Queer Culture Festival in St. Petersburg: a Success despite Obstacles
03/10/2010
Submitted by
St. Petersburg LGBT Organization "Coming Out"
In spite of the obstacles and difficulties all events of the International Queer Culture Festival were successfully realized. From September 16 to 25 in St. Petersburg musicians and poets performed, photographers and artists exhibited their works, all in support of ideas of tolerance and adequate attitude towards gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people (LGBT).
All planned events took place without unwanted interruptions. In response to the attempt made by some public associations to interrupt the Festival, the Festival organizers collected 1600 individual signatures and 30 signatures from various non-commercial human rights organizations in 24 hours. In particular, the Festival got support from the Moscow Helsinki Group and the Human Rights Council of St. Petersburg.
The Festival closed with a rock concert marathon with 12 bands performing in support of tolerance, equal rights and nonviolence. From the stage came the message that all of us have a right to express love regardless of our sexual orientations or gender identity. Popular Swedish singer Jay-Jay Johanson who came specifically to support the St. Petersburg LGBT community charmed the audience with his soulful voice and touching songs.
In total 2700 people attended the Festival. According to organizers the Festival accomplished its goals and exceeded all expectations. "If we made at least one person think that if someone doesn't fit into the usual understanding of the norm it is no reason to discriminate against them, then we already won."
This year the Queer Culture Festival was supported by the number one journalist in Russia Vladimir Pozner, British actor and play-writer Stephen Fry, Governing Mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit, Belgian singer Lara Fabian, journalist Valery Panyushkin, musical critic Artemy Troitsky and many others who agreed with the importance of the stated goals.
Even the Committee for Culture of St. Petersburg publicly expressed a tolerant attitude towards the Festival, though, according to the director of the Exhibition Center of the Union of Artists of St. Petersburg, in the beginning the Committee exuded pressure on the Union to stop the Festival from opening. The organizers hope that this will mark the beginning of a constructive dialogue with the Committee for Culture for future LGBT events.
The Festival was organized by St. Petersburg LGBT Organization "Coming Out" uniting lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders and friendly heterosexuals (http://piter.lgbtnet.ru)
All planned events took place without unwanted interruptions. In response to the attempt made by some public associations to interrupt the Festival, the Festival organizers collected 1600 individual signatures and 30 signatures from various non-commercial human rights organizations in 24 hours. In particular, the Festival got support from the Moscow Helsinki Group and the Human Rights Council of St. Petersburg.
The Festival closed with a rock concert marathon with 12 bands performing in support of tolerance, equal rights and nonviolence. From the stage came the message that all of us have a right to express love regardless of our sexual orientations or gender identity. Popular Swedish singer Jay-Jay Johanson who came specifically to support the St. Petersburg LGBT community charmed the audience with his soulful voice and touching songs.
In total 2700 people attended the Festival. According to organizers the Festival accomplished its goals and exceeded all expectations. "If we made at least one person think that if someone doesn't fit into the usual understanding of the norm it is no reason to discriminate against them, then we already won."
This year the Queer Culture Festival was supported by the number one journalist in Russia Vladimir Pozner, British actor and play-writer Stephen Fry, Governing Mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit, Belgian singer Lara Fabian, journalist Valery Panyushkin, musical critic Artemy Troitsky and many others who agreed with the importance of the stated goals.
Even the Committee for Culture of St. Petersburg publicly expressed a tolerant attitude towards the Festival, though, according to the director of the Exhibition Center of the Union of Artists of St. Petersburg, in the beginning the Committee exuded pressure on the Union to stop the Festival from opening. The organizers hope that this will mark the beginning of a constructive dialogue with the Committee for Culture for future LGBT events.
The Festival was organized by St. Petersburg LGBT Organization "Coming Out" uniting lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders and friendly heterosexuals (http://piter.lgbtnet.ru)
