Subject: [euroletter] PRESS RELEASE FROM ILGA EUROPE
From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1998 20:27:47 +0200 (METDST)

20TH ILGA EUROPEAN CONFERENCE TO TAKE PLACE IN LINZ, AUSTRIA, 21-25 OCTOBER 1998
AUSTRIA'S FEDERAL CHANCELLOR VIKTOR KLIMA HAS ASSUMED THE HONORARY PATRONAGE
FOR THE CONFERENCE

On 21 October 1998, the 20th ILGA European Conference will commence in Linz,
capital city of the state of Upper Austria. Local host of the meeting will be
Homosexuelle Initiative (HOSI) Linz. The meeting will discuss, among other 
things,
the activities of the organisation during the past year and make decisions for
the work of the new Board for the coming year. Main issues will include the
lobbying activities towards the European Union and the Council of Europe, such
as the follow-up on the ILGA-Europe Action Plan towards the European
Commission, continuous involvement in the work of the European Parliament
Equal Rights for Gays and Lesbians Intergroup and in the social and civil
dialogue on a European level through participation in the activities of the
Platform of European Social NGOs, and in lobbying for a comprehensive
implementation of Article 13 in order that sexual orientation discrimination
be fully addressed in this context.

The ILGA-Europe conference will not only mark the 20th anniversary of ILGA but
also the 50 anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well
as the fact that the host country is holding the Presidency of the European
Council in the second half of 1998. The conference will also debate and decide
upon a comprehensive action plan draft towards the Council of Europe.

Workshop topics range from the situation of gays and lesbians in Eastern
Europe and at the workplace to "gay marriage" and gay/lesbian youth as well as
HIV/AIDS. Thanks to the fund raising efforts and scholarship programme of HOSI
Linz, participation of delegates from the countries of Central and Eastern
Europe will be the largest ever in an ILGA World or European conference. For
the first time, delegates from Albania are expected to attend an ILGA 
conference.

A first in the history of ILGA is also the fact that a prime minister has
taken on the honorary patronage for the conference. Federal Chancellor Viktor
Klima is assuming this function together with a series of other personalities
including the president of the Austrian Parliament, Heinz Fischer, the
Minister for Women's Affairs, Barbara Prammer, the Minister of Science, Caspar
Einem, and the spokes persons of the Liberal and the Green Parties, Heide
Schmidt and Alexander van der Bellen. Several deputies of the Diet of Upper
Austria and the City Council of Linz are also assuming the honorary patronage.

The conference will be opened by three members of the Austrian Parliament,
Heide Schmidt, Alexander van der Bellen and Sonja Ablinger (Social-Democratic
Party). The minister president of Upper Austria and the Lord Mayor of Linz
will host an official reception for the conference on 21 October in the City 
Hall.

Fringe events include a commemoration ceremony, on Friday, 23 October, in the
former concentration camp of Mauthausen nearby Linz where the Austrian lesbian
and gay movement had mounted a plaque in commemoration of the gay and lesbian
victims of the Nazi regime in 1984, a gay and lesbian film festival, a
sightseeing tour in Linz and surroundings, and a big "Spirit of Power" party
on Saturday in order to honour the official slogan of the conference "Courage
& Joy".

HOSI Linz has received financial support to orgaise the conference from the
Minister of Women's Affairs, the Ministry of Science, the provincial
government of Upper Austria, the City of Linz and the Green and Liberal parties.

More information on the conference can be obtained from HOSI Linz,
Schubertstrasse 36, A-4020 Linz; Phone & Fax: +43-732-60.98.98-1. E-mail:
[email-masked]; http://www.hosi-linz.gay.at/

The report of the ILGA-Europe Executive Board on its activities between the
1997 London Conference and Linz is available at ILGA-Europe's website: 
http://www.steff.suite.dk/ilgaeur.htm

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