining the European Union, Bulgaria has failed to make any meaningful progress in the area of protecting human rights, especially those of the LGBT+ communities.

Bulgaria’s Penal Code does not protect LGBT+ people from hate crimes and there is still no legal recognition of same-sex civil unions.

Each year people attending Sofia Pride are threatened with physical violence by neo-Nazi groups and publicly denounced by a nationalist political coalition, which is part of the current national government.

In striking contrast with most major European Prides, Sofia Pride has never been supported by the Sofia Municipality or by any other high level Bulgarian political official. Invitations issued each year to the Mayor of Sofia to attend the event have been to no avail.

For the first half of 2018, Bulgaria holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU. Organisers of Sofia Pride want to use this opportunity to highlight their situation and force the Sofia Municipality to give Pride its due recognition.

To help them they have sought the support of the Rainbow Cities Network to which the City of Brighton & Hove is a signatory.

A spokesperson for Sofia Pride, said: “The presence of a Mayor from one the Rainbow Cities at the 11th Sofia Pride will be a great asset not only to the event itself, but also to the overall promotion of LGBT+ human rights in Bulgaria. We believe that if such Mayors attend the event, the Sofia Municipality will be required by protocol to send a representative. Once we have confirmation that a Rainbow Cities Mayor will attend, we will open a dialogue with the Sofia Municipality in order to achieve our goal.”

“Pride is of utmost importance for the LGBT+ communities in Bulgaria and we sincerely believe that the attendance of any Rainbow City Mayors will be an immense help in our efforts and we look forward to welcoming them in Bulgaria.”

In response, Cllr Warren Morgan has sent a letter of support to the organisers of Sofia Pride. 

Cllr Warren Morgan
Cllr Warren Morgan

Dear members of the Sofia Pride Organising Committee,

As the leader of the council in the UK city of Brighton & Hove I would like to express my solidarity with the organisers of the 11th Bulgarian Pride in June of this year.

Brighton & Hove has a long and proud history of welcoming diversity and our LGBT Pride is one of the central events in the city’s calendar. Our first Pride march was in 1973 and the festival now brings around 400,000 people and around £18million into the city – as well as enhancing our reputation as a place where people actively challenge discrimination and work towards equality for everyone who lives in, works in and visits our city.

For us in the council, equal rights for all our residents and for everyone in the UK, are fundamental. This includes people’s rights to be open about who they are and who they love. We were delighted to host some of the first civil partnerships and equal marriages in the UK and work hard with the police to reduce the incidence of hate crime and prejudice in the city. The council supports Pride in a variety of ways and many council staff, elected councillors and members of parliament are delighted and honoured to march in the parade and to enjoy the celebrations in the park each year.

Pride events across Europe and the world are very public opportunities for cities and countries to stand up for equality, diversity and acceptance. Elected officials and employees of city councils can help to make a visible commitment to inclusion and against discrimination. We applaud the organisers of the Bulgarian Pride and everyone who takes part in a march for love, mutual respect and openness.

We are sorry that no one from Brighton & Hove will be able to join your city’s Pride celebrations on June 9, but we hope that everyone who takes part will be able to celebrate their identity safely and positively. We wish you every success for a happy Pride!

Yours sincerely

Cllr Warren Morgan

Leader, Brighton & Hove City Council

28 years of Brighton Half Marathon fever    

Oisin McKeown
Oisin McKeown

Meet the man behind the scenes who helps to make it all happen.

On February 25, 2018, The Grand Hotel Brighton Half Marathon will take over Brighton and Hove for the 28th time. The race is among the first major half marathons in the running calendar and a hugely popular event in the UK with over 13,000 runners taking part.

It is the biggest annual fundraiser for organising charity The Sussex Beacon to support its essential health and care services for people living with HIV, alongside many other worthy charities and causes. One of the event’s longest-serving organisers, Oisin McKeown, gives his unique insight into what happens in the run up to the big race.

Racing from the Sussex Beacon to Madeira Drive
Originally from Blackrock, Republic of Ireland, Osh settled as a Brightonian in 2005 and has since become one of the Sussex Beacon’s most knowledgeable and experienced crew members. Working in his current role as Operations Manager is a hugely diverse role in itself, making sure that the staff and facilities are looked after so that the charity’s services continue to run smoothly. There is a definite shift in Osh’s workload every autumn when he starts to prepare for the Brighton Half Marathon as part of the events core organising team. 2018 will be Osh’s fifth year as Site Manager since getting involved as a volunteer in 2011.

Due to his long-standing history with the race, Osh has become a walking encyclopaedia of each and every detail of Madeira Drive. “I could tell you in my sleep the exact length and width of Madeira Drive, how many lamp posts there are, and how far apart they are”, he laughs, running through a long list of objects that one might never notice on a Brighton seafront stroll. With the race growing in popularity every year, it now takes the team a full 10 days to build and take down the race village, after several months of careful planning.

The calm before the 08:59am storm
For Osh, Half Marathon day starts with a rather early wake up call. “I arrive on site at approximately 3am, have a quick brief with security, and most importantly, put the kettle on”, he laughs. The main contractors arrive on site from 3.30am, and there is a lot of activity at Madeira Drive.

The weather at this time of year is always a consideration, and finishing touches to marquees need to be completed, banners and barriers set up, the power has to come on, “and before you know it, the sun is up”, Osh adds. By 6am, runners’ essentials such as drinks blankets, snacks and goodie bags are ready to go, and by 07:00am, staff and volunteers arrive, and the roads start to close down. Then comes the exciting part, with buses arriving and thousands of runners filling the streets of Brighton. In what feels like no time at all, the clock strikes 08:00am, and the big countdown begins.

In the final minutes before the runners take to the streets, there is a short moment when time slows down for Osh. “I experience it every year, about 15 minutes before the race, when the runners are warming up, the music plays, I listen to the radio for final updates, and then there is nothing more you can do except to enjoy this great buzz and excitement”. If you want to catch Osh at this time, you’ll probably find him at the start line. Waiting for the starter horn to go off, and seeing streams of people run together, “it makes the hair stand up at the back of your neck, it is such a massive adrenaline rush”, he says.

As soon as the first runners have set off, the events team prepares for their return. Drinks and medals need to be ready, first aid is on standby, the radio is constantly busy, and everyone works hard to make sure that the race stays enjoyable, safe and clean. Seeing the runners come back, and their emotions at the finish line, is what makes it all worthwhile for Osh. He says, “It is inspiring to see people from all walks of life taking part in this challenge, and watching runners share the last 100 metres with their children really makes you feel that you’ve done something special”. And as quickly as the race has started, it is over, and the team begin the three day clean up operation.

With the excitement of the race still fresh in everyone’s mind, it is back to business as normal at The Sussex Beacon, where staff are looking forward to a busy year of providing vital support services for people living with HIV, and engaging with Brighton and Hove’s vibrant community.

New year, new beginnings?
Is there anything different that spectators can expect from this year’s race? “Having the Grand Hotel, one of Brighton’s most iconic local businesses and historic buildings, as new sponsor this year is fantastic”, says Osh. The course layout has changed too this year, which will give onlookers at Marine Parade a great view of the start, and the chance to see the runners go past three times. With less than 4 weeks to go, the anticipation and excitement ahead of the Half Marathon is growing, as Brighton prepares for what is sure to be another memorable sporting event.

The Grand Hotel Brighton Half Marathon takes place on February 25, 2018, starting from Madeira Drive. The Wheelchair race starts at 08.57am, The Grand Brighton Half Marathon starts at 9am and the Brighton Half Youth Race starts at 9.15am.

For more information, click here:

PREVIEW: Behind the Scene – my story, my history

Free LGBT+ Heritage Discovery afternoon with Heritage Lottery Fund, South East England.

Join the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to find out about celebrating lost, forgotten and untold LGBT+ histories, and how to access funding for LGBT+ heritage focused projects.

During the day, you will have the opportunity to:

♦ Hear from different groups and organisations about their LGBT+ heritage projects, supported by the HLF, and how you can apply for HLF funding.

♦ Have a special guided tour of two LGBT+ exhibitions at Brighton Museum – ‘The Museum of Transology’, a display of artefacts and photographs reflecting the experiences of trans people in Brighton and Hove and beyond; and ‘Gluck: Art and Identity’, exploring the life and work of 20th century artist Gluck, a trailblazer of gender fluidity.

♦ Join them for one of Queer in Brighton’s History Club sessions at the Marlborough Pub, with a chance for some informal networking: The Marlborough Pub and Theatre, 4 Prince’s St, Brighton BN2 1RD.

This free event is for anyone interested in LGBT+ heritage, and finding out about Heritage Lottery Fund funding.

Attendance includes free entry to Brighton Museum and its exhibitions.

Event: Behind the Scene – my story, my history with by Heritage Lottery Fund, SE England

 

The event runs from 1.30pm – 4.45pm at Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, followed by the Queer in Brighton History Club session at the Marlborough Pub & Theatre from 5pm- 6pm.

You can attend both sessions, or just one or the other.

Book tickets for the Museum and History Club sessions together if you are going to both, or the single session you are attending if just one of them.

Places are free on a first come first served basis.

To book your place online, click here:

 

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