I L G C N | The International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network

ILGCN INFORMATION SECRETARIAT CALLING - URGENT

2010-05-03T20:24:00.000+02:00

ILGCN INFORMATION SECRETARIAT CALLING - URGENT

Update on the ILGCN world cultural conference stages for 2010:

The first planned stage for ISTANBUL/ANKARA, Turkey in May has been postponed until May, 2011!

The programs for now being finalized for stages 2 & 3.

Get back to us if you are planning to join us and if you wish us to add seminars, performances, film screenings and art exhibitions:

WARSAW, Poland (sidelines of EuroPride) July 16-18

Contact: Slawek Starosta starosta@gay.pl

Lukasz Palucki l.palucki@sdpl.pl

ILGCN Information Secretariat

CRIMEA, Ukraine September 1-5

Contact: Irina Sizova irinasizova@yandex.ru

ILGCN Information Secretariat

Update

2010-03-22T13:11:00.000+01:00

The ILGCN world cultural conference stages for 2010 are:
ISTANBUL/ANKARA, Turkey: May 6-8, May 12-15
Contact: Information Secretariat
"Nevin" nevin@kaosgl.org
WARSAW, Poland (sidelines of EuroPride) July 16-18
Contact: Information Secretariat:
S*awek Starosta starosta@gay.pl
*ukasz Pa*ucki l.palucki@sdpl.pl

Crimian, Ukraine September 1-5
Contact: Information Secretariat:
Irina Sizova irinasizova@yandex.ru

P.S. Contributions for the next *Erato* very welcome!

Stockholm Follow-up Discussion and Cultural evening

2010-02-12T12:00:00.005+01:00

NORDIC-POLISH-BALTIC-RUSSIAN-BELARUS NETWORK:

Stockholm Follow-up Discussion and Cultural evening

February, 15, 2010 19.00 - 21.00

NOTE: changed venue: at HALLONGROTTAN cultural center Bergsundsgatan 25 (T-ban Hornstull -- a few minutes walk towards the water, around the corner of Moldau restaurant ( Bergsunds Strand 33 ) and to the right)

Special guests:

Siarhei Padsossny -- Belarus journalist and ILGCN cultural ambassador, with the latest on the LGBT scene in Belarus.

Lukasz Palucki -- ILGCN cultural ambassador for Poland and secretary general of the Warsaw-based ILGCN Secretariat for Eastern Europe, on the *royal flowers* ceremony in Krakow, ILGCN conference on the side lines of EuroPride 2010-Warsaw and on Europride itself.

Performances:

Prijo Yksoska - with her own songs and music from Finland

Jenny Gabrielsson - singer and Swedish ILGCN cultural ambassador

Magne Eliassen -- Norwegian singer/performer

Peter Fröberg -- Swedish singer/musician

Tomas Åberg -- poetry

Art work:

Polish artist, Michal Palczewski

The latest additions to the ILGCN/Tupilak Travelling Exhibition

More information: Bill Schiller, chairman of Tupilak (Nordic rainbow cultural workers) and secretary general of the ILGCN Information Secretariat - Stockholm

www.Tupilak.org www.ilgcn.tupilak.org bill@tupilak.org

NETWORK MEETING/CULTURAL EVENT

2009-12-13T13:05:00.002+01:00

LGBT activists, cultural workers, national and branch organizations, Pride and festival organizers, media, etc. in the Nordic/Baltic region:   Welcome to the first meeting of the N0RDIC-P0LISH-BALTIC (Estonia-Latvia-Lithuania)-RUSSIAN (St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad)-BELARUS NETWORK -- to increase contact, mutual exchange and participation in each other*s events during the year.

No membership fee! No bureaucracy!    Most contact via internet!

NETWORK MEETING/CULTURAL EVENT
- Stockholm     Monday, January 18,
2010      18.00 - 22.00

.....at PositHIVa Gruppen Tjurbergsgatan 29 (T-ban Skanskull)

----------------------------------------------------

PRESENTATIONS:
"Lithuania: Homophobic Laws/ 2nd Baltic Pride-Vilnius" - ILGCN-Lithuania
"LGBT Barricades in Belarus" - ILGCN-Belarus
"Nordic LGBT in Eastern Europe" - Nordic Rainbow Council
"Work in Petersburg/ Belarus, etc." - Civil Rights Defenders - Sweden
"HIV Work over Borders" - PositHIVagruppen -Stockholm
"Culture on the Baltic Rainbow Barricades" -- Tupilak
"Warsaw EuroPride/ Flowers for a 15th Century Polish King* -- ILGCN Eastern Europe Secretariat - Warsaw

Latvian, Lithuanian delegates
at ILGCN meeting in Gothenburg

DISCUSSIONS of NETWORK Participation in 2010 Events:
1 March: rainbow cultural event - Vilnius (with EU Parliament LGBT group)
2. May: Nordic/Baltic cultural happening -- Tartu/Tallinn
3. May: 2nd Baltic Pride - Vilnius
4. July: Baltic Solidarity Square - Visby
5. July: Europride - Warsaw
6. September: Tribade Festival - Helsinki
7. September: 2nd Queer Cultural Week -- St. Petersburgat
8. September: International Solidarity Square - Gothenburg
9. December: Nordic-Polish-Baltic-Russian-Belarus Network anniversary - Stockholm

PERFORMANCES:
     Songs, music from Sweden, Norway, Finland, Poland
     Rainbow Poems from Vilnius - ILGCN Lithuania
     Humanist's Rainbow Bible - Nordic Rainbow Humanists
ART EXHIBITS:
"Vlad's World" - Belarus
"Tupilak/ILGCN Travelling Art Exhibit"
FILM: "Pink Curtain" (U.K)

      Bill Schiller for Tupilak (Nordic rainbow cultural workers), Nordic Rainbow Council, ILGCN (International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network) Information Secretariat - Stockholm, Nordic Rainbow
Humanists
       www.tupilak.org   www.ilgcn.tupilak.org

KRISTALLNACHT

2009-10-30T11:29:00.002+01:00

Stockholm participation in the international tribute on:

KRISTALLNACHT
– the launching of the Nazi persecution and execution of Jews, Roma, Homosexuals, Dissidents, Intellectuals, War Prisoners, etc.

Burning synagogue, 1938

18.00 – 19.00 Monday, November 9, 2009
at PositHIVa Gruppen Tjurbergsgatan 29 (T-ban Skanskull)

“PositHIVa co-operation with St. Petersburg, etc.”
“Civil Rights Defenders: at the LGBT conference in Belarus (Eastern Europe’s last dictatorship).”
“On the Rainbow Barricades in Eastern Europe.”
Exhibition: “Nazi & neo Nazi Persecution of LGBT.”

Minsk 2009

……………………………………………………………

Stockholm deltar i den internationella markeringen av:
KRISTALLNATTEN
– början av Nazi förföljelse av Judar, Roma, LGBT, Dissidenter, Krigsfångar, etc.

18.00 – 19:00 Måndagen, 9 november, 2009
Hos PositHIVagruppen Tjurbergsgatan 29 (T-ban Skanstull)

”PositHIVa verksamhet, samarbete med St. Petersburg.”
”Civil Rights Defenders: HBT Konferens i Belarus”
”På Regnbågs Barrikaderna i Öst Europa”
Utställning: “Nazi & neo Persecution of LGBT’s.”

Historic Tupilak music at the ‘Wall of Death’ in Auschwitz

……………………………………………………………
Organized by: Tupilak (Nordic rainbow cultural workers), Nordic Rainbow Council, Nordic Rainbow Humanists, ILGCN (International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network) Information Secretariat – Stockholm ( in co-operation with UNITED – Amsterdam.)

NORDIC RAINBOW HUMANISTS

2009-10-18T15:25:00.001+02:00

October, 2009

Stockholm * The Nordic Rainbow Humanists have once again joined forces with their traditional allies (Tupilak * Nordic rainbow cultural workers, Nordic Rainbow Council and the International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network * Information Secretariat, Stockholm) in a number of LGBT events over the last year in Sweden, elsewhere in the Nordic region and Eastern Europe.

This includes presentations, spreading NRC leaflets, displaying photography and art work and answering questions from the audiences -- some very astounded to learn that there are others criticizing religious
oppression and not just the communists, especially in the East where the different religions are regarded as heroic survivors of Soviet times.

At this year*s Stockholm Pride, the NRH had special presentations both at the Pride House and at a city theater cultural day, hosted by NRH member Rolf Solheim from Norway and attended by Nordic Rainbow
Humanist award winner, Carl-Johan Kleberg, formerly head of the Swedish Humanists.

We were also present with rainbow participation at the international solidarity events in Visby on the Swedish Baltic island of Gotland and at the giant International Book Fair in Gothenburg.

Other Nordic events and discussions took place on Finland*s Åland Islands (between Sweden and Finland,) the 1st Baltic Pride in Riga (we include Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania in the Nordic *family) and the
Tribade Festival in Helsinki.

Events in Eastern Europe included the ILGCN conference stages in Bucharest (where we also presented the 2009 Nordic Rainbow Humanist award to the newly-formed Romanian Humanists for their support of the
Romanian LGBT movement), Budapest and St. Petersburg.

(We really missed participation * especially in our Eastern European events * with British and other GALHA members and hope we can arrange joint forces in the year to come!)

Nigerian Award Still Waiting

We have also continued our discussions with the Swedish and Norwegian humanist organizations about bringing a member of the Nigerian Humanist Association (honored with the NRH award) to Scandinavia to
receive the award (alas only a diploma * no cash) in person and to hold a seminar about their support for the hard-pressed LGBT movement in that African country. (Perhaps we could make this a
Swedish-Norwegian-British tour to help share the large travel costs?)

Our next event will be on November 9th *Kristall Nachten* as part of the international memorials marking this date when the Nazi regime launched its violent, window-smashing attack on Jews in Berlin
and signalling the beginning of the extermination of Jews, Roma, homosexuals, dissidents and others in the concentration camps. The event will include discussions of our joint solidarity events during the
year, the recent and historic LGBT conference in Belarus and our special art exhibit, *Nazi & neo Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals.*

Bill Schiller, international secretary

Note: The NRC regards itself as an informal network and as a *northern outreach* of GALHA, and is open to LGBT humanists in the Nordic region. There is no membership fee and members are
encouraged to be paying members both to GALHA and their national humanist association.

ILGCN CONFERENCE IN ST. PETERSBURG -- PART OF HISTORIC INTERNATIONAL QUEER FESTIVAL

2009-10-18T15:24:00.001+02:00

PRESS RELEASE October 3, 2009

3rd stage of this year's world cultural conferences after Budapest and Bucharest:

St. Petersburg/Stockholm -- The third and final stage of this year's ILGCN (International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network) world rainbow cultural conference took place in St. Petersburg on September 23rd with discussions, art work, films and musical performances -- part of the biggest queer cultural festival ever in Russia and free from any harassment or bans by the authorities.

"This was the first International Festival of Queer Culture in St. Petersburg and the biggest event of its kind in Russia," says ILGCN co-ordinator Polina Savchenko. "For 10 days the city saw theatrical performances, concerts, photo exhibitions, poetry slams, seminars, workshops and discussions at different venues of the city (both LGBT and non-LGBT) -- and information about the Festival was widespread both in the LGBT community and in the general society."

"I was very happy to get this opportunity to tell the audience about Helsinki´s 10th Tribade Day & Night Festival and to sing some of my songs," says Finnish ILGCN co-ordinator Anne Jaaskelainen, also
co-ordinator of the annual Tribade festival.

ILGCN Grizzly Bear Honors St. Petersburg Organizers

"We were also happy to show some Nordic films and samples of the travelling ILGCN & Tupilak (Nordic rainbow cultural workers) art and photos at the conference," says Bill Schiller of the ILGCN Information
Secretariat in Stockholm. "And we were proud to hand over the ILGCN 2009 'Grizzly Bear' honoring those struggling in especially ferocious homophobic environments to the organizers of the historic Queer Cultural
Festival in St. Petersburg."

Nordic participants were especially grateful for support and accomodation from veteran ILGCN Russian co-ordinator Alexander Kukarsky, also participating in the ILGCN conference and founder of Russia's
oldest gay organization, Krilja (Wings).

"The organizers of this year's Queer Cultural Festival believe our goal has been successfully achieved -- unification of different queer people around values of openness, tolerance and mutual respect," adds
Polina. "The audiences included gays, lesbians, transgender and heterosexual people, all enjoying the events in a friendly and open atmosphere and celebrating diversity. The feedback from both LGBT and
non-LGBT audiences is the same: 'We appreciate the atmosphere which is inclusive of all, it is a powerful message, when one social groups recognizes and stands up for the rights of another."

"As a result of the festival, different human rights groups and organizations have made plans for future collaboration and the festival organizers of St. Petersburg have been empowered to continue full
participation in the social and cultural life of their city. ," Polina concludes.

The initiator of the festival was the St. Petersburg LGBT organization, "Coming Out," but many organizations -- both LGBT and non-LGBT-- joined forces to co-organize the event. Especially
appreciated support also came from the consulates of Netherlands and of Sweden, represented in person at the festival's inauguration.

Earlier and Future ILGCN Conference Sites

Earlier 2009 ILGCN conference stages took place in the Romanian capital of Bucharest in May and in the Hungarian capital of Budapest in July (see ILGCN press releases).

Discussions are under way about the sites of the stages of the 2010 ILGCN world conference -- with proposals from Belgrad - Serbia, Gothenburg - Sweden and Warsaw - Poland (July 16-18 dur More information: ILGCN Information secretariat info@tupilak.org
www.ilgcn.tupilak.org

ST. PETERSBURG TO HOST RUSSIA's BIGGEST QUEER CULTURAL EVENT

2009-08-28T20:19:00.005+02:00

ILGCN World Rainbow Cultural Conference Stage Included

ST. PETERSBURG TO HOST RUSSIA's
BIGGEST QUEER CULTURAL EVENT

St. Petersburg -- The International Festival of Queer Culture 2009 -- September 17-27, 2009 -- will take place in this Russian city as the largest-scale event of this type in this country so far. Several public organisations and initiative groups of St. Petersburg, both LBGT and non-LBGT, have joined forces to create this 10-day multi-event festival which is supported by partners varying from the Swedish and Dutch consulates to the St. Petersburg guidebooks.

The program includes theatrical performances, photo and art exhibitions, poetry slams, seminars, workshops, discussions, and music. Rockfest, the closing festival event, presents several emerging as well as well-established bands from St. Petersburg and is head-lined by the American group, Betty.

The events also include the 3rd stage of this year´s ILGCN (International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network) World Rainbow Cultural Conference (earlier stages in Bucharest and Budapest) on September 21 -- with a special focus on Nordic rainbow cultural co-operation with collegues in Eastern Europe. It will also include the ILGCN's and Tupilak's (Nordic rain bow cultural workers) travelling art and photo exhibition with works from 25 nations.

"Queer" is the chosen concept for the festival aiming to celebrate university and diversity and as a rebellion against stigmas and labels. The term "queer" aims to go beyond the LGBT-sphere and to include everyone, expanding the rigid frameworks surrounding social stereotypes and stereotypes of identity, sex and gender. The message the festival hopes to bring forward is that all are different but all are united by one language - the language of art, and by common values - values of love, tolerance and mutual respect. The ambition of the festival is also to unite different people around constructive creativity and positive emotions.

More information and questions: http://www.queerfest.ru/en/index.shtml queer.fest2009@gmail.com

Information concerning the ILGCN conference and activities: www.ilgcn.tupilak.org

ISRAELI GAY ACTIVIST NAMED ILGCN "RAINBOW WARRIOR" 2009

2009-08-14T23:59:00.002+02:00

PRESS RELEASE AUGUST 13, 2009

Stockholm -- Gay Israeli activist and pacifist, Ezra Nawi, has been awarded thee 2009 "Rainbow Warrior" by the ILGCN (International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network) for his outstanding and courageous efforts to stop the destruction of Palestinian homes and the ousting of Palestian farmers from their land in occupied territory.

"The 57-year-old plumber by trade is an excellent example of the resistance to injustice and homophobia in a turbulent Middle East," says Bill Schiller, secretary general of the ILGCN Information Secretariat in Stockholm. "Ezra Nawi illustrates how bright the rainbow colors shine when stretched over geographic, ethnic, religious, gender and age barriers. He should be honored both by Israelis and Palestinians alike -- instead of facing court room judges and threats of prison sentences."

Although this international award diploma does not include any monetary sum, it is awarded with golden appreciation for important work well done -- promoting the identity, culture and visibility of the LGBT community and its roll in the global human rights battle for everyone. The diploma is to be presented in person as soon as possible in the Swedish capital or other appropriate place when a time and site can be chosen.

Earlier "Rainbow Warrior" awards have gone to courageous Polish gay and heterosexual activists defying homophobic media, politicians, religious leaders and neo nazi violence.

More information: www.ilgcn.tupilak.org

3rd stage of the 2009 ILGCN (International World Rainbow Culture Conference) * St. Petersburg.

2009-08-01T12:00:00.001+02:00

3rd stage of the 2009 ILGCN (International World Rainbow Culture Conference) * St. Petersburg. September 21, 2009

(**part of the INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF QUEER CULTURE SEPTEMBER 19-27, 2009 -- St. Petersburg, Russia http://queerfest.ru/en )

Multi-cultural presentation:

*NORDIC RAINBOW CULTURAL CO-OPERATION WITH EASTERN EUROPE * using art, music, song, film, dance, poetry, drama and journalism as powerful international weapons against homophobia, intolerance and silence*

-- Anne Jaaskelainen * singer/songwriter and chair woman of the annual Tribade Day & Night Festival * Helsinki, Finland

-- Bill Schiller * Swedish Radio journalist, chairman of Tupilak
(Nordic rainbow culture workers) and secretary general of the ILGCN Information Secretariat - Stockholm

Photo Exhibit: "Nordic Delegation to Bucharest Pride" -- by Jussi Jaaskelainen, Finland

Also: samples from the Tupilak & ILGCN Travelling Art & Photo Exhibition * works from Iceland to Lithuania, Russia to Denmark, Portugal to Norway.

***** (1st stage of the ILGCN 2009 conference: Bucharest - May 21 2nd stage Budapest -- September 3-4).

KULTUR PROGRAM -- CULTURE PROGRAM

2009-06-15T12:00:00.008+02:00

"Tupilak performance at Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland."

BUCHAREST -- Succesful 1st stage of this year's ILGCN world rainbow cultural conference in the Romanian capital, May 22 (part of annual Gayfest).

BUDAPEST -- The 2nd stage of the ILGCN world conference has been postponed since the dates for Budapest Pride have been moved back to August 30 - September 6.

ST. PETERSBURG -- September 21 for the 3rd stage of the ILGCN conference 2009.(part of Russian Rainbow Cultural Festival).

.......................................................................................................

SWEDEN:

Visby -- Tupilak /ILGCN work will be presented at the Baltic Square solidarity event on this Swedish island between June 29 - August 4 during a major political/cultural week.

Stockholm --

Monday July 27 "Nordic Rainbow Culture over Nordic Borders." 16.00 Pride House

Tuesday, July 28
Nordic Rainbow Co- with Eastern Europe 15.00 Teater Tribunalen
Nordisk Rainbows in Chains: Belarus 15.30 Teater Tribunalen
Rainbow Cultural Co-oepration over Nordic Borders 16.00 Teater Tribunalen
Humanists on the Rainbow Barricades 16.30 Teater Tribunalen
Nazi & neo Nazi Persecution of the LGBT" 17.30 Teater Tribunalen

Tupilak/ILGCN Travelling Art & Photo Exhibition, Photo Exhibit: "27 Prides in the EU"

Performances in the afternoon at Teater Tribunalen.

Wednesday, July 29 "The Dark Side of the Nordic Rainbow: Faroes" 12.00 Pride House
Thursday, July 30
Humanists on the Rainbow Barricades 13.00 Pride House
Nordic Co-operation with Eastern Europe. 15:00 Pride House
Nazi & neo Nazi Persecution of LGBT 17.00 Pride House

Gothenburg -- Work of Tupilak/ILGCN will be presented at the International Square solidarity event at the giant book fair

(the biggest annual cultural event of the Nordic region) September 24-27.

.......................................................................................................

VILNIUS -- A European Parliament/ ILGCN rainbow cultural exhibition and seminars are planned for October in the Lithuanian capital -- this year the European Cultural Capital which so far has ignored rainbow contributions.

RAINBOW FLAGS ON SWEDISH BALTIC ISLAND

2009-06-14T12:00:00.000+02:00

Tupilak, Nordic Rainbow Council, ILGCN, Nordic Rainbow Humanists:

Visby – A successful week of discussions, art and photos, Nordic CD music and performances took place June 29-July 3 at the" Almedalen Week" in this capital of this eastern Baltic Swedish island of Gotland -- during the biggest political, human rights and cultural week of the Swedish summer.

"We were pleased to be once again at the large silo in Visy harbor, " says Bill Schiller of the ILGCN (International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network) Information Secretariat – Stockholm -- together with some 25 other internationally-minded human rights organizations.

Tupilak also participated in other LGBT discussions among the over 1,000 seminars and other events during the week, pointing out the urgent need to help Nordic colleagues on the other side of the Baltic Sea by criticizing the Lithuanian Parliament's ban on all positive information about homosexuality and the program of "Vilnius – European Cultural Capital 2009" deliberately ignoring rainbow culture.

Bifrost Award to Baltic Square and Fellow Participants

During the week, Tupilak handed out the first of this year's "Bifrost Award" to the Östersjö Torget "for promoting rainbow rights and culture and proving that human rights groups working together can create a strong voice for international solidarity." The 2nd of this year's winner will be announced in September at the giant Gothenburg Book Fair. (Bifrost is the old Norse word for "rainbow" -- linking the world of the Viking gods and human beings – and honors today's hetereosexual-homosexual bridge- building.

At the "Baltic Square" presentation by Balkan women planning to repeat the "Almedalen" solidarity week in Belgrade this fall, Tupilak promised to send a delegation to the "Freja Forum" in the Serbian capital 13-15 November.

Helping man the Tupilak tent in Visby this time was the Swedish Peace organization, Peace Quest International.

More information: info@tupilak.org

NORDIC HUMANIST AWARD TO ROMANIANS

2009-06-02T21:28:00.001+02:00

PRESS RELEASE MAY, 2009

BUCHAREST/STOCKHOLM -- The 2009 Nordic Rainbow Humanist award has been
presented to the memers of the newly-started Rumanian Humanist
Association.

The award diploma was handed out during the ILGCN (International
Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network) 1st stage of this year's world rainbow
cultural conference in the Romanian capital oon May 21st as part of
this year's annual Bucharest GayFest.

The Romanians are being honored for -- despite the association's
young age and the fierce homophobia from politicians, religious
leaders, the media and neo nazi hooligans in that Eastern European
nation -- giving strong support to the LGBT community and for
standing up in solidarity in public at Pride parades and LGBT cultural
events -- proving that real progress for human rights can best be
achieved by gays and straights jointly manning the rainbow barricades.

Earlier awards from the Stockholm-based Nordic Rainbow Humanists
have gone to pioneering human rights activists in Britain, Norway,
Sweden, the Netherlands and Nigeria (see diploma for details).

For more information: http://www.tupilak.org

TUPILAK CULTURAL EVENING

2009-04-01T23:55:00.003+02:00

Wednesday April 22, 2009 19.00 www.tupilak.org

Musik Valvet Kåkbrinken 5 Gamla Stan, Stockholm
(a few steps away from the exit of the "Old Town" tube station)

Preliminary program:

Jenny Gabrielsson -- song and music
Peter Fröberg -- music and song
"LGBT films at major film festivals" -- Marit Kapla, director of the Gothenburg International Film Festival
"Tupilak and ILGCN (International rainbow cultural network) Events 2009"
- from Riga to Krakow, Visby to Bucharest, Gothenburg to St. Petersburg
-- Bill Schiller, Tupilak chairman and secretary general of the ILGCN Information Secretariat - Stockholm
"News from Rainbow Colleagues in Belarus* -- Yury Kazhura, Tupilak international secretary.
Bastian Damascus "Flowers of the Cock" -- dance-performance
Tupilak award ceremony

Wine at budget prices!

(No entrance fee, but donations appreciated to help cover the rent!)

NOTE: Short Tupilak steering committee meeting at 18.00. (Open to all members as well.)

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Supporting Tupilak, ILGCN: Nordic Rainbow Council, Nordic Rainbow Humanists

_____________________________________________________________

Tupilak has members in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland. Iceland, Åland, Faroes, Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania.

2009-03-04T17:39:00.003+01:00

To Tupilak colleagues/supporters on both sides of the Baltic Sea:

YEARLY MEETING. Stockholm,
March 18, 2009 19.00

at HALLONGROTTAN Bergsundsgatan 25 (T-Hornstull)
Tel: 08 658 13 20

& a special INTERNATIONAL SALUTE to young LGBT activists in BELARUS
- the last Eastern Europe dictatorship

Agenda:

New steering committee (new blood wanted * especially outside Stockholm. Most meetings and decisions are by e-mail to save travel $$$$ and energy).
Financial report. (Miserable situation since no more funding from the Swedish state. Membership income and fund-raising more important than ever!)
Sending delegates to 1st Baltic Pride * Riga (May 15-17) and Gothenburg Rainbow Cultural Festival (May 15-17).
Working with the Swedish Pol-Balt Network (for Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. Next meeting in Stockholm March 23)
Baltic Rainbow Cultural Festival * Visby (June 28- July 4, 2009 * Almedalen Week).
Tupilak/ILGCN Art Exhibit during Stockholm Pride 2009*?
Delegate to Nordic Rainbow Islanders* Human Rights& Culture Conference (Iceland, Faroes, Greenland, Åland, Gotland, Öland, Stockholm Archipelago).
Delegate to 10th Tribade Day & Night Festival * Helsinki (September) and ILGCN World Culture Conference in St. Petersburg (September 21).
Work with SödraTeater on *Swedish-Eastern Europe Rainbow Cultural Festival * Stockholm, 2009.
Work with Nordic Rainbow Humanists, Swedish Humanists. (Visiting Nigerian pro-LGBT humanists!)
Rainbow music and art festivals at Musik Valvet - Stockholm

Bill Schiller, bill@tupilak.org
Tupilak international secretary andsecretary general of ILGCN (International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network Information Secretariat * Stockholm)

_______________________________________________________________

Tupilak members in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Åland, Faroes, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Norwegian Opera Singer Björn Haugan Dies

2009-01-28T18:03:00.004+01:00

Stockholm – Long-time Tupilak (Nordic rainbow cultural workers)

member and strong supporter of ILGCN (International Lesbian & Gay Cultural

Network) activities, Norwegian opera singer and music teacher, Björn Haugan, has died at a Stockholm hospital after a long illness.

Aside from his professional work as a singer and teacher, Haugan performed voluntarily at a number of rainbow cultural events arranged by Tupilak and by the ILGCN, including IDAHO (International Day Against Homophobia) events in the Swedish capital – singing cheerfully and powerfully even from his wheelchair in the last years.

Björn Haugan was especially proud of his participation in 2002 in an ILGCN-arranged “Nazi & neo Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals” event in Linz, Austria, co-arranged at a city theater with the Austrian LGBT organization, HOSI-Linz, and including a rainbow ceremony at the near-by Nazi concentration camp, Mauthausen, where Haugan sang Wagner’s “Liebestod” at the gathering in front of the camp’s pink triangle monument marked “Beaten to Death, Silenced to Death” -- honoring the LGBT prisoners who were interned, tortured and murdered in the camp.

Björn Haugan carried out the visit to Austria despite severe pains from his diabetes.

. A memorial concert will take place on Saturday, February 7 at 17.00 at Sofia Church in Stockholm.

Bill Schiller – Tupilak international secretary

HOSI-Linzp photo from of a rainbow ceremony in Mauthausen -- honoring the LGBT prisoners

TUPILAK CALLING * January 2009

2009-01-09T17:14:00.001+01:00

TUPILAK CALLING * January 2009

-- from the international desk

Stockholm -- Tupilak/ILGCN cultural evening: a successful event at the Musik Valvet in the Old Town with live music, presentations and the exhibition of some of Tupilak & ILGCN Travelling Art and Photography on November 30, 2008.

Special participation (thanks to funding from the Swedish International Development Assistance Baltic Unit in Visby) with visiting Polina Savchenko of *Coming Out* and ILGCN co-ordinator - St.Petersburg, Lukasz Palucki -- ILGCN Eastern European Secretariat * Warsaw and Siarhei Padssonny -- journalist and ILGCN ambassador - Belarus, who also made presentations at the RFSU Youth Center in Visby
on November 29 .

Discussions with local activists also covered plans for a Baltic Rainbow Festival in the Gotlandic capital in July, 2009. and continued co-operation with the Nordic Rainbow Council and the Nordic Rainbow Humanists during the year.

Tupilak and ILGCN plans for 2009:

Stockholm * Tupilak yearly meeting February
Riga * Baltic Pride May 15-17
Reykjavik * Solidarity with the Faroe Islands (with Nordic parliamentarians) Spring
Stockholm -- Nordic Focus on LGBT Nigeria (with Swedish Humanists) Spring.
Bucharest * ILGCN World Cultural Conference (stage 1) June
Budapest * ILGCN World Cultural Conference (stage 2) June
Visby * Rainbow Human Rights & Culture Festival July
Helsinki -- 10th Tribade Day & Night Festival: focus on Tallinn, St.Petersburg September .
St. Petersburg -- ILGCN World Conference (stage 3) September
Stockholm * Cultural evenings at Musik Valvet, Art Exhibition
(volunteers welcome!)

-- Bill Schiller, Tupilak international secretary and secretary general of ILGCN
(International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network) Information Secretariat - Stockholm

NOTE: Tupilak yearly membership fees greatly needed for Swedish,
Nordic, & international projects! (100 kr. post giro 498 37 67-7)

2008-11-14T14:43:00.000+01:00

NORDIC BALTIC WINTER GATHERING… www.tupilak.se

TUPILAK MEMBERS & FRIENDS -- on both sides of the Baltic!

We're pleased to invite you to a winter Nordic/Baltic rainbow human rights &
cultural happening in Stockholm on:

November 30, 2008 Musik Valvet
(Svartmangatan 27 Gamla Stan) 17.00-22.00

...to meet some of our visiting colleagues from the region (thanks to funding from the Swedish International Development Assistance Baltic Unit in Visby on the island of Gotland) and a few representatives from other organizations working with us to discuss international co-operation and coming projects:

Krakow -- The Turbulent Battle of Flowers -- at the tomb of the homosexual 15th Century King

Helsinki -- The 10th Tribade Day & Night Festival: September 2009 -- with a special focus on Tallinn, St. Petersburg.

Minsk -- Where rainbows are still in chains.

Vilnius -- Where the rainbow flag is still banned.

Visby -- A Nordic/Baltic rainbow human rights & culture festival, July 2009?

Photo/ ill: Willi Reichhold

St. Petersburg -- Russian Co-operation with Sweden and Finland 2009.

Stockholm -- Nordic Focus on LGBT Nigeria (via the Nordic Rainbow Humanists).

Kristall Nacht -- An international November salute to victims of Nazis/ neo Nazis.

Nordic Rainbow Memorials -- an initiative of ILGCN, Nordic Rainbow Council, Nordic Rainbow Humanists.

Music, Poetry, Art …. Wine and beer at low cost.

No entrance fees for Tupilak members and invited friends.

-- Bill Schiller, Tupilak international secretary and secretary general of the International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network: Information Secretariat - Stockholm

ILGCN www.tupilak.ilgcn.org

2008-10-09T02:01:00.017+02:00

ILGCN Information Secretariat - Stockholm (International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network)
Press Release September 30, 2008

Including Salutes to Uganda, Iran, LGBT Exiles Around the World:
2008 World Cultural Conferences:
Finland, USA

Helsinki/Minneapolis-St. Paul/Stockholm—Art, photos, exhibitions, films, musical performances, seminars and discussions characterized the 1st stage of the 2008 ILGCN world rainbow cultural conference in the Finnish capital – November 14-16, part of the annual Tribade Day & Night Festival.

“We hope that the ILGCN input will also be part of our 10th jubilee festival next year,” says Anne Jaaskelainen, festival director and singer/song-writer, who also received the 2008 “Sowelu” award (for outstanding contributions from women in the Nordic sphere) from the Nordic rainbow cultural workers’ organization, Tupilak -- especially honoring her solidarity performances in Eastern Europe.

“We are really pleased to have our new Russian organization participating in the ILGCN conference, says Polina Savchenko from “Coming Out” –
St. Petersburg, and we hope that a future stage of the ILGCN conference can come to our city.”

The conference also approved a project linking the near-by cities of Stockholm-Helsinki-St- Petersburg for future rainbow cultural events, providing mutual co-operation and solidarity.

Also at the conference, the special ILGCN Nordic award “Arco Nordica” was presented to thenational Finnish LGBT organization, SETA for its support for Tribade festivals and ILGCN activities.

Willi Reichhold, Austria-Sweden

1st ILGCN World Cultural Conference in North America

The 2nd stage of this year’s ILGCN world conference took place at University of Minnesota venues in Minneapolis/St. Paul – September 19-21, the first ILGCN event ever in the United States. “We are also pleased to put a brighter spotlight on LGBT history and show the first work of our brand new travelling exhibition on this theme,” says Jean Tretter, secretary general of the ILGCN History Secretariat in Minneapolis/St.Paul.

“We are also proud of the conference’s well-attended, special performance of the LGBT Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra—which also gives great emphasis to playing the works of lesbian and gay classical composers,” Tretter adds.

“Our valuable discussions with the leading organizers of Minneapolis Pride and other activists here convince me that there is a real desire to increase American involvement in our battles on the rainbow barricaded in Eastern Europe and the possibilities that more American Prides will invite some of the courageous representatives from Belarus and other nations where the rainbow is still in chains or under siege,” says Bill Schiller, secretary general of the ILGCN Information Secretariat - Stockholm.

Salute to gay researcher and educator, Magnus Hirschfeldt

“We are proud to announce that this year’s ILGCN “Orfeo Iris” award for essential information work about Nazi and neo Nazi persecution of homosexuals goes jointly to the Minnesota Libraries and the Magnus Hirschfeldt Society in Berlin for their outstanding exhibitions marking the 75th birthday of the pioneering Hirschfeldt’s Sexual Institute in Berlin which was destroyed by the Nazis,” adds Tretter.

“Speaking of history, we are pleased to send a salute to the coming October 31 ILGCN event in Krakow lifting a 15th century Swedish-Polish-Hungarian-Russian ruler into the rainbow spotlight – a ceremony organized by Lukasz Palucki, the secretaray general of the ILGCN Eastern European Secretariat -Warsaw, (luke.santi@eranet.pl) -- also to be attended by our ILGCN Hungarian cultural ambassadors,” says Schiller

“We are also proud to announce that the 2008 “Sappho in Paradise” award goes to Ugandan editor in exile, Kizza Musinguzi and his website gayrightsuganda.org -- crucial to an African LGBT community facing violent homophobia,” Schiller adds. “We hope the award diploma will be handed out in London where the Ugandan has found asylum.”

The award honors outstanding contributions to LGBT information, books, libraries and publications – and is co-ordinated both by the ILGCN Information Secretariat and the Paradise Press in London. This is the second time the award goes to Africa – earlier going to the Library Project of Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe. At both world conference stages, examples from the Tupilak/ILGCN Travelling Art & Photo Exhibition were displayed -- including works from Norway to Latvia, Russia to Denmark, Sweden to Spain, Finland to Germany, and photos of the ILGCN delegation to Bucharest Pride this year.

LBGT’s in Exile & Violence in Iran Focal Points in Canada

The 3rd stage of this year’s ILGCN world conference will take place in Toronto, Canada November 14-16 – giving special attention to LGBT’s in exile and the brutal situation for homosexuals in Iran. This is the first time an ILGCN event is taking place in Canada.

“We are offering a great program of art work, seminars, films and musical performances,” says Michael Gfroerer, secretary general of the ILGCN North American Secretariat – Toronto (he is also an ILGCN “Orfeo Musica” prize winner). “And of course we welcome other ILGCN cultural ambassadors, co-ordinators as well as other rainbow cultural workers to the gathering.” michaelgfroerer@gmail.com

The Canadian conference also hopes to follow tradition by confirming new ILGCN ambassadors and co-ordinators as well as next year’s world conference sites. Proposals so far have come from Bucharest, Budapest, St. Petersburg and Istanbul. ILGCN world conferences are traditionally shared by different cities to make it easier for those unable to afford travelling long distances, since the ILGCN has no travel funds for participants.

******************************
Supporting the ILGCN Information Secretariat:

Nordic rainbow cultural workers www.ilgcn.tupilak.org info@tupilak.org www.tupilak.org

2008-09-03T18:09:00.011+02:00

ILGCN (International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network) CALLING*
September 2, 2008

.. to ILGCN ambassadors, co-ordinators, supporters and international press.

Attached are the programs for the ILGCN world cultural conference stages no. 1 in Helsinki (September 13-14), stage 2 in Minneapolis (September 19-21) and stage no. 3 in Toronto (November 14 and November 16, 2008.

11th WCC Minneapolis program

11TH ILGCN WCC program Helsinki

11th WCC Toronto program

Any additional ILGCN people are very welcome in person - contacts are listed in the ILGCN conference press release (see website
www.ilgcn.tupilak.org )

Suggestions for 2009 ILGCN conference stages are welcome at all the above stages, The same for new ambassadors, co-ordinators, etc. and ILGCN awards.

Proposal: That the ILGCN *Arco Nordica* 2008 go to the national Finnish LGBT organization, SETA, for its emphasis on rainbow culture, assistance to the annual Tribade Day & Night Festival and assistance to the ILGCN world conference stage.

Bill Schiller, secretary general of the ILGCN Information
Secretariat - Stockholm

__________________________________

11TH ILGCN (International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network)
WORLD CULTURAL CONFERENCE HELSINKI (stage 1)
September 13-14, 2008

(stage 2: Minneapolis -- September 19-21. stage 3: Toronto --November 13-14, 2008)

Friday, September 12 (21.00): Tribade Party (Restaurant Botta, Museokatu 10)

Bill Schiller - greetings from the ILGCN Information Secretariat Jenny Gabrielsson - songs, music (present Swedish ILGCN cultural
ambassador)

At the SETA Office (Mannerheimintie 170 A 5th floor) :

Saturday, September 13 18.00-21:00 Seminars, film, art performances:

*Rainbow Culture in Finland* - Anne Jaaskelainen, Tribade festival

*ILGCN: stretching rainbows over borders* -- Bill Schiller, ILGCN-Stockholm

*Rainbow Culture in St. Petersburg* -- Representative of *Coming Out*

Film: *They Still Smile* - Irina Sislova, Belarus

Jenny Gabrielsson - songs, music (present Swedish ILGCN cultural ambassador)

Peter Fröberg -- songs, music (former Swedish ILGCN cultural ambassador)

Sunday, September 14 13.00-16:00 Seminars, film, art:

*Rainbows in Chains: Lithuania, Belarus* - ILGCN

*Nordic Rainbow Cultural Co-operation with Eastern Europe* - Bill

Schiller, ILGCN-Stockholm, Tupilak (Nordic rainbow cultural workers)

Films: *Tolerancja* (The Battle of Krakow) - Diana Voxerbrant,Swedish-Polish

2008 ILGCN awards, Approval of 2009 ILGCN world conference stages,

Exhibitions Saturday and Sunday:

Tupilak & ILGCN Travelling Art/Photo Exhibition

Samples from ILGCN History Collection - Minneapolis

ILGCN in Romania -- Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian participation along with 200
colleagues and 1,200 police at Bucharest Pride 2008) - Jussi Jaaskelainen

anne.jaaskelainen@nokia.com
info@tupilak.org
______________________________________________________________

11th ILGCN World Rainbow Culture Conference program
- stage 2 MINNEAPOLIS/St. PAUL, USA.
September 19-21, 2008

Friday, September 19, 2008 - registration all day, opening reception
and welcome from 5 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. (free to all registered conference attendees.)

Note: The opening reception will also feature the unveiling of the newly redesigned
GLBT World History Exhibit.

Saturday, September 20, 2008 - 7 p.m.

The Minnesota Philharmonic Orchestra (the local GLBT symphony orchestra) will present a full symphony concert as part of the
conference. (free to all registered conference attendees).

Special presentations:

*Rainbows in Chains in Belarus - the last dictatorship in Eastern Europe* - Slava Bortnik,

LGBT Amnesty group -- Minsk/Gomel.
Modern Chinese Gay Poetry

Rainbow Music -- Michael Gfroerer- Canadian composer/musician,

*Nordic Rainbow Co-operation with Eastern Europe - rainbows under siege* Bill Schiller,
Tupilak (Nordic rainbow culture workers), Nordic Rainbow Council

Panel Discussion:

*What is the International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network?*
Stretching rainbows over borders, working on local rainbow barricades,
co-operating with other international LGBT organizations such as the
ILGA, GALHA (humanists) etc. Nick Tretter -- ILGCN History
Secretariat - Minneapolis, Bill Schiller -- ILGCN Information
Secretariat - Stockholm

Workshops:

Setting up LGBT libraries in Eastern Europe. Making contributions to
these libraries -- ilgcn hISTORY sECRETARIAT.

Art & Photography - The Tupilak (Nordic rainbow cultural workers) &
ILGCN Travelling Art & Photo Exhibition - works from Estonia, Lithuania,
Latvia, Poland, Belarus, Romania, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden,
Russia, Germany, Spain.

Short films:

*Tolerancja - the rainbow battle of Krakow* (Sweden/Poland) (30
min. English subtitles
*Precious Moments* (Norway) (15 min. English subtitles)
*The Muscle Academy -- Tom of Finland* (Finland) (60 min.
English subtitles)
*They Still Smile* - (Belarus) (30 min. English subtitles)

Press Accreditation, assistance with interviews, photos, etc.

Note: all journalists attending the conference should contact:

Marlo Welshons
Communications Director
University of Minnesota Libraries
499 Wilson Library
309 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455

(612) 625-9148; fax: (612) 626-9353
welsh066@umn.edu

Conference co-ordinator: Nick Tretter, ILGCN secretary general of the
ILGCN History Secretariat, University of Minnesota

trett007@umn.edu

____________________________________________________________

International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network
CULTURAL CONFERENCE, 3rd stage -- TORONTO
Friday Nov. 14, Sun. Nov. 16, University of Toronto

The International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network was created at the
ILGA world conference in Paris in 1992 to promote international rainbow
culture and exchange across borders. The ILGCN is not a booking agency,
has no membership fee and no funds of its own * but tries to
facilitate contact between organizations and individuals * convinced
that both cultural workers and political activists belong together on
the rainbow barricades * using homo culture as a powerful weapon
against homophobia and silence. Special support is given to those facing
dictatorial regimes, oppressive religious leaders, intolerant media and
gangs of neo-Nazis and other homophobes attacking rainbow events.

The Toronto Cultural Conference will attempt to deal with multi-plus
cultures of Toronto's lesbian and gay communities. Particular attention
will be focused on immigration issues.

Conference Speakers (proposed and confirmed)

Iranians in Exile (confirmed)
Arsham Parsi, Executive Director, Iranian Queer Organization IRQO and
ILGCN ambassador/coordinator for Iran "This is Arsham Parsi, board
member of IRanian Queer Organization. I should thank you Bibi for
supporting us for San Francisco event. The IRanian Queer Organization
(IRQO) takes full responsibility for the accuracy and credibility of
this information. Today, IRQO is the only active NGO that works on
behalf of the Iranian queer (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender)
population around the world." "It documents human rights violations,
provides letters of support for Iranian queer asylum seekers and
refugees, and supports anti-homophobia efforts. Its documentation is
widely respected for its accuracy and credibility. IRQO is registered in
Ontario, Canada and is an official member of the following
organizations: The Brussels-based International Lesbian and Gay
Association (ILGA), the Stockholm-based International Lesbian and Gay
Cultural Network (ILGCN), the Toronto-based Rainbow Railroad group, and
the Berlin-based Advisory Committee of the Hirschfeld-Eddy Foundation
for LGBT Human Rights. IRQO is an international, non-profit, queer human
rights organization based in Toronto, Canada with key workers in Europe
and Iran. They help Iranian gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered
refugees all over the world. They help when Iranian lesbians or gay men
are threatened with deportation back to Iran. They also help

EXPRESS (confirmed)
Express is a safe and supportive space where newcomers to Canada and/or
immigrant queer youth find a place gather, share ideas, questions, and
have fun!

EXPRESS targets and provides support for youth between16 and 29 who are
immigrants, newcomers to Canada, refugees, refugee claimants and
non-status queer and trans youth. Most of the participants are young
people coming from countries and/or cultures where it's not safe, legal
or easy to be queer or trans.

EXPRESS includes a weekly meeting on Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. The project
had a number of newcomer/immigrant queer youth involved from more than
20 different nationalities and/or ethnicities since May of 2002.

Some of the youth participating in EXPRESS can not - due to work
commitment or school schedule - attend all the weekly meetings, and some
other newcomer/immigrant queer youth have not been able to participate
in any of the meetings because of family or cultural pressures over
their sexuality. An internet based group and mailing list has been
created to maintain some level of connection between the youth and
provide some of the support they need outside the regular meeting hours.
Please contact Suhail by email soynewcomer(at)sherbourne(dot)on(dot)ca
or at 416 - 324 5080 to be added to the mailing list

Some of the youth participating in EXPRESS are refugee claimants on the
basis of their sexual orientation. The project provides significant
direct support to these youth in this process as well as the personal
and emotional support they receive at the drop-in meetings. Since the
launch of the project a significant number of youth participants have
gained their legal status in Canada with support from EXPRESS.

Facilitator's Bio:
Suhail Abualsameed is a community worker and a public speaker who*s
concerned with issues of multiculturalism, diversity, identity and the
social determinants of health among many others.

Suhail has been running SOY's newcomer/immigrant queer youth program
since 2002. He has also coordinated community based research of TeenNet
(a research project based at the department of Public Health Sciences at
the University of Toronto) in the Middle east since 2004. He recently
initiated and started coordinating a Community Based Research project
addressing HIV/AIDS issues among the Muslim communities in the GTA.

Peter Bernier (confirmed)
I have been helping gay couples with immigration to Canada since 1994
when we got my partner his permanent residence. He has now become a
Canadian citizen and we recently celebrated our 15th anniversary. I am
one of Canada's most experienced experts on Canadian immigration for
gays. I am a member of the Canadian Society of Immigration Consultants
(CSIC) as required to represent you, a member of the Canadian
Association of Immigration Professionals (CAPIC), Co-Chair of CAPIC's
Ontario Education Committee, and a High Honours Graduate of the
Immigration Practitioner's Certificate Program. I have volunteered with
LEGIT in Toronto since 1994 when I founded LEGIT-Toronto

Nick Tretter from the ILGCN HistorySecretriat

Khush: South Asian Gay Men, P.O. Box 6172, Station A, Toronto, Ontario
M5W 1P6, Canada. Nelson (416) 461-4105, Deep (416) 922-3848.

South Asian AIDS Coalition of Toronto, Attn: Kaushalya Bannerji
c/o TCCLG, 517 College Street, Suite 308, Toronto, Canada. (416)
962-9023.

Black Coalition For AIDS Prevention (Black CAP) 416/977-9955

2 Spirited People Of The 1st Nations 416/944-9300
2-Spirited People Of The 1st Nations 416/944-9300 Ext. 226

Performance/Arts Presenters

Iranian Queer Poems (translated into English)
Saghi Ghahraman, Editor-in-Chief of Cheraq magazine

Evolutionary Girls Club: Art and Activism for Social Change
Erica Eaton, ILGCN cultural ambassador, USA

Rainbow Music on the Barricades
Michael Gfroerer, Canadian composer, ILGCN *Orfeo musica* award

Louis Laberge-Côté, dancer/choreographer, originally from: Québec
City,based in Toronto, Canada "one of Toronto Dance Theatre's most
admired company members" (The Globe and Mail), Louis Laberge-C?is known
for his "outstanding interpretation[s]" (CHYZ 94,3), his "masterful
physical control" (Paula Citron), his "wit and elegance" (NOW Magazine),
his "refreshing spontaneity" (National Post), and "his ability to infuse
even ordinary movements with drama" (Toronto Star).

Robert Quance, visual artist.

Joe Calleja, visual artist.

Tupilak/ILGCN travelling art and photo exhibit

Paul Lee, Toronto film-maker

2008-08-04T18:28:00.002+02:00

11th Year in 2008: First ILGCN conference stages in North America

World Rainbow Culture:
Helsinki, Minneapolis, Toronto

Stockholm – Rainbow Culture from China to Belarus, North America to Iran to the Nordic region, LGBT refugees and global LGBT history – will be some of the topics of seminars, music, photo, art, exhibitions and performances at the three stages of this year’s world cultural conferences of the ILGCN (International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network).

“We are proud to include the ILGCN conference stage in Helsinki in the annual Tribade Day & Night Festival,” says Anne Jaaskelainen anne.jaasklelainen@nokia.com , festival co-ordinator. This event has also been extended to September 13 and 14th.

“We are pleased to have the first ILGCN conference in North America – September 19-21, 2008,” explains Nick Tretter, secretary general of the ILGCN History Secretariat trett007@umn.edu . “We’ll have seminars on Chinese gay poetry, LGBT life in the United States and battles on the Eastern European barricades -- as well as exhibitions looking at LGBT history around the globe.”

The event will be held at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis/St. Paul and will include a performance of the symphony orchestra – a first in ILGCN conferences.

“At the Toronto stage in November, we want to give a special focus on LGBT refugees around the world and the situation of the rainbow struggle in Iran and on LGBT Iranians forced to flee from that country,” says Michael Gfroerer, secretary general of the ILGCN North America Secretariat michaelgfroerer@yahoo.ca . This will be carried out together with the LGBT group at the University of Toronto.

Free Entrance, No Travel Grants

As usual, all three conference stages are free of charge, although some cultural events requiring the rental of locales may make entrance fees necessary. ILGCN world conferences are often divided between different cities to make accessibility more possible even for those without much travel funds, since the network survives only through donations and has no possibility of providing travel scholarships.

“At these stages, we’ll also announce this year’s ILGCN awards honoring special contributions to the LGBT world of culture – and also approve next year’s and future conference sites – which we hope will be in Budapest, Bucharest and Istanbul,” says Bill Schiller, secretary general of the ILGCN Information Secretariat in Stockholm info@tupilak.org . “We welcome any future candidates as well in this global effort to promote the international use of LGBT culture to combate homophobia, silence, provincialism and pink dollar commercialism that puts profit higher than solidarity.”

Interested ILGCN cultural ambassadors and national co-ordinators – and other rainbow cultural workers -- are especially welcome to participate in the conference stages. The ILGCN is supported by Tupilak (Nordic rainbow cultural workers), the Nordic Rainbow Council and the Nordic Rainbow Humanists.

2008-07-01T00:09:00.009+02:00

NORDIC/BALTIC RAINBOW FLAGS in VISBY,

Gotland  -- 6-12 July, 2008

   Tupilak, Nordic Rainbow Council and the ILLGCN Information Secretariat are joining forces to present rainbow culture and Nordic co-operation with colleagues in the Eastern Baltic region.

At the "Baltic Square"  international solidarity venue in the harborof the island capital

of the of Gotland during "Almedal Week" --the biggest political and human rights event of the Swedish summer.

LGBT participation from Iceland to the East and Latvia to the west has been made possible by a grant from SIDA, the Swedish International Development Authority's Baltic Unit in Visby. More information: bill@tupilak.se

_____________________________________________________________

STOCKHOLM JULY 19 – SOLIDARITY FOCUS ON EUROPE

Tupilak, the Nordic Rainbow Council, ILGCN-Information Secretariat together with– PositHIVa Gruppen - Stockholm

At the PositHIVa Gruppen Lokal

Tjurbergsgatan 29 (T-bana Skanstull exit: Allhelgongatan) tel. 720 1960

No entrance fee 14.00- 20.00

14.00 Video Art "Black & White – Veronicka Larenko, Sweden-Ukraine

14.05 Swedish Helsinki Human Rights Committee

– on the LGBT barriers in Eastern Europe

– Robert Hård, chairman

15.00  Hallongrotan TV – Bitte Andersson, HG president

15.45  Reading from work by the APU HIV Positive Theater,  Amsterdam

16.00  Film: "Toleranzja" (the Battle of Krakow)  -- Polish/Swedish

17.30  Tribade Day and Night Festival, Helsinki – Anne Jaaaskelainen,  chairperson

18.00  ART-L -- movement, music, text.   Anna of Sweden, Timo of Finland

18.30 Film: "They Still Smile" (1st Belarus LGBT documentary), Irina Sislova

19:00   ILGCN – coming world cultural conferences: Helsinki, Minneapolis St. Paul, Toronto,

Bucharest, Budapest – Bill Schiller, secretary general information secretariat - Stockholm

19.30 Music and song – Anne Jaaskelainen, Finland

_____________________________________________________________

Tupilak/ILGCN/Nordic Rainbow Council Art Exhibition

and European Cultural Festival

Galleri Kocks Kocksgatan 18 ( Söder) Southern Island Stockholm

12.00 – 18.00 July 24-30, 2008

No entrance fees. No dog tags. (on the sidelines of Europride)

ART & PHOTOS (including Tupilak/ILGCN Travelling Art Exhibit)

Eka Papinashvili  -- Georgia/Sweden

Yvonne Gerner --  Denmark

Gun Nordström – Sweden

Timo Sarelmaa – Finland

Oyvind Rauset -- Norway

Willi Reichhold -- Austria/Sweden

Colin de La Motte-Sherman – Britain/Germany

Michele Tancredi  – Italy

Isias Fanlo – Spain

Harma – Bosnia/Herzogovina

Vlad Vlad – Belarus

Pawel Leszkowicz  – Poland

George P. – Georgia/Sweden

Lukas' Daughter – Sweden

Robin of London – UK

Celsius Junior – Portugal/Brazil

Tarletzky – Belarus

Veronkia Lazerenko – Ukraine/Sweden

Jussi J. – Romania

Francis Faneli – France

Ron Paul  -- Netherlands

Ismao Hyrväninen – Finland

Ástá – Iceland/Faroes

Simon – Macedonia

Special guest: Paulina de Habana  – Cuba

SEMINARS at Galleri Kocks

Friday, July 25

16.00 Tennesee Williams in Sweden --  Dick Gindt  (Benelux/Sweden)

17.00  Rainbow Culture & HIV/AIDS – ILGCN Information Secretariat

18.00  Rainbow Culture vs. Homophobia, Neo Nazis, Pink Dollar fanatics – Tupilak

Sunday, July 27

16.00  Hungarian Rainbows – Tamás Lovas, Rudolf Balázs (Budapest)

17.00  Nordic Baltic Cultural Co-operation  -- Tupiak/ILGCN Info Secretariat

18.00  Multi Media Presentation of ILGCN Eastern European Secretariat work in Poland,

Belarus, Ukraine, etc. – secretary general Lukasz Palucki, Warsaw

Monday, July 28

16.00   Humanists on the LGBT barricades – Rolf Solheim, Oslo – Nordic Rainbow Humanists

17.00   NORDIC ordic Rainbow Council session 1 (2nd session in Helsinki. Sept. 14)

18.00   Rainbow Films and Film Festivals

– Andrejs Visockis, secretary general of the ILGCN Film Secretariat – Riga

Tuesday, July 29

16.00 Rainbow barricades in Riga – Andrejs Visockis – Mozaika- Latvia

17.00 Nazi & neo Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals

– Colin de la Motte - Sherman, ILGCN-Berlin, ILGCN Info Secretariat

18.00 Rainbow Culture vs. Nazis and neo Nazis Persecution:

art, films, drama, music, literature, homo monuments – ILGCN Info Secretariat

PERFORMANCES at Galleri Kocks

Continuo Trio – renaissance music from Budapest

– Tamás Lovas, Eszter Sztrákos, Rudolf Baláza

Thursday   July 24  20.00  (at art exhibition vernissage)

Sunday      July 27  20.00

Monday     July 28, 20.00.

Songs on Monday, July 28:

Melina of Athens, Marlene of Berlin, Lola of Paris -- 19.00

Polish songs – Lukasz Palucki, Warsaw -- 19.30

ILGCN CALLING -- JUNE, 2008

2008-06-10T14:58:00.003+02:00

ILGCN Secretariats, ambassadors, co-ordinators & supporters:

ERATO (June 2008)

Successful participation of Nordic ILGCN representatives in Bucharest Pride. More information coming in the next Erato (under preparation).

Also, more information on the long-postponed Toronto stage of an ILGCN world cultural conference coming soon. To be arranged together with the LGBT group at the University of Toronto.

Photo by Colin de la Motte-Sherman, ILGCN-Berlin

ILGCN AWARDS

2008 Grizzly Bear awards have been awarded to couragous activists in Bucharest and Chisenau -- the later where homophobes violently attacked colleagues in a bus and at the activists' center in the Moldav capital.

Proposals for other 2008 ILGCN awards are very welcome.

HELSINKI

The stage of this year's ILGCN World Cultural Conference will be extended over 2 days instead of 1 -- September 13-14, 2008 -- as part of the annual Tribade Day & Night Festival in the Finnish capital (September 10-16, 2008).

The Information Secretariat is planing to provide multi-media seminars such as:

"Nordic Rainbow Culture"
"Rainbows under Seige, Rainbows in Chains -- Estonia, Latvia,
Lithuania, Poland & Belarus"
"Rainbow Culture -- a spotlight on Nazi & neo nazi persecution of
Homosexuals."
"Nordic Rainbow Humunists -- fighting the homophobic dragons of
religions"
"Music on the Rainbow Barricades"
"Films on the Rainbow Barricades."
"Rainbow Culture vs. HIV/AIDS -- Swedish Co-operation with Baltic
Colleagues"

The secretariat will also display work from the Tupilak (Nordic rainbow cultural workers) /ILGCN Travelling Art & Photo Exhibition.

Input from other ILGCN secretariats, ambassadors, co-ordinators and supporters very welcome!!!

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL

More information about the Minneapolis stage of this year's ILGCN World Cultural Conference September 19-21, 2008 is coming in the next Erato.

Participation from ILGCN contacts and supporters is very welcome!

WORLD CONFERENCE STAGES 2009

Proposals for ILGCN world conference stages for next year are welcome and have to be approved at the Helsinki and Minneapolis/St. Paul stages.

Please submit them as soon as possible.

Keep in touch,

Bill Schiller of the ILGCN Information Secretariat

2008-03-28T00:17:00.002+01:00

ILGCN CALLING* www.ilgcn.tupilak.org

May 17 - IDAHO (International Day Against Homophobia) DAY. You are cordially invited to join us when we include an ILGCN seminar at a Stockholm event called *Rainbow Culture & HIV/ AIDS. If you can*t attend in person, any relevant material is very welcome.(As usual, we have no travel grants but will find private accommodation to avoid hotel costs!)

Bucharest -- May 19-25. We plan to include a seminar on the ILGCN and display works from our Tupilak (Nordic lesbian & Gay Cultural workers) and ILGCN art and photography. Any one able to join us and describe about work in your area is very welcome!

NEW ERATO under preparation. Any contributions..? Art work..? Please send it as soon as possible. The January 2008 ERATO is one the web!

2008 ILGCN AWARD nominations welcome!

ILGCN WORLD CULTURAL CONFERENCE STAGES 2008 - Plans are rolling for the stages in Helsinki (part of the Tribade Night & Day Festival) on September 14 and in Minneapolis/St. Paul (arranged by the ILGCN History Secretariat) September 19-21. Contributions from ILGCN cultural ambassadors and co-ordinators are very welcome!).

NEW ADDITIONS:

Our new ILGCN co-ordinator for Uganda is Kiyimba Brown of IDAHO Uganda. We hope to have an ILGCN event in Kampala in the future.

Our ILGCN cultural ambassador for Romania is Florintina, ILGCN co-ordinator is Octav Popescu.

URGENT! The ILGCN Algerian "ambassador in exile* can ONLY be reached through the ILGCN Information Secretariat because of security reasons.

Bill Schiller, secretary general of the ILGCN Information Secretariat - Stockholm

bill@tupilak.org
_____________________________________

Supporting the ILGCN Information Secretariat:

TUPILAK -- Nordic rainbow cultural workers www.tupilak.org

NORDIC RAINBOW COUNCIL

NORDIC RAINBOW HUMANISTS

TUPILAK LAUNCHES 2008 with NORDIC/BALTIC EMPHASIS, SPOTLIGHT on AIDS & CULTURE

2008-01-06T01:21:00.001+01:00

PRESS RELEASE January 3, 2008

"Blue Baltic" Festival to Link Swedish Capital with Cities in Nordic/Baltic Neighbors

TUPILAK LAUNCHES 2008 with NORDIC/BALTIC EMPHASIS, SPOTLIGHT on AIDS & CULTURE

Stockholm -- Tupilak, the Nordic organization of LGBT cultural workers in the Nordic area, is launching this year with special emphasis on co-operation projects in Sweden and in our Nordic and Baltic neighbors -- promoting the use of rainbow culture as a powerful weapon against homophobia, provincially and silence.

"We're adopting the excellent Polish idea of concrete East-West co-operation by launching the "Blue Baltic" happening " -- in Stockholm on July 19 at Södra Teatern (a week before EuroPride here) together with two cities in countries on the eastern shores of the Baltic -- pledging to increase mutual participation in each other's events. It had been hoped in vain that Europride organizers would adopt this concept to share the spotlight with Eastern European colleagues -- and maybe this may one day happen," says Tupilak chairman Bill Schiller, also general secretary of the ILGCN (International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network) Information Secretariat - Stockholm. "We have nothing against launching the idea on a smaller, less prestigious scale."

AIDS in Rainbow Culture: Baltic Spotlights and Shadows

Tupilak, the ILGCN, the Nordic Rainbow Council and the Nordic Rainbow Humanists are also planning a special cultural festival in connection with this year's May 17 IDAHO (The International Day Against Homophobia) in Stockholm -- with seminars, drama, poetry, photography, music, song and dance. The aim is to help illustrate how HIV and AIDS have been reflected -- or ignored -- in cultural life of the Nordic and Baltic region, and how rainbow culture can be better used to promote safer sex and responsibility -- especially where HIV has reached epidemic proportions in some of Sweden's eastern neighbors across the Baltic Sea.

Swedish and Polish participants at Equality Days In Poznan

Tupilak is also planning to send delegates, the travelling Tupilak/ILGCN art exhibit and films to Prides and other events in the region -- especially in the East, as well as with other "partners" in Eastern Europe such as Romania, with a Nordic-Romanian rainbow festival in Stockholm and in Bucharest during the year. The special relationship with colleagues in Belarus -- the homophobic and last East European dictatorship.

"We are attending the Nordic-Baltic conference in Warsaw February 7-10 hoping to check out what progress has been made int eh many recommendations made at the meeting in Gothenburg last September for increasing co-operation," Schiller adds. "We'll also try to attend the ILGCN world cultural conference stages in Helsinki on September 14 (part of the Tribade Days & Nights Festival) and Minneapolis/St. Paul September 19-21.

Tupilak's November 9 "Kristal Nacht" event -- held in Stockholm earlier and in other Baltic cities -- focusing on Nazi and neo Nazi persecution of homosexuals is searching for a new host city, while Tupilak's annual Moonbow art exhibit and the winter solstice festival are again booked for the Swedish capital.

"Of course, we'll be handing out our annual Tupilak, ILGCN, and other awards during the year to honor outstanding achievements in the world of rainbow culture and international human rights, "Schiller concludes. "We hope we also see a boost in new members among cultural workers and those who support rainbow culture -- since the 100 kronor membership fee and the moral support really helps a small organization like ours cross international and psychological barriers."

www.tupilak.org www.ilgcn.tupilak.org