From 12-19 October 2009, the beautiful city of Turin, and Arcigay, the Italian lesbian and gay organisation, played host to young LGBTQ activists from all over Europe, central Asia and South America. They gathered there for a conference on strategies, and to discover their personal answer to the question: how can we be strategic in our approach to combating homophobia?
We spent six days together, sharing our ideas, learning from each other, and most of all planning, planning and more planning – because to be strategic, we have to understand our current situation, and make suitable plans for the future. The participants were split into groups, each of which was given a country profile to work with during the week. Whilst the country names were invented, the situations they covered were very real. This gave participants the opportunity to share new suggestions of ways of tackling the situations they were presented with.
During the week, we were delighted to welcome Stephen Whittle from Transgender Europe to talk with us about trans identities and the basis of the transgender movement, and Bartek Lech from the Greens at the European Parliament who gave participants an invaluable explanation of the policy-making process at the European level.
On a free afternoon, participants were treated to a free tour of Turin in an open-topped bus, organised by Arcigay, who also arranged some fantastic parties for us at Queever, a local queer club.
The outcome of this conference is a fantastic short film which demonstrates the 11 Principles of Strategic Planning. This is currently in the editing stage, and will be available soon!
See more about the week at the blog below, and visit our website www.iglyo.com to read more the next study session in Strasbourg "Intercultural and Ethnic Diversity within LGBTQ Youth Communities" from 22nd February to 1st March 2009.
Day 5: Back to reality
The participants had worked with strategic planning in their imaginary countries all week, and now they supposed to bring it back to their own reality. They formed groups on due to geografic such as Latin America, post Sovjet countries, LGBTQ studentsorganisations and activist or much more... In the groups they discussed how strategic planing cold be used in there specific reality.
Day 5: Roleplay - Education
On the last day of the roleplays, the participants was given the task to make strategies about education. Every group came up with ideas how to approach this for their imaginary country.
Day 4: Evening Party together with Arcigay
After the opening party the whole IGLYO strategies gang and the Arcigay volunteers went back to La Gare club (where we also went on the welcome evening) for what was an amazing dancing night organized by Arcigay Torino!. The food was provided by a generous buffet...little colourful tags (invented by a guy from Turin called Mendel) were used to help the participants choose their own menu. After the dinner the dancing started and the partecipants had a chance to let go a little of the stress and the tiredness from the long day dancing, having fun, drinking and toasting with each other and with the guests from Arcigay. Everybody enjoyed it and the fun continued after the club closed with a trip to a local LGBT friendly bar. There everybody got a chance for a final toast before going back to the hostel and straight to Dreamland...
(pics are coming up...)
Day 4: City tour
Arcigay had prepared a city tour for the conference participants, where they were taken around in Turin on a double-decker bus. Afterwards there was free time to explore the city even more. People went shopping, went to the museums, went to café or just walk around by themselves.
Day 4: Roleplay – Policy
The participants got a new task for their groupwork on the 4th day, that they should develop a strategy how to influence policies in the imaginary countries.
The wonderful volunteers
The prep-team of the conference would like to thanks the volunteers from Arcigay. Without their help, the conference would not have been so fantastic! Thanks and kisses!
A small message from the volunteers:
Conferences like this offer the opportunity to bring different cultures closer and to learn other strategies the help the LGBT cause.
These are values in which we strongly believe, and to be able to help the development of this event has been a precious experience.
It rarely happens to feel so helpful and fulfilled.
Greetings
Andrea Ariotti, Elena Caviglia, Osvaldo Scuro, Domenico G, Emanuele Minari, Mirko C,
Luigi C, Giorgio Ghibaudo, Marco Giusta, Giuseppe E.
Day 3: Euroquiz
Time for quiz! The prep-team had prepared a quiz for the participants about Europe. The participants learned a lot and at the same time having fun. The participants formed groups, and they helped each other to answer the questions.
Do you know how many official languages there are in EU? The first sentence of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? And many more… :)
Day 3: Influencing European institutions and policy making – Bartek Lech
Afternoon session started with a presentation by our dear special guest Bartek Lech. He is an adviser for the Green Party at the European Parliament. Bartek has shortly introduced EU institutions, main areas of their work and very complicated decision making process. It was quite a challenge to do so in such a short time. As a strategic work example Bartek talked about the lobbying efforts to put forward new so called ”horizontal directive”. The participants were moreover given concrete examples how to approach their MEPs and Commissioners, and how to influence the European policy making.
Day 3: Roleplay – Visibility
The 3rd day started with a group work, a task to plan visibility campaigns against homophobia in their imaginary countries. The groups was really creative is terms of develop effective strategic plans of visibility.
Day 2: World Café
In the late afternoon on day 2 of the conference, the World Café opened. World Café had six tables, which all the participants visited in groups. Each table had a theme with questions and a facilitator.
The themes were: Human Rights Approach, Sexual & Reproduction Rights Approach, Social Inclusion & Equality Approach, Health/Medical Approach, Approaches using heteronormativity and Innovation Table.
The facilitator made the visiting group answer questions, and wrote the answers down on the table cloth. After visiting all the tables, the facilitators made a short presentation of the answers to everyone.
The themes were: Human Rights Approach, Sexual & Reproduction Rights Approach, Social Inclusion & Equality Approach, Health/Medical Approach, Approaches using heteronormativity and Innovation Table.
The facilitator made the visiting group answer questions, and wrote the answers down on the table cloth. After visiting all the tables, the facilitators made a short presentation of the answers to everyone.
Day 2: Roleplay: mission, vision, aims and objectives
The participants were divided in groups of 4-5 people. Each group was given an imaginary country, where they should act as activists within a organisation or a group. All the countries was based on real countries, but was given another name such as – Bohomia, Dinlandy, Lilliria, Diskolostan, Kapeland and Gefyria.
The small groups should now work with finding vision, mission, aims and objectives for their imaginary organisation in that particulary country. Moreover the groups should make a flag and a name for their organisation.
Day 2: Teambuilding
In the morning of day 2 of the conference, the participants should do a teambuilding to make them work more as a group and so they could learn each other even more. The prep-team had prepared a list of task that should be solved within 45 min. It was now up to the participants how to solve
it and present it. Very creative methods were being used, and the prep-team was very impressed by the result of the work of the participants.
Day 1: Lecture with Stephen Whittle
The last thing on Monday’s programme – presentation on “Implementing strategies for the transgender communities” by two of our super special guests, Stephen Whittle and his colleague Jamison Green. It was moving, revealing and made a very deep impression on everyone.
Day 1: Hopes, fears, motivation and expectation
Monday afternoon, the next activity for the participants was the traditional “fears, hopes, expectations, motivation” exercise. To do it, every participant could write their fears, hopes, expectations and/or motivation on pants, trousers, dresses or socks all made of paper. Afterwards they hang it on a washing line, and others participants could go around and read the others hopes, fears, expectations and motivations of the conference.
Welcome Evening
Sunday afternoon…participants starting to arrive. Some has suffered long trips, the others were more lucky with just few hours trip. Meanwhile the prep team is busy with finalizing lists, welcoming kits, etc. After settling in the cozy rooms of the hostel to be a home for the upcoming week and registering, everyone gathers to travel to the center of a beautiful Turin. In a shortwhile arriving to the biggest LGBT night spot in the city - the Queever.
Participants are being welcomed by the prep team and local team members. A longest name game in the history of the name games starts. The trick was to not only remember the names of the fellow participants but to remember the sequence they were said as well following a string from each other (see the picture) ...Of course participants have dealt with the task with brilliance. Luckily the game got to the end and names were learned to enjoy a delicious buffet/aperitif offered by the Queever Club. With stomachs full and smiles upon the faces, everybody had finally got the time to mingle, to know each other better and to play some more icebreaking games. There were surprises as well..The Queveer has prepared a welcoming message running on the huge screens around the dance floor (that was so cool!) throughout the night. More than that, just after a Drag Queen show Giovanni (Arcigay) and Claire (IGLYO) have been invited to the stage to say a few words to the packed Queever club guests. Shortly after that, all gathered outside to travel back to hostel, there is a busy day ahead…
Day 1: Official Opening to the Conference
Monday morning, we had the honor to welcome a number of special guests to give the opening speeches for the conference participants and the media representatives. Claire Anderson (IGLYO Board Member), Riccardo Gottardi (National Secretary of Arcigay), Fabio Saccà (Youth coordinator, Arcigay), Giovanni Caponetto (Arcigay Torino and Coordinamento Torino Pride), Marta Levi (Councillor on Youth Policies – Municipality of Turin), Enzo Cucco (on behalf of Regione Piemonte), Stephen Whittle (Chairperson of Transgender Europe), Jamison Green (Transgender consultant and activist).
The Conference received also an official greeting from from Giorgia Meloni (Italian Minister of Youth) and Mercedes Bresso (President of Regione Piemonte).
A small coffee reception and mingling took place after the official opening.
Meet the Prep & Logistic Team!
The good projects need to have wise and strong people behind. We'd like to introduce you to the Prep-Team and the Logistic Team who have been working on this Conference. Thanks a lot guys! :-)
CLAIRE ANDERSON has been active in IGLYO since 2006, and is the Policy Officer on the board.She's from the UK, where she co-convened the national student campaign for LGBT rights for two years. Claire is convinced that she learned much more from student activism than she ever learned from what made her a student in the first place: her BA in History. She now works for an infrastructure support charity, advising and training other charities to become sustainable organisations.
Outside of working, Claire loves cooking, eating and knitting, and has recently trained as a volunteer for a national children's helpline.
DANIEL WINSTANLEY graduated in Psychology at the University of Edinburgh in 2004. Since then he has been working both professionally and on a volunteer basis with groups of excluded young people, primarily those with LGBT issues and complex needs such as behavioural difficulties, learning disabilities, or mental health problems. He has recently moved from Scotland to the Netherlands where he is currently doing a European Voluntary Service (EVS) placement with COC Nederland, working on a partnership project to celebrate IGLYO's 25th year of LGBT activism.Contact daniel@iglyo.com for more information.
REBECCA ZINI is currently a student at Università degli studi di Padova, where she studies Sociology and Politics. Since 2005 she has been working as a volunteer for Tralaltro Arcigay Padova, the local LGBT association. Within her organization she has been dealing with youth-related LGBT issues since 2006. In 2007 she also became part of the national Arcigay council. At a national level she has been working on issues regarding, youth, health and fight against discrimination and homophobia.In her private life Rebecca is devoted to semi-professional sport and is currently working on some projects which connect sport to LGBT issues.
NANNA MOE was elected board member of IGLYO in December 2007, and was appointed as Communication Officer. A graduate of Copenhagen Business School (CBS) with a BA in Communications and English in 2004, Nanna is continuing her education with a goal to receive a master's degree in Communication in Spring 2009.Moreover, Nanna works with the communication and marketing of World Outgames 2009. She defines communication as her lover, and loves the feeling of working in an organisation that makes a difference for people. Besides sleeping with communication, she is an active soccer player and loves being culturally stimulated by music and films.
FABIO SACCA' has served as IGLYO Board member in 2005-2007 as Communication Officer and cured for Italy the implementation of the International Campaign "All Different All Equal", in partnership with the Italan Youth Forum. He is now coordinating the youth network of Arcigay, the largest Lesbian and Gay Association in Italy.After graduation in University of Padova with a MA in Communication, Fabio has been employed in the Learning and Development office of an Italian fashion industry.
Fabio would pick "lobbying" as his favourite hobby.
GIOVANNI CAPONETTO was born in Turin 24 years ago, and still lives here. He loves his city and thinks it's the only place he would live in.He studies Management Engineering at "Politecnico di Torino", and work as waiter, call center operator and soon for the "lgbtq tourist office". He's interested in ITC, politics and economics, and in means of transportation and infrastructures.
Formerly coordinator of the local youth section of Arcigay he became President of Arcigay "Ottavio Mai" Turin. He has joined the "logistic team" for this conference last year and imagines this happening as the first attempt to promote Turin among any citizen of the world as a an lgbt-friendly place to visit, and maybe... to live!
Official Opening of the IGLYO Conference
IGLYO announces the Official Opening of the Conference "Building and Implementing Effective Strategies in Combating homophobia", taking place on:MONDAY 13th OCTOBER 2008 at 9.30 am
At House of Youth Mobility and Interculture Open011
Corso Venezia 11 – 10147 TORINO (Italy)
http://www.open011.it/
Confirmed speakers include:
Claire Anderson (IGLYO Board Member)
Riccardo Gottardi (National Secretary of Arcigay)
Mercedes Bresso (President of Regione Piemonte)
Giuliana Manica (Councillor on Equal Opportunities – Regione Piemonte)
Marta Levi (Councillor on Youth Policies – Muinicipality of Turin)
Stephen Whittle (Chairperson of Transgender Europe)
Jamison Green (Transgender consultant)
Translation of the speeches in English and in Italian will be provided.
For more information: Nanna Moe, IGLYO Communication Officer: nanna@iglyo.com
IGLYO CONFERENCE 2008 - Presentation
IGLYO invites you to take part in our second conference of 2008, Building and Implementing Effective Strategies in Combating Homophobia which will be held from 12 to 19 October in Turin, Italy, in cooperation with Arcigay - the Italian Lesbian and Gay Association.IGLYO is facilitating this conference to enable young LGBTQ activists to share ideas and develop the tools needed to create effective and proactive strategies to combat homophobia. Activist work can often take place as a reaction to events rather than as part of a pre-emptive and preventative longer term strategy – and that’s what we want to explore in this conference. The programme will include activities to develop skills and knowledge around planning, motivation, creating goals, managing resources effectively, and avoiding burnout.
LGBTQ youth activism needs a highly motivated and strategic approach to be truly successful, and that’s what this conference is all about. During the week-long conference, we will use non-formal education and inter-cultural learning methodologies to achieve our aims.
IGLYO wants to facilitate the development of focused strategies, creating bridges between policies and the social field to the work of organisations. If this is what you and your organisation want too, make sure you join us in Turin!
Our aims
- Develop clear tools with which to build an anti-homophobia strategy;
- Strengthen organisations’ competences and resources;
- Raise awareness of different approaches to combating homophobia;
- Provide an understanding of policies which may support the work of NGYOs;
- Share and celebrate success stories!
For further questions please contact Claire Anderson: claire@iglyo.com.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
