STONEWALL 25: The International March on the United Nations to Affirm the Human Rights of Lesbians and Gay People. STONEWALL 25, INC. 208 West 13th Street New York, NY 10011-7799 One of the great early successes of the Lesbian/Gay liberation movement which sprung up across the United States in the wake of the riots outside The Stonewall Inn in New York in 1969 was to organize a series of Gay Pride marches commemorating Stonewall for June 1970 in at least eight major cities. Since then Lesbian/Gay Pride celebrations have expanded and become a mainstay of both our political and social identities. In 1992, over 3 million people worldwide participated in over 300 cities in some 20 countries. Starting in 1985 with a presentation by longtime activist Morris Kight, at the International Association of Lesbian/Gay Pride Coordinators (IALGPC) conference in Fort Lauderdale, Pride committees around the United States have been planning something extraordinary for the twenty-fifth anniversary of Stonewall in 1994. In addition to providing encouragement and support for groups wishing to organize Stonewall 25 events in their own communities around the world, the Pride Committees have agreed to shift the dates of other events and set aside the last Sunday in June 1994 for the first great International March of the Lesbian/Gay movement being held in New York. Already presentations concerning Stonewall 25 have been made in Vancouver, Stockholm, Minneapolis, Atlanta and many other cities. Two major United States national meetings have already taken place in New York City (February, 1991) and Alexandria, VA (November, 1991). In addition, the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) meeting at its Annual Conference in Paris (July, 1992) supported Stonewall 25 with space to develop demands for the International March, which it then unanimously endorsed. ILGA is also playing a key role in the selection of an International Advisory Committee which will recommend a roster of speakers and entertainers for the Rally and an Order of March. The other two central parts of the Stonewall 25 structure are a New York committee and the United States steering committee will be developed in Dallas. Organized around Stonewall 25 are a vast array of other activities including, in New York, the Gay Games IV, the Annual ILGA Conference, the Stonewall Exhibition Project, a joint concert of the Lesbian/Gay Bands of America, A Mass Worship Service organized by the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches; and around the world, athletic, cultural, educational, health-related, political and religious/spiritual events and actions specially designed by and for local Lesbian/Gay communities. To support all these activities, Stonewall 25 has prepared and will continue to update a Global Calendar of Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual events in 1992-1994. The calendar will serve both as a resource for event organizers wishing to cooperate with others and to focus media attention of the strength and diversity of the worldwide Lesbian/Gay communities. Stonewall 25 has adopted guidelines to assure that this diversity is also reflected in our own organizing efforts. We seek to maintain 50% or more women and 50% or more self-identified people of color as well as representation by physically disabled and bisexual individuals in all aspects of Stonewall 25 planning. These groups are especially encouraged to attend the Dallas conference. In addition, Stonewall 25 maintains a consensus-based decision-making process to insure that sufficient opportunity is given for minority positions to be heard. ********************************************************************** Stonewall 25 information is being electronically distributed to your local BBS by The Backroom BBS, NY (718) 951-8256 for Stonewall 25, Inc. All copyrights reserved by Stonewall 25, Inc. There are no restrictions to re-publication as long as the spirit of this file remains intact. STONEWALL 25 : International March on the United Nations to Affirm the Human Rights of Lesbians and Gay People. Two Million in New York City, June 26th, 1994. For more information, please contact your local Stonewall 25 committee, local Pride/March committee or regional representative. If you have dates of events and would like it posted in the Global Calendar, please contact STONEWALL 25 in New York (212) 439-1031 or The Backroom BBS directly.