The new organization to become an international observatory against homophobia

PARIS, May 17, 2005  –  It started, as things often do, as the dream of one person.  In this instance, a gay man in Paris.  Last May, the dream became a reality as more than 35 countries marked the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) with a variety of projects, many of which captured the imagination.
 

There was the candle prayers in Colombo, Sri Lanka; the balloon over the sky in Kiev; and the Amsterdam ‘Kiss-In”.  All bought home the message that homophobia needs to be stamped out world-wide.

Louis-Georges Tin, the founder and president of IDAHO, had built-up a small but effective network of correspondents world-wide.  The result was a very successful first “World Day”.  So impressed was the Belgium Parliament that by unanimous vote elected representatives set IDAHO in their national calendar – the first country to do so.

■ Louis-Georges Tin

Today, Louis-Georges Tin announced the official creation of IDAHO which is registered in Paris as a non-governmental organisation (NGO).  The aim of IDAHO is to encourage other NGOs, group and individuals into action to eradicate homophobia world-wide.

“We want to become an international observatory against homophobia,” Mr. Tin told UK Gay News. 

He pointed out that in around 80 countries homosexuality continues to be illegal, with penalties ranging from imprisonment to execution.

“But the fact remains that the more enlightened governments are doing little to improve matters for LGBT people in the less enlightened countries.  In the name of ‘realpolitik’, democratic governments maintain the cordial relationship with dictatorships and often will expel homo or transsexuals back to the countries from which they escaped where prison, torture or even death awaits them.”

Mr. Tin said that setting up an international organisation took time and in the interim there had to be appointments to work on the development of the organisation and that Nikolai Alekseev had been appointed executive secretary.

“I welcome the important work that Nikolai did for IDAHO and for Russia,” said Mr Tin who added that the executive team would be five-strong.

“The most important job is done by our National Correspondents in their respective countries and we work for them not for ourselves,” Alekseev told UK Gay News.

“We need to seek worldwide financing so that we can organise actions throughout the world, and support National Correspondents and their LGBT activities,” he added.

IDAHO has a particular focus on Africa, with the correspondent for Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Carlos Idibouo, very active within the entire continent.  He takes the post of IDAHO vice president and will co-ordinate projects in Africa.

The new international NGO will stage its first international conference in Moscow next May.  It will run in parallel with the first-ever Moscow Gay Festival and Pride.

Earlier this year, Mr. Tin said that the combined conference and Pride would be a milestone in Russian gay history.  “I urge LGBT people in Russia not to be spectators of their collective destiny, but to join the historical movement which is happening at the moment in their home country,” he said.

The conference is scheduled during the Gay & Lesbian Festival on May 26-27 in the Russian capital.  Its aim is to bring together in experts, scientists, politicians and activists from Russian and abroad who can meet and exchange their experiences with local activists.

“We want our conferences to be a point of exchange on the issue of homophobia” said Mr. Tin.

“It’s amazing how the news about this festival in Moscow has spread around the world so fast. Every day, I get in contact with new people who already heard about it,” he added.

As a result of the attention around the Moscow conference, a number of countries, including Israel and Brazil,  have offered to host the 2007 conference.

After the announcement of the official creation of IDAHO Committee in Paris anyone can become a member of IDAHO.

“We welcome both organisations and private individuals,” Mr Alekseev emphasised, adding that membership is free. “Next year we will launch a newly branded website of IDAHO where all the information on membership will be published.”

■ For further information and membership details please contact Nikolai Alekseev, Executive Secretary of IDAHO Committee at nicolas_alexeyev (at) yahoo.com

Information on the IDAHO International Conference is at http://www.gayrussia.ru/en/anketa.php

SEE ALSO

The Horror of Gay Life in Uganda...  By Louis-Georges Tin.  It’s Wednesday October 26.  The time is around seven in the evening in Kampala, capital of Uganda.  The pastor praying with the faithful when the police arrive and breaks up prayers.  The Church is closed and the pastor is taken to the police station.  His shoes are removed … What is the crime?  It is because he is homosexual; worse still, is it because he is a homosexual activist? (UK Gay News, November 2, 2005)

LINK

IDAHO website