QUEER PEOPLE UNITE - Fighting the societal backlash

Same-sex partnerships in Malta and Estonia – a propaganda law in Lithuania that prohibits to talk openly about LGBTI rights with children.

A peaceful pride in Belgrade and in Vilnius – a brutal crackdown of the Pride in Istanbul.

France scraps sterilisation in status law – at nearly the same time, over twenty thousand people demonstrate against same sex marriage in the streets of Paris.

This is our reality in 2016. We have reached important goals and we are still making progress. But at the same time harsh attacks of repressive, neo-conservative, religious right-wing and right-wing movements attempt to push back achievements that were long fought for.

*** QUEER PEOPLE UNITE ***

Fighting the societal backlash

17th of November 9.15 – 12.30

ASP 1G3 – European Parliament, Brussels

*** Program ***

9.15 WELCOMING REMARKS
by Ulrike Lunacek (Vice President of the European Parliament) and Terry Reintke (Member of the European Parliament)

9.30 – 10.30 PANEL DISCUSSION

***Let´s move on***

The last decades have seen important improvements on the way to a more equal and just society for all. We want to discuss our ways forward – what are the concrete next steps that have to be taken at the European level?

chaired by Ulrike Lunacek, Vice-President of the European Parliament (The Greens/EFA – Austria)

Marie- Helene Boulanger, Acting Director of Equality and Union Citizenship, European Commission – DG Justice

Antonella Gatt, Employment and Social Policy Attache, Permanent Representation of Malta to the EU (to be confirmed)

Evelyne Paradis, Executive Director, ILGA Europe

10.45 Film screening: “My Refugee Story” (17min)

in the presence of Nour Metwally, director

This film project portrays stories of lesbian, gay, inter*- and trans*- persons from Syria that came to Lebanon. It has been realised by a LGBTIQ- youth group that participated in the UNHCR-sponsored LGBTI Youth Initiative.

11.30 – 12.30 WORK SHOP

*** Don’t Stop me Now***

All over Europe nationalists, right-wing populists, the religious right and neo-conservatives are on the rise. The workshop wants to provide for a platform in order to share different experiences. What are our counter-strategies? Who are our allies and how can we mobilise for our cause?

chaired by Terry Reintke, MEP (The Greens/EFA, Germany)

Inputs by

Igor Šoltes, MEP (The Greens/EFA, Slovenia)

Lana Gobec, Equal marriage activist from Slovenia

Presentations by

Mima Simic, LGBTI activist from Croatia

Wiktor Dynarski, LGBTI activist from Poland

the event will be followed by a

12.30 – 13.30 NETWORK LUNCH