17 May - International Day Against Homophobia
On 17 of May 1990 the World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from the list of mental disorders! However, there are still countries in the world where the homosexuality is considered as a crime or sickness. Besides physical punishment, in 9 countries homosexuals are sentenced to death.
Again this year on 17 of May – the international Day Against Homophobia, the Bulgarian gay organization “Gemini” is organizing a campaing, to show that the human rights are for all human beings and nobody deserves to be treated as invisible.
What will happen on 17 of May 2006:
10:00 to 20:00 - Homophobia Free Zone ;
Cartoonifestation - Exhibition of human-size carton people with messages on their chest;
The Rainbow flag of couples , 15 meters long;
Informational materials on homophobia, sexual orientation and discrimination;
20:00 – Minute of silence .
The initially requested by BGO Gemini place (the square at the front of NDK – the National Palace of Culture) was rejected by the Sofia Municipality for unclear reasons. The discussion with the Municipality is continuing to hold the event in the garden/park between Vassil Levski Blvd. and 19 February Str. (between Sofia University and the Parliament), or in the garden/park in front of the National Library.
At 13:00 BGO Gemini will meet the Mayor of Sofia – Gen. Boyko Borisov at the Sofia Municipality , who will accept the Bulgarian Law for protection against discrimination as symbolic gesture and will place it on visible and accessible place in the municipality building. Join us for this meeting!
The answer from the Minister of interior Mr. Rumen Petkov is expected, as well as from Mr. Daniel Valchev from the Ministry of Education and science and Mrs. Vesela Lecheva from the State Agency of Youth Sports.
The Minister of Labor and Social Policy Mrs. Emilia Maslarova is abroad and will not be able to accept the symbolic anti-discrimination Law. The press-office of the Ministry advised us that currently the Ministry has other priorities. Apparently, more important and urgent that the fight against discrimination.
