To mark International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, the flag of EuroPride 2022 has been raised on the building of the French Embassy in Belgrade.

“France, which holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, with the symbolic gesture of raising the EuroPride flag and organizing a reception for the LGBTQI + community in Serbia, has emphasized the commitment of France and the European Union to equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity,” said the Ambassador of France to Serbia Pierre Cochard, during the reception on the occasion of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.

 

The reception, organized by the French Embassy in Serbia together with the Council of Europe and the LGBTI + community, draws public attention to the EuroPride 2022 event, which will be held in Belgrade during 12-18th of September.

Belgrade will be the first city in this part of Europe and the first city outside the European Economic Area to have the opportunity to organize this event.

“EuroPride will be a turning point for the LGBTI+ community in their fight for equality, not only in Serbia, but also in the region. On that day, all eyes in Europe will be on Belgrade and Serbia, which will be an opportunity to put additional pressure on the government to do more when it comes to the protection of human rights”, stated coordinators of EuroPride.

They also reminded that the LGBTI+ community has not changed its requirements since 2017, but that none of them has been fulfilled for five years, including the Law on Same-Sex Unions, which should have been adopted last year.

Also, they have added that members of the LGBTI+ community face discrimination and violence daily, therefore, the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT) should invite all actors in society to show solidarity with the LGBTI+ community and support them in a fight for equality.

“IDAHOBIT is a day to focus on victims. Homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, as well as any other form of hate, destroy not only the lives of individuals, but society as a whole”, stated coordinators of EuroPride.

They also say that the position of community is improving every year, but that there are alarming data showing that every second inhabitant of Serbia believes that homosexuality is a disease, while as many as 80% do not wish to have an LGBTI+ person in the family circle.

“This is a day when each of us can fight for equality. Better laws and policies are necessary, but in order for them to be adopted and implemented in practice, political will and a sincere commitment to the fight for equality are necessary. These two elements always come together. EuroPride 2022, hosted by Belgrade in September, is a real opportunity for Serbia to make a significant step forward and legally regulate same-sex unions,” said Nadia Ćuk, Deputy Head of the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade.

She added that the campaign “Block hatred, share love”, which was presented by the European Union and the Council of Europe on May 5 in Belgrade, has recently started. Ambassadors of the European Union and the Group of Francophone Ambassadors, young European ambassadors, as well as representatives of institutions that support EuroPride, are also participating in the implementation of this campaign.

 

The reception at the French Embassy was also attended by the Minister of Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue of the Republic of Serbia Gordana Čomić, who said that today is a day when we all promise to fight against hate, and state where we belong and what values ​​we fight for as a society. 

“Day of fighting against hate of minorities who are a little different from us, is just a reminder that every other day we should not choose intolerance and belittling, but choose human rights for all instead,” said Čomić.

The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia has been marked since 2004 in order to draw public attention to the enormous stigma, discrimination and violence that LGBTI+ people continue to face.

Sunday

September 12

20:00
National Theatre in Belgrade (Francuska 3) – Raša Plaović stage
Theater play “An ongoing song” (Part of the repertoire of the Heartefact Pride Theatre Festival) – Tickets

Monday

September 13

12:00
KC Grad (Braće Krsmanović 4)
Afternoon Matinée with the crew of “An Ongoing Song”
17:00
KC Grad (Braće Krsmanović 4)
Pride Delicacy Monday
18:00
Muzej Kinoteke (Kosovska 11)
Documentary film “In bed with Madonna” (USA, 1991) – Directed by Alek Keshishian. Discussion with David Firanj (author of the book “Madonna’s queer”)
18:00
Kafe bar 16, Cetinjska 15A
Media picture from this side of the rainbow
18:30
KC Grad (Braće Krsmanović 4)
Opening of exhibition: “Beautiful night encounters and other stories” – Jetmir Idrizi
20:00
Theatre Vuk (Bulevar kralja Aleksandra 77a)
Theatre play “Fear of butterflies” (Part of the repertoire of the Heartefact Pride Theatre Festival) – Tickets
20:30
Muzej Kinoteke (Kosovska 11)
Documentary film “Strike a pose” (The Netherlands, 2016) – directed by Ester Gould, Reijer Zwaan

Tuesday

September 14

16:00
Prajd Info Center (Kralja Milana 20)
About TIGV activism with the community
18:00
Muzej Kinoteke (Kosovska 11)
Short film “Sergeant” (Serbia, 2011) – directed by Nikola Ljuca
18:00 (after the short film “Sergeant”)
Muzej Kinoteke (Kosovska 11)
Film “Through the rainforests of South America” (Serbia, 1992) – directed by Ales Kurt, Marko Marinković, Slobodan Skerlić
18:00
KC Grad (Braće Krsmanović 4)
Community talks: Hate crime as a criminal act
20:00
National Theatre in Belgrade (Francuska 3) – Raša Plaović stage
Theater play “Watch out for the void” (Part of the repertoire of the Heartefact Pride Theatre Festival) – Tickets
20:30
Muzej Kinoteke (Kosovska 11)
Film “Ciao, inspector” (SFRY, 1985) – directed by Zoran Čalić

Wednesday

September 15

10:00-13:00
Media Center (Terazije 3) – Grand hall, 2nd floor
Twelve years of hardship or freedom? Implemmentation of the Law on the Prohibition of Discrimination
17:00
Prajd info center (Kralja Milana 20)
Presentation of research: What does the coming out process of LGB persons in Serbia look like? (PIN . Psychological Innovation Network)
18:00
Muzej Kinoteke (Kosovska 11)
Film “Gods and monsters” (USA, 1998) – directed by Bill Condon
18:00
KC Grad (Braće Krsmanović 4)
Community talks: How should we celebrate Pride?
20:00
Belgrade Drama Theatre (Mileševska 64A)
Theatre play “Rain drops over hot stones” (Part of the repertoire of the Heartefact Pride Theatre Festival) – Tickets
20:30
Muzej Kinoteke (Kosovska 11)
Film “Veridba” (SAD, 1996) – režija Mike Nichols
22:00
Belgrade Youth Centre (Makedonska 22)
Film “Silent Voice” (France, Belgium, 2020)

Thursday

September 16

10:00-15:00
Mama Shelter, Atelier 2 (Kneza Mihaila 54)
International Human Rights Conference: Effective Inclusion of LGBTIQ Persons
15:00
Live stream, Facebook and YouTube channels of the National Youth Council of Serbia
Youth Dialogue with the Minister for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue (KOMS)
15:30
KC Grad (Braće Krsmanović 4)
Queer Bodies: Poetry Reading with Agon Rexhepi
18:00
Muzej Kinoteke (Kosovska 11)
Film “Bound” (USA, 1996) – directed by Lana Wachowski, Lily Wachowski
18:00
KC Grad (Braće Krsmanović 4)
Community talks: Being a queer pupil in smaller communities
20:00
Endžio HAB (Dobračina 4)
Performance “The Cadela Força Project – first chapter: The bride and the Good Night Cinderella”
20:30
Muzej Kinoteke (Kosovska 11)
Film “Heavenly Creatures” (New Zealand, Germany, 1994) – directed by Peter Jackson
21:00
KC Grad (Braće Krsmanović 4)
Queer Soirée

Friday

September 17

10:00-14:30
Impact Hub Beograd (Makedonska 21)
Pride Forum
14:30 – 17:00
Impact Hub Beograd (Makedonska 21)
National film premiere “Welcome to Chechnya” followed by the testimony and discussion with one of the victims from Chechnya
16:00
Pride Info Center (Kralja Milana 20)
How does the government react to our problems and do LGBTI+ organisations really address our problems and messages?
17:30
Pride Info Center (Kralja Milana 20)
Reading room: The pink flame of our literature – meetings of Serbian and Slovenian writers
18:00
Muzej Kinoteke (Kosovska 11)
Film “Different from the Others” (Germany, 1919) – directed by Richard Oswald
18:00
KC Grad (Braće Krsmanović 4)
Community talks: Queer migrants on the edge of the margin
19:00
Dim (Cetinjska 15)
Performance “Lucky Pierre: A guide to repetition” – Dardan Zhegrova
20:30
Muzej Kinoteke (Kosovska 11)
Film “Different from You and Me” (Germany, 1957) – directed by Veit Harlan
21:00
Ljubimac (Cetinjska 15)
LBTQ Women Party
21:30
Dragstor (Bulevar Despota Stefana 115)
Drag Party

Saturday

September 18

16:00-23:00

PRIDE DAY (Park Manjež)

18:00
Muzej Kinoteke (Kosovska 11)
Film “Show me love” (Sweden, Denmark, 1998) – directed by Lukas Moodysson
20:30
Muzej Kinoteke (Kosovska 11)
Film “Eastern Boys” (France, 2013) – directed by Robin Campillo

On 17 May 1990, the World Health Organization removed homosexuality from its list of diseases and mental disorders. This historical fact inspired Saša Gavrić and Jasmina Čaušević to collect all reference works in one place and give an overview of the development of the contemporary LGBT history in the last thirty years in the Western Balkans. How has the contemporary gay and trans history developed in the Western Balkan countries? What influenced the demedicalisation and decriminalisation of homosexuality? How did LGBTI activism develop in the region in this period? How did legal protection develop, and which areas did it include? How have the processes of democratisation and Europeanisation affected the lives of LGBTI people? These are just some of the questions the answers to which the authors have been pursuing during their work on this book.

You can find the book in English here.

In 2020, due to the global pandemic, Belgrade Pride has taken a new form, under the slogan “Solidarity Even Within 4 Walls”. Solidarity and mutual support must not be absent even during such extraordinary circumstances, isolation and physical distancing. For that reason, this year’s Pride Week has been full of diverse content that was available online. Events organized were both informative and entertaining. We organized panel discussions covering subjects of key importance to the LGBT+ community such as advocating for legislation and building alliances. We also had the opportunity to hear personal stories from transgender and non-binary people and fun shows relating to various themes, from fashion to turbo folk. Those online events have allowed people to participate in Pride Week safely, which is especially important for those who would not be able to physically participate on a Pride March.

Furthermore, through the campaign “Be brave”, on each day of Pride Week we published a photo displaying a particular social problems that members of LGBT+ community are facing. A short video “Hey You”, that has gathered people from the community and allies aiming to send out a message to LGBT+ people telling them that they are not alone, has been very successful on social media, and has managed to accomplish 60 000 views on Instagram alone. The media campaign “A pebble in our show?” began on 22. September 2020. When popular singer Nataša Bekvalac appeared on television to draw attention to the problems that LGBT+ people are facing due to their relationships not being recognized before the law. From then on, the campaign has been supported by a large number of celebrities, with the important element of the of the campaign being a petition for the adoption of the Civil Partnership Law.

Belgrade Pride in cooperation with Civil Rights Defenders organized a human rights conference entitled “Beyond 2020: The LGBT Community in an Era of Populism”.

Held on Friday 13 September in Belgrade, the conference invited human rights experts and LGBT+ activists from Serbia, Croatia, North Macedonia, Albania, as well as the US, Sweden, Germany and The Netherlands, to share views on LGBT+ issues in an era of populist narratives.

Populist trends are on the rise at both international and regional level and its effects are being felt across the LGBT+ community. From the West to the Balkan states, anti-LGBT+ discrimination is being accommodated by right-wing populist agendas, which both dominate public discourse and threaten our decades-long fight for equality and freedom for all. In order to map out the struggle ahead and what awaits post-2020, participants shared experiences across the world and how to confront such threats in unison and solidarity. 

Keynote speakers at the conference included Dorothea Gieselmann, Deputy Ambassador at the Embassy of Germany in Belgrade, who drew parallels with the growing right-wing populist trends in her country, and the current political landscape in the Western Balkans. 

Fredd E. Siquoa, better known as ‘Mr Tree’, who was a bartender at the Stonewall Inn on that fateful night in 1969, also shared his experiences from the early struggle for LGBTI rights. He told those in attendance: “One day this fight will be over and I will proudly remember that I was with you at the beginning of your journey”.

Belgrade Pride under the slogan ‘I’m not giving up’ was successfully held without any major incidents on Sunday 15th September in Belgrade, Serbia. 

Organizers say around 2,000 people attended, marking the sixth consecutive year that Pride marches have successfully taken place in Belgrade without being banned by local authorities. 

Amongst those in attendance was Serbia’s Prime Minister, Ana Brnabic – the only openly lesbian Head of Government – who suggested the event signaled that “Serbia is a truly open and tolerant society.”

Activists, though, dispute this and stress that each year their demands have remained the same; reflecting a frustration that LGBT+ rights and issues in Serbia are fundamentally unchanged, despite some superficial improvements. These demands include the adoption of legislation for registered same-sex partnerships and gender identity. 

Goran Miletic, a member of the organising committee at Belgrade Pride and Director for Europe at Civil Rights Defenders told reporters “we also demand stronger efforts to prevent violence and discrimination against LGBT+ persons, and this is primarily directed towards prosecutors and the justice system in Serbia.”

During the official program, organisers thanked everyone who supported Pride, and ceremoniously awarded the ‘Godmother’ of Pride to popular singer Sara Jovanovic, better known as Sara Jo, who said she accepted the title to help break some of the long-standing prejudices in society. “There are two crucial features of any family – love and character. Love recognizes no gender, race,  or any kind of etiquette, ”she said, followed by a standing ovation.

In addition to the strong support Sunday’s march received from locals, around 100 activists from the region travelled to Serbia to express solidarity with Belgrade Pride.

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Over a hundred LGBTI+ activists and civil society organisations from across the Western Balkans joined Belgrade Pride last Sunday (15 September). 

In the spirit of solidarity, activists from Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Bosnia & Herzegovina made their way to Serbia’s capital to show support to Belgrade Pride. Dozens of activists from Greece, Norway, Belarus and the United States were also amongst the crowd, sharing experiences with one another on the struggles they face in their respective communities. 

Most guests from the region arrived for the entire Pride Week, which featured over 70 cultural and informative events including Pride Theatre and the International Pride Forum, where several participated in the discussions. 

This show of unity amongst Pride activists in the Western Balkans comes after each organization in the region officially submitted letters of support to Belgrade’s EuroPride 2022 bid. Fatima Dzehverovic, from Bosnia and Herzegovina Pride March organisation explained “Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and all the countries from the region are with Belgrade. This is a defining moment for all of us”

Such solidarity is a growing trend in the Western Balkans where activists often attend each other’s key manifestation. As the number of cities to hold Pride marches grows year by year, regional support becomes a central feature in the fight for equality.

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EuroPride 2022 in Belgrade will be a landmark event for Europe’s entire LGBTI+ community.

Away from the colourful celebrations which embody Pride marches across the continent, a struggle for basic human rights is in full-swing on its eastern frontiers. The LGBTI+ community remains one of the most discriminated groups in the Western Balkans, while legislations on same-sex partnerships and gender identity are yet to be adopted. Hosting EuroPride outside the European Economic Area (EEA) for the first time will, therefore, not only leave a meaningful legacy in the region, but recapture a fighting spirit amongst Europe’s Pride movements. It will also acquaint the LGBTI+ community with the vast opportunities in the Western Balkans and Belgrade as a city, which is above all, well-connected, cheap, fun and hospitable and safe. 

In the region, the effect of hosting EuroPride 2022 will be truly ground-breaking. While we are under no illusions about the steepness of the uphill challenge that awaits, we are immensely proud of the headway we have made in recent years. Namely, Pride marches today decorate each and every capital city in the Western Balkans, and are spreading to smaller towns and cities in the region. Our latest additions – Skopje and Sarajevo – are shining examples of the importance of Pride for open and tolerant societies to flourish. For this struggle is not only a matter of LGBTI+ rights and issues, but of European and democratic values, of a free-thinking society and of solidarity with all other discriminated minorities. 

It is also a matter of sustainability. We have reached a critical stage where for the first time ever the private sector is realizing the value of supporting our cause. Businesses are enquiring about sponsorship opportunities, and although no tangible effects have been felt yet, we are heading in the right direction and EuroPride in Belgrade will help drive this message to the heart of the corporate world.  

Finally, it will deliver a sense of much-needed empowerment and validation to LGBTI+ activists in the Western Balkans who have been on the frontlines and committed their lives to a struggle for a better and brighter tomorrow. 

We invite you to join us in this defining moment!

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Launched by American artist and activist Joan Lipkin, with her creative team of Pavle Menalo (producer), Borisav Matić (dramaturg), and Ellen Schaeffer (transcription). Created based on the true stories of many Queer Cafe sessions, this show covers topics ranging from discovering one’s sexuality to dating, family, school, church, business, marriage, and hope for the future.

It presents the perspectives of people from Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Slovenia and other places in the region. A strong imprint is left by the actors as they move through the various characters from topic to topic. 

The performance was followed by interaction with the audience. They shared very positive opinions in the full hall of the Pride Info Center. The show is designed so that when it comes to interacting with the audience, the audience can also connect with each other. The performance is also for people outside the community who can hear something new and thus be educated about the experiences of their friends or family members who may be part of the community.

Joan’s main goal was to bring people together and make new friendships within the community, as well as to educate through real life examples for people outside the community, and those who succeeded in the first time during Belgrade Pride Week.

Join us and revisit this short performance on September 14th at 8pm at the Pride Info Center.

 

Autor: Joan Lipkin

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