International LGBT Conference Set for Moscow
13/02/2006
Submitted by
Nikolay Alekseev, Human Rights LGBT Project GayRussia.ru
International LGBT Conference Set for Moscow Swissotel
IDAHO conference will be part of first Moscow Pride Festival in May
MOSCOW, February 10, 2006 – The International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) conference in Moscow is to be held at the prestigious Swissôtel Krasnye Holmy, it has been announced.
The conference, one of the main events of the Moscow Gay Festive (Pride), will be held on May 26 and 27.
Already, there are 250 registrations, with many attending from within Russia, organisers say.
One of the main parts of the conference will be a seminar dedicated to the fight against HIV/AIDS which the IDAHO Committee decided to stage jointly with the Russian AIDS project La Sky.
In the year of Russian presidency of the G8 of which one of the main priorities is to fight against HIV, IDAHO delegates will be discussing local and foreign practice on HIV prevention and the social aspect.
The conference will give the opportunity for networking of regional activists. Among national groups attending will be Act-Up Paris and representatives from City Hall in Paris will relate their experiences at the local level in the fight against HIV.
After having considered several conference hall centres, Swissôtel Krasnye Holmy has been selected as the hosting place of the conference.
“Criteria involved in the selection process were central location – close to the Pride Parade which is also on May 27, safety and reliability,” said Nikolai Alekseev, one of the festival organisers. “This hotel present all the best guaranty of safety for the guests of the conference.”
He said that the one of the main concerns was that the chosen venue would suddenly close two days before the event.
“It was a real problem as the conference is on a sensitive topic,” he said. “But Swissôtel have given us firm guarantees and are themselves sensitive to our needs.
“It seemed unrealistic to organise an international conference at a cheap venue that could suddenly shut down for renovation a day before the starting of our event. We know that the event will attract media intention – the pre-pride press conference will be held at the hotel – and we want the Russian media to understand that Russian LGBT movement is not underground anymore. It’s simply a question of being taken seriously and a signal to those politicians who think that LGBT movement in Russia cannot come out of the closet”.
Swissôtel Krasnye Holmy is understood to have beaten-off competition from the Metropole, Marriott Tverskaya, Marriott Grand, the National and the Renaissance.
At 34 storeys, Swissôtel Krasnye Holmy Moscow is as one of the tallest buildings in Moscow. The hotel, part of the Raffles Group, opened in July last year.
More information on www.gayrussia.ru/en
IDAHO conference will be part of first Moscow Pride Festival in May
MOSCOW, February 10, 2006 – The International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) conference in Moscow is to be held at the prestigious Swissôtel Krasnye Holmy, it has been announced.
The conference, one of the main events of the Moscow Gay Festive (Pride), will be held on May 26 and 27.
Already, there are 250 registrations, with many attending from within Russia, organisers say.
One of the main parts of the conference will be a seminar dedicated to the fight against HIV/AIDS which the IDAHO Committee decided to stage jointly with the Russian AIDS project La Sky.
In the year of Russian presidency of the G8 of which one of the main priorities is to fight against HIV, IDAHO delegates will be discussing local and foreign practice on HIV prevention and the social aspect.
The conference will give the opportunity for networking of regional activists. Among national groups attending will be Act-Up Paris and representatives from City Hall in Paris will relate their experiences at the local level in the fight against HIV.
After having considered several conference hall centres, Swissôtel Krasnye Holmy has been selected as the hosting place of the conference.
“Criteria involved in the selection process were central location – close to the Pride Parade which is also on May 27, safety and reliability,” said Nikolai Alekseev, one of the festival organisers. “This hotel present all the best guaranty of safety for the guests of the conference.”
He said that the one of the main concerns was that the chosen venue would suddenly close two days before the event.
“It was a real problem as the conference is on a sensitive topic,” he said. “But Swissôtel have given us firm guarantees and are themselves sensitive to our needs.
“It seemed unrealistic to organise an international conference at a cheap venue that could suddenly shut down for renovation a day before the starting of our event. We know that the event will attract media intention – the pre-pride press conference will be held at the hotel – and we want the Russian media to understand that Russian LGBT movement is not underground anymore. It’s simply a question of being taken seriously and a signal to those politicians who think that LGBT movement in Russia cannot come out of the closet”.
Swissôtel Krasnye Holmy is understood to have beaten-off competition from the Metropole, Marriott Tverskaya, Marriott Grand, the National and the Renaissance.
At 34 storeys, Swissôtel Krasnye Holmy Moscow is as one of the tallest buildings in Moscow. The hotel, part of the Raffles Group, opened in July last year.
More information on www.gayrussia.ru/en
