ILGA-Europe displays its exhibition on diversity of families at the National Library in Warsaw during Europride 2010
This week for the first time Europride is taking place in Eastern Europe. Between 8 and 18 July 2010, ILGA-Europe’s “Different families, same love” exhibition is displayed in the foyer of the Cinema Iluzjon at the National Library building in Warsaw. The images summarise the challenges lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) families face in Europe due to the lack of legal recognition and highlight the positive development in the continent.
On Friday, 16 July at 17:15, all groups and individuals supporting this exhibition are organising a reception to celebrate its display in Warsaw. Speakers from ILGA-Europe, Polish Campaign Against Homophobia, the National Film Archive and Ulrike Lunacek, Austrian Member of the European Parliament and Co-Chair of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights, who financially supported the exhibition, will address visitors and examine where is Europe in regards to full legal recognition of LGBT families.
Martin K.I. Christensen, Co-Chair of ILGA-Europe’s Executive Board, said:
“We are delighted to be present in Warsaw on this historic occasion. We are particularly happy to be able to display our 12 images on diversity of families.
Europe is making steady progress towards full legal recognition of LGBT families. Just twenty five years ago, not a single country in the Council of Europe or in the world legally recognised same-sex partners. Now 43% of the Council of Europe countries opened marriage to same-sex partners (7 countries) or introduced registered partnership schemes (13 countries). And this percentage is growing.
We hope our exhibition will contribute towards lively and constructive debate in Polish society on diversity of all family models, and will support the efforts of Polish LGBT rights organisations working towards legal recognition of LGBT families. Just a few months ago the European Court of Human Rights decided that Poland’s constitutional definition of marriage as a union of a man and a woman cannot justify discrimination against same-sex partners”.
Tomasz Szypuła, the Acting President of Campaign Against Homophobia and the Reserve Member of ILGA-Europe’s Executive Board, said:
"In Poland we don't have any partnership laws so LGBT families are not recognised by the state. I am hoping that the ILGA-Europe's exhibition on families will encourage the debate on the situation of LGBT couples and the rights that are denied to them in Poland. I am proud that we can present the exhibition during this significant occasion of the EuroPride Festival."
More details about the exhibition
7 European countries which allow marriage between the person of the same sex: Belgium, Iceland, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. 13 European countries which introduced registered partnership laws for same-sex partners: Andorra, Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Switzerland and UK
On 2 March 2010, the European Court of Human Rights in a case of Kozak. v Poland unanimously ruled that Poland discriminated against a gay man on the grounds of his homosexual orientation by denying him a right to succeed a tenancy of a flat where he had lived with his deceased partner. Further information and judgement.
The exhibition is supported under the European Community Programme for Employment and Social Solidarity – PROGRESS (2007-2013) and co-funded the Austrian Green Foundation.
Reception will take place Friday 16 July at 17:15 to 18:00. Address: Biblioteka Narodowa (The National Library), Al. Niepodległości 213, Warsaw (Entrance A).
