Brits host LGBT reception in St Petersburg
20/04/2011
Submitted by
ILGA-Europe
Original source: http://www.times.spb.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=33868
The British Consulate General in St. Petersburg hosted a reception and presentation for representatives of the local LGBT community Tuesday.
“The United Kingdom government is committed to defending the basic rights and freedoms of vulnerable groups, not least gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people,” Deputy Consul General Ben Greenwood said in an email Tuesday.
“We are delighted to welcome a number of Russian LGBT organizations to the British Consulate-General in St. Petersburg to demonstrate the diversity of cultural activity in support of LGBT issues in Russia.”
The British Consulate General has been an active supporter of LGBT rights in St Petersburg in recent years, according to Greenwood.
“For example, in 2009 and 2010 we cooperated with the ‘Side by Side’ LGBT International Film Festival. Last year, we also lent our support to the St. Petersburg International Festival of Queer Culture,” he pointed out.
“We believe events like these play an important role in highlighting, peacefully and lawfully, the issues that affect LGBT people.’
Igor Kochetkov, the chair of the Russian LGBT Network, said that thanks to the British Consulate General, the LGBT community had gotten a rare chance to speak to local officials.
“We’re very grateful to the British Consulate for providing us with such a platform for a meeting between representatives of the St. Petersburg authorities and of civil society,” Kochetkov said Tuesday.
“To be honest, we’re planning this event not for the British Consulate, but to speak with our fellow Petersburgers.
“Unfortunately, there is a high level of distrust and fear of the LGBT community and LGBT organizations, and that’s why it’s important for us that diplomats offer a mediatory opportunity for communication between civil society and the authorities.”
According to Kochetkov, invitations were sent to a number of City Hall’s committees, including the international relations committee and the committee on youth policies and interaction with NGOs. Greenwood said that an official from the international relations committee had represented City Hall at the event.
In recent years, the St. Petersburg authorities put pressure on several events organized by the LGBT community.
The “Side by Side” LGBT International Film Festival was shut down after fire inspectors visited and closed the venues it was due to be held at in 2008.
City Hall also refused to authorize a Gay Pride march last year on grounds described by the organizers as “ridiculous.” When the activists held it without the authorization, the march was broken up by the police and a number of participants were detained.
The British Consulate General in St. Petersburg hosted a reception and presentation for representatives of the local LGBT community Tuesday.
“The United Kingdom government is committed to defending the basic rights and freedoms of vulnerable groups, not least gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people,” Deputy Consul General Ben Greenwood said in an email Tuesday.
“We are delighted to welcome a number of Russian LGBT organizations to the British Consulate-General in St. Petersburg to demonstrate the diversity of cultural activity in support of LGBT issues in Russia.”
The British Consulate General has been an active supporter of LGBT rights in St Petersburg in recent years, according to Greenwood.
“For example, in 2009 and 2010 we cooperated with the ‘Side by Side’ LGBT International Film Festival. Last year, we also lent our support to the St. Petersburg International Festival of Queer Culture,” he pointed out.
“We believe events like these play an important role in highlighting, peacefully and lawfully, the issues that affect LGBT people.’
Igor Kochetkov, the chair of the Russian LGBT Network, said that thanks to the British Consulate General, the LGBT community had gotten a rare chance to speak to local officials.
“We’re very grateful to the British Consulate for providing us with such a platform for a meeting between representatives of the St. Petersburg authorities and of civil society,” Kochetkov said Tuesday.
“To be honest, we’re planning this event not for the British Consulate, but to speak with our fellow Petersburgers.
“Unfortunately, there is a high level of distrust and fear of the LGBT community and LGBT organizations, and that’s why it’s important for us that diplomats offer a mediatory opportunity for communication between civil society and the authorities.”
According to Kochetkov, invitations were sent to a number of City Hall’s committees, including the international relations committee and the committee on youth policies and interaction with NGOs. Greenwood said that an official from the international relations committee had represented City Hall at the event.
In recent years, the St. Petersburg authorities put pressure on several events organized by the LGBT community.
The “Side by Side” LGBT International Film Festival was shut down after fire inspectors visited and closed the venues it was due to be held at in 2008.
City Hall also refused to authorize a Gay Pride march last year on grounds described by the organizers as “ridiculous.” When the activists held it without the authorization, the march was broken up by the police and a number of participants were detained.
