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
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 program11TH ILGCN WCC program Helsinki11th WCC Toronto programAny 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
