VANCOUVER, July 29  —  Their vision was to reach out to the world – and reach out they did.  But the Gay and Lesbian International Sport Association (GLISA) refuses to sit back and pat themselves on the back.

“GLISA has managed a presence with our ‘Outgames’ brand at the Copenhagen, Manchester, Toronto, San Francisco, São Paulo, New York, Toronto, Sydney and Berlin Prides – and we’re not finished yet,” said GLISA’s Executive Director, Rachel Corbett.

GLISA’s mandate since attracting over 65 new members is now to focus on promoting and responsibly delivering its 1^st World Outgames event in partnership with the Organizing Committee of Montréal 2006.

“Although we’re a small, but dedicated Board of Directors it’s been amazing how many events we have found ourselves at throughout the year”, comments Catherine Meade, GLISA’s Co-President. “Our Team has attended the EuroGames in Utrecht, Sydney’s Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, the International Front Runners Annual Meeting in San Francisco, the International Gay & Lesbian Aquatics championships in Atlanta and the FINA World Aquatic Championships in Montreal.”

Until the end of August, outreach continues full steam ahead said GLISA board member Mark Tewksbury “GLISA will have a presence at the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta for rowing, the International Gay and Lesbian Football Championships in Copenhagen, speaking at a forum on Homophobia in Europe, and will participate in the Manchester Pride Games,” the swimming gold-medal Olympian added.

All of this activity leads directly to GLISA’s Inaugural Delegate Congress and voting assembly to take place in Montréal from August 30 and September 2.

“GLISA’s Inaugural Delegate Congress is an essential component of our democratic governance”, asserts Ole Udsholt, GLISA’s European Board Member from Copenhagen.  Udsholt goes on to say that, “the Delegate Congress, attracting over 50 member delegates, will meet in Montréal to elect GLISA’s first formal Board of Directors and continue to conduct GLISA’s visionary work.”

One of the items at the Delegate Congress will be the selection and announcement of the 2^nd World Outgames host city.  “We are excited to see the 2009 Outgames inherit the wonderful legacy of our 1^st World Outgames next year in Montreal,” said Geoff Lyne, GLISA’s Board Member from Sydney, Australia and Co-Chair of GLISA’s Site Selection Committee.

In addition, there will be the third annual outreach fund-raising event, the Rendez-Vous, Gold Edition.  “The event benefits the development of LGBT sports and kicks off with the Nuit d’Or, a gourmet cocktail dinatorie on Thursday, September 1,” Co-president Thomas Kevin Dolan said.

“Then, watch the Village come alive for the Rendez-Vous in the Village on Saturday and Sunday, when Sainte-Catherine Street will be closed to automobile traffic to make way for sport and cultural demonstrations and activities, a festive preview of the Outgames next summer,” added Cathy Sellers, GLISA’s Board from the United States. “Village bars and restaurants will be creating special outdoor terraces just for the occasion, it’s an  event only a city like Montreal can produce and we are thrilled to be a part of it.”

■  With exactly a year to go to the opening of the inaugural Outgames in Montréal, the organizers say that registration have now topped the 6,000 mark.  So far, participants are coming from 90 different countries.

LINK