Stop prejudices
24/11/2006
Submitted by
Ana Piponska, PR Officer, MASSO
Sto(p)rejudice
A debate titled: “Youth and Homophobia” was held on Tuesday 14.11.2006 at PM 7 at SDSM headquarters in SKopje, as part of the Stop Prejudice project to commemorate the 15 year anniversary of the Social-Democrat Alliance, organised by the party’s youth arm. The youth arms of all of the other parties were invited to the debate.
Also invited to this debate were Kocho Andonovski (MASSO President) and Ana Piponska (MASSO PR) as well as the editor of HELLO the first LGTB magazine in Macedonia.
The issues facing the LGBTQ community were discussed at the debate, as well as the level of homophobia in the country. SDSM’s support for the non-heterosexual community was highlighted during the debate, in order to develop the democratic process in Macedonia and achieve equality for all citizens.
Sto(p)rejudice
A debate titled: “Youth and Homophobia” was held on Tuesday 14.11.2006 at PM 7 at SDSM headquarters in SKopje, as part of the Stop Prejudice project to commemorate the 15 year anniversary of the Social-Democrat Alliance, organised by the party’s youth arm. The youth arms of all of the other parties were invited to the debate.
Also invited to this debate were Kocho Andonovski (MASSO President) and Ana Piponska (MASSO PR) as well as the editor of HELLO the first LGTB magazine in Macedonia.
The issues facing the LGBTQ community were discussed at the debate, as well as the level of homophobia in the country. SDSM’s support for the non-heterosexual community was highlighted during the debate, in order to develop the democratic process in Macedonia and achieve equality for all citizens.
The discussion began with a presentation of all of MASSO’s work and the future plans of the organisation, continued with a question time open to those present, and ended with short movies about the Gay pride parades in Belgrade and Ljubljana. At the end of the discussion, the SDSM once again confirmed its support in its platform for the LGBTQ community and stated that the party remains open to future projects and as a potential partner in the lowering of the level of homophobia in Macedonia.
During the address of the representative of the SDSM, Karolina Asterud, Ms. Asterud stated that the youth arm of the SDSM in 1995 decided to support the freedom of sexual orientation, and due to this during the 2006 Elections came out with a solid platform intended to ensure equality for the LGBTQ population in Macedonia. It was also mentioned that during the reign of SDSM changes favouring the LGBTQ community had been made to the Law on work relations, as well as the Law on Military Service.
The need for future education of the political parties in the area of human rights was also stressed, as well as the need for public support of the centre of left political parties of the LGBTQ community in Macedonia (which is the case throughout Europe).
Apart from politics there was also talk about the social and medical dimension of sexual orientation. The issue of the lack of further professional and educational training of the employees in the realm of human rights was raised in regards to the new law on the Police, as well as the further actualisation of the abovementioned issue.
One of the conclusions of the discussion in the Stop Prejudice project was the need of a survey of the political affiliation of the LGBTQ community in Macedonia.
We hope to see more such open debates by the remainder of the political subjects in the country. MASSO hails this initiative on behalf of the youth arm of the SDSM and believes that such approaches will contribute to the raising of political awareness and the development of democracy in Macedonia.
A debate titled: “Youth and Homophobia” was held on Tuesday 14.11.2006 at PM 7 at SDSM headquarters in SKopje, as part of the Stop Prejudice project to commemorate the 15 year anniversary of the Social-Democrat Alliance, organised by the party’s youth arm. The youth arms of all of the other parties were invited to the debate.
Also invited to this debate were Kocho Andonovski (MASSO President) and Ana Piponska (MASSO PR) as well as the editor of HELLO the first LGTB magazine in Macedonia.
The issues facing the LGBTQ community were discussed at the debate, as well as the level of homophobia in the country. SDSM’s support for the non-heterosexual community was highlighted during the debate, in order to develop the democratic process in Macedonia and achieve equality for all citizens.
Sto(p)rejudice
A debate titled: “Youth and Homophobia” was held on Tuesday 14.11.2006 at PM 7 at SDSM headquarters in SKopje, as part of the Stop Prejudice project to commemorate the 15 year anniversary of the Social-Democrat Alliance, organised by the party’s youth arm. The youth arms of all of the other parties were invited to the debate.
Also invited to this debate were Kocho Andonovski (MASSO President) and Ana Piponska (MASSO PR) as well as the editor of HELLO the first LGTB magazine in Macedonia.
The issues facing the LGBTQ community were discussed at the debate, as well as the level of homophobia in the country. SDSM’s support for the non-heterosexual community was highlighted during the debate, in order to develop the democratic process in Macedonia and achieve equality for all citizens.
The discussion began with a presentation of all of MASSO’s work and the future plans of the organisation, continued with a question time open to those present, and ended with short movies about the Gay pride parades in Belgrade and Ljubljana. At the end of the discussion, the SDSM once again confirmed its support in its platform for the LGBTQ community and stated that the party remains open to future projects and as a potential partner in the lowering of the level of homophobia in Macedonia.
During the address of the representative of the SDSM, Karolina Asterud, Ms. Asterud stated that the youth arm of the SDSM in 1995 decided to support the freedom of sexual orientation, and due to this during the 2006 Elections came out with a solid platform intended to ensure equality for the LGBTQ population in Macedonia. It was also mentioned that during the reign of SDSM changes favouring the LGBTQ community had been made to the Law on work relations, as well as the Law on Military Service.
The need for future education of the political parties in the area of human rights was also stressed, as well as the need for public support of the centre of left political parties of the LGBTQ community in Macedonia (which is the case throughout Europe).
Apart from politics there was also talk about the social and medical dimension of sexual orientation. The issue of the lack of further professional and educational training of the employees in the realm of human rights was raised in regards to the new law on the Police, as well as the further actualisation of the abovementioned issue.
One of the conclusions of the discussion in the Stop Prejudice project was the need of a survey of the political affiliation of the LGBTQ community in Macedonia.
We hope to see more such open debates by the remainder of the political subjects in the country. MASSO hails this initiative on behalf of the youth arm of the SDSM and believes that such approaches will contribute to the raising of political awareness and the development of democracy in Macedonia.
