declaration IGLYO, IFM-SEI and ECOSY
Extra-ordinary Declaration against Homophobia
Yesterday, whilst young people from all over Europe gathered at the Council of Members of the European Youth Forum in Prato, Italy, right wing extremists attacked young lesbian and gay people taking part in a gay pride event which was held during the festival of Tolerance in Krakow, Poland. Young people demonstrating their freedom to assembly were attacked. stones and eggs were thrown at them in the streets. An expression of affirmation for Human dignity, the right to chose life paths and the cherishing of social diversity was met by violence and hatred.
We express our outrage at this new outbreak of homophobia, which sadly continues to manifest itself in our society.
Homosexuality is strongly impeded in different European countries by the attitude of state bodies, for instance not allowing for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people to celebrate their rights. Violation of fundamental Human Rights taking place when governmental representatives label lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people as deviants, should not be tolerated.
Freedom of assembly and the freedom of expression forms the main foundation of different Human Rights conventions. The prohibition of gay pride events as happened recently in Warsaw, Poland, is additionally still being supported by the Moscow Mayor for a planned gay pride in May. This constitutes a violation of Human Rights and should be strongly condemned.
The principles on which the European Union is founded include Human Rights for all citizens. These are frequently being violated when it comes to discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. We remind the European Union member states of the pledges they made in article 13 of the Amsterdam treaty, which calls for appropriate action to combat discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation. Furthermore, we remind Member States of the European charter of fundamental Human Rights, which includes the prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation. We demand that the European Commission and the European Council take actions against those Member States who violate fundamental Human Rights and fail to take the necessary measures to protect young lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people from discrimination.
We call upon the General Assembly of the United Nations to recognize the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) on the 17th of May as an official calendar day. This initiative would give a clear and positive signal to everyone who stands for Human Rights and freedoms, especially lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, whom are facing discrimination in their every day life. We encourage citizens of Europe to embrace the diverse society in which we live.
The resolution was signed on the 29th of April 2006 in Prato, Italy, by the following representatives to the Council of Members of the European Youth Forum:
1. Tamsin Pearce International Falcon Movement – Se IFM-SEI
2. Björn Van Roozendaal IGLYO (International Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Youth and Student Organisation)
3. Jovana Bazerkovska OBESSU (Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions)
4. Yvonne O’Callaghan IUSY (International Union of Socialist Youth)
5. Srd Kisevic LYMEC (European Liberal Youth)
6. Olga Israel EUJS (European Union of Jewish Students)
7. Ines Prainsack DEMYC (Democrat Youth Community of Europe)
8. Jakob Paaskejensen ICYE (International Cultural Youth Exchange in Europe)
9. Aleksander Studen-Kirchner YEN (Youth of European Nationalities)
10. Maria Paschou ESYN (National Council of Hellas; Greece)
11. Marianne Muonzi Alliansi – Finnish National Youth Council
12. Tine Cornillie FIMCAP (International Federation of Catholic Parochial Youth Movements)
13. Petra Schnabel EYCE (Ecumenical Youth Council in Europe)
14. Sabine Klocker RYEurope (Rural Youth Europe)
15. Milosz Czerniejewski SCI (Service Civil International)
16. Christoffer Grønstad LNU (The Norwegian Youth Council)
17. Hanh Nha Ruyther EEE-YFU (European Educational Exchanges – Youth For Understanding)
18. Akos Lehotkai GyIK-NIKI (Greece Youth Council)
19. Marius Ulozas YEU (Youth For Exchange and Understanding)
20. Rein Meus
21. Donika Goday YWCA (Young Women’s Christian Association)
22. Stephen Matthews YMCA (European Alliance of Young Men’s Christian Associations)
23. Ania Skrzypek ECOSY – Young European Socialists
24. Constantinos Papatryfonas CYC (Cyprus Youth Council)
25. Hoskuldur Saemundsson LÆF (National Youth Council of Iceland)
26. Kay Ritchie BYC (British Youth Council)
27. Viorel Proteasa CTR (Romanian Youth Council)
28. Lisa Vaccarino ICYCW (International Coordination of Young Christian Workers)
29. Wouter Bruma
30. Regula Heggli SAJV/CSAJ (National Youth Council of Switzerland)
31. Veselin Iliev EBCO / BEOC (European Bureau for Conscientious Objection)
32. Kadri Vanem EGTYF (European Good Templars Youth Fedaration)
33. Khaalid Hassan Dutch NYC (Dutch National Youth Council)
34. Ernest Urtasun FYEG (Federation of Young European Greens)
35. Haris Subasic TEJO (World Organisation of Young Esperantists)
36. Mette Kirstine Schmidt DUF (Danish Youth Council)
37. Mikaël Garnier-Lavelley CNAJEP (French Youth Council)
38. Ramon Serra Santaeufemia CNJC (Catalan Youth Council)
39. Cecilia Lohasz IYNF/IJAN (International Young Nature Friends)
40. Marta Escribano YFJ (European Youth Forum)
41. … CJE (Spanish Youth Council)
42. Igor Casapu CNTM (National Youth Council from Moldova)
43. Igor Casapu Youth Employment Centre for Moldova
44. Mike Walker WOSM (World Organization of Scout Movement)
45. Martin Aschauer EFYSO (European Federation of Youth Service Organisations)
46. Effie Gavriel DEMYC (Democrat Youth Community of Europe)
47. Nina Svensson LSU (Swedish Youth Council)
48. Martin Kaasgaard DUF (Danish Youth Council)
49. Jan Kreutz YFJ (European Youth Forum)
50. Bettina Schwarzmayr YFJ (European Youth Forum)
51. Ioannis Piliouris ESYN (Bureau Member of Hellenic Youth Council )
52. Jan Kamey
53. Roman Kuehn ALLIANCE of European Voluntary Service Organisations
54. Carlos Crespo CRIJ (Comité pour les Relations Internationales de Jeunesse)
55. Diogo Pinto YFJ (European Youth Forum)
56. Leif Holmberg YFJ (European Youth Forum)
57. Lea Torve Iren WAGGS (World Association of Girls Guides and Girls Scouts)
58. Hiroshima Mandee YFJ (European Youth Forum)
59. Tine Radinja MSS (National Youth Council of Slovenia)
60. Erik Schionnemann DUF (Danish Youth Council)
61. Carla Mouro CNJ (Portuguese Youth Council)
62. Benoît Benich YFJ (European Youth Forum)
63. Anne Debrandere YFJ (European Youth Forum)
64. Maxim Cerutti YFJ (European Youth Forum)
65. Ante Martic YFJ (European Youth Forum)
66. Nikola Ornig Austrian National Youth Council & European Youth Forum
67. Ilmari Nalbantoglu Finnish Youth Cooperation Allianssi and European Youth Forum
68. Karolina Wysocka
69. Gerard Oosterwijk DNYC (Dutch National Youth Council)
70. Solveig Riiser IUSY (International Union of Socialist Youth)
71. Rune Arctander LNU (Norwegian Youth Council)
72. Jörg Hölzmer CESI-Youth (European Federation of Independent Trade Unions)
73. Dietmar Kneuht CESI-Youth (European Federation of Independent Trade Unions)
74. Etienne Genet CNAJEP (Comité pour les Relations Nationales et Internationales des Associations de Jeunesse et d’Education Populaire)
75. Giuseppe Porgarro WOSM (World Organisation of the Scounte Movement – European Office)
76. Ilaria Olimpico FNG (Italian Youth Forum)
77. Luca Scarpiello OBESSU (Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions)
78. Tanya Basarab YFJ (European Youth Forum)
79. Tamar Kekenadze NCYOG (National Council of Youth Organisations Georgia)
80. Diana Tamm ENL (National Youth Council of Estonia)
81. Bram Vermeiren VJR (Flemish Youth Council)
82. Marianne Schapmans VJR (Flemish Youth Council)
83. Renaldas Vaisbrodas YFJ (European Youth Forum)
84. Mariana Turcan YFJ (European Youth Forum)
85. Petcov Agata YFJ (European Youth Forum)
86. Marta Gomez YFJ (European Youth Forum)
87. Saray Espejo YFJ (European Youth Forum)
88. Patricia Sanchez YFJ (European Youth Forum)
89. Alix Masson YFJ (European Youth Forum)
90. James Doorley YFJ (European Youth Forum)
91. Jaakko Weuro YFJ (European Youth Forum)
92. Tania Matias CGJL (Luxembourg Youth Forum)
93. Malte Spitz DNK (German Youth Council)
94. Peter Blaas RMS (Youth Council of Slovakia)
95. Ewoud Roes YFJ (European Youth Forum)
96. Sarah Welford ATD-Quart Monde (International ATD Fourth World Movement)
97. Peter Wood European Union Affairs Commission of the European Youth Forum
98. Roisin Fitzgerald WAGGS (World Association of Girls Guides and Girls Scouts)
99. Alfredo Garcia YAP (Youth Action for Peace)
100. Peter Torp Madsen YFJ (European Youth Forum)
101. Luiza Bara YFJ (European Youth Forum)
102. Anje Fellerer ÖJV-Austria (Austrian Youth Council