Diverse events in London for IDAHO
The London boroughs of Lambeth and Wandsworth will be celebrating the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) on May 17th.
Their celebrations will focus on the area of Clapham Common, which is shared by both boroughs.
There will be a memorial for the murder of Jody Dobrowski at the bandstand on the common.
Mr Dobrowski was beaten to death on Clapham Common in a senseless homophobic attack.
Visitors are asked to bring flowers and bulbs to plant, in order to create a garden for the victims of LGBT hate crime.
The events are intended to increase public awareness of homophobia and to remember and support those it has affected.
From 6pm on Thursday 17th May there will be an opportunity to speak with members of local support agencies and services at Clapham Picture House.
At 7pm there will be a screening of the French film Beyond Hatred by Olivier Meyrou.
The film follows the family of Francois Chenu before, during and after the trial of three youths accused of his homophobic murder.
It is subtitled.
Tickets cost £5 and can be booked direct with Clapham Picture House (08707 550061) or online at www.picturehouses.co.uk. All proceeds go towards Lambeth LGBT Forum GALOP.
Campaigners from the East London Out Project (ELOP) will be marking IDAHO with a rally, the raising of the rainbow flag and a candlelit vigil.
They will march from Walthamstow Central Station at 6pm to Walthamstow Town Hall where a public rally will be addressed by the Leader of Waltham Forest Council.
This event will follow community safety work by ELOP volunteers and police officers in the local community.
They will also host a seminar entitled “Against Homophobia” for service providers, statutory, commercial and voluntary sector organisations.
At the Elephant and Castle in south London on 16th May from 4pm to 6.30pm the Metropolitan Police Southwark Hate Crime Unit will hand out flyers to the community taking the opportunity to talk to commuters about LGBT hate crime.
At an IDAHO Memorial Service on May 17th speakers who have been the victims of homophobia will speak of their experiences.
Specialist police officers will be on hand to advise about hate crime.
Camden’s LGBT Forum are involved for the first time in IDAHO and are enthusiastically supporting “The Pansy Project.”
The project was devised by artist Paul Harfleet, who revisits locations planting pansies as close as possible to where homophobic abuse has taken place.
Paul will be helping Camden in planting 100 pansies where LGBT people have been attacked locally.
He will be taking photographs of the plants and incorporating them into an exhibition which will be shown at Tooks Chambers.
Camden are also showing two films on IDAHO day at the Horse Hospital, Collonade, Bloomsbury London .
Unveiled is about an Iranian Lesbian refugee. Queer Fear, Gay Life, Gay Death in Iraq is a new short film made by Simon O’Corra about the murder of LGBT people in Iraq.
There will be a discussion afterwards with Simon and the film’s producer, David Grey.
Derek Lennard, IDAHO-UK Coordinator commented: “I am frankly overwhelmed by the enthusiasm for IDAHO this year both in London and elsewhere.
“I am confidently predicting that there will be over 70 events/campaigns in the UK. It is a tremendous boost for the fight against world homophobia and transphobia.”
The IDAHO-UK website has more details of all events.
