At the LGBTIQ Human Library visitors had the opportunity to hear the stories of people of different gender identities and sexual orientations.

This year “books” were about:
– a lesbian
– a pansexual and non-binary person
– a transgender person
– a girl in a relationship with a transgender man
– HIV+ people
– Rainbow families
– a gay boy’s mother

In Croatia, Zagreb Pride organised a gala event on May 17 to bring together the LGBTIQ community, institution representatives and members of international community living in Zagreb.

The program was aimed to be both political and cultural, with the main goal to raise both awareness and funds for LGBTQ youth project and programs in Croatia. The event will also include multi-medial performances and ‘Project Berlin-Yogyakarta’ exhibition.

Voices of pride | # IDAHOT2015

With a donation intended as gifts (t-shirts, cups, brochures, leaflets, posters, badges), and all of this year’s XIV. Pride March and families Zagreb Pride 2015 and LORI program to combat homophobia in schools.
LGBT youth can expect:
1. performance “Dakota” with Petar Đakulović, Ksenija Nakić Alfirević, Tomislav Nakić Alfirević, Damir Čargonja and Tajči Čekada
2. Music program, electropop by Ivan Odak (Music hammerhead, Zagreb), Donnie Darko VJ
3. Colinda Evangelist House Of Flamingo

Find out more on Zagreb Pride page.

As in Serbia, many thousands of people were affected by floods in Croatia, in the lead up to May 17, making some actions non-viable, and shifting activists’ attentions to supporting relief work. Nevertheless, various events did take place around the IDAHOT 2014, with actions planned in the cities of Zagreb and Rijeka, and on the mountain range of Petrova Gora. The Croatian government was also represented at the 2nd Annual IDAHO Forum in Valletta, Malta.

IDAHO Week Rijeka 2014

In Rijeka, communities came together for an IDAHO Week around May 17, 2014. Organisers advised, in the lead up to the event:

“Lesbian Organization Rijeka LORI proudly marks IDAHO in Rijeka for the second time and invites all to IDAHO Week Rijeka 2014. On May 17th at 9 PM at Art-kino we have organized screening of documentary film ‘Once again’, the very first Croatian documentary on lives of lesbians and transgender people. Authors of the film Noah Pintaric and Ana Opalic will announce the screening and talk to the audience afterwards, answer the questions related to the film. This warm movie follows lives of 4 lesbians and one transgender person in a five-year period and gives insight into their relationships, friendships, activism and creative work.”

For more information check out Rijeka LORI’s website or the facebook event page.

Laugh Out Proud

Rijeka LORI, together with other groups also held an event on Saturday, May 17th, with the main goal of raising (positive) awareness of the country’s upcoming Life Partnership Act (civil unions for homosexual couples). In the evening, there was a free showing of Stephen Fry’s documentary “Out There”, as well as stand-up event “Laugh Out Proud” with performances by LGBT comedians from UK and Croatia. Performers included Scott Capurro (UK), Lara King (UK) and Marina Orsag (CRO).

Organisers explained before the Day that the aim of event is to fight homophobia and transphobia with the strongest possible weapon – humor, and the goal of the project is to educate people about the LGBT community through laughter and in good atmosphere.

The entire project ‘LAUGH OUT PROUD’ is funded by Horyou, the Action Oriented Social Network for the Social Good, organized by Studio Smijeha association, Centre for Civil Initiatives Porec, Croatia and Standup.rs association.

Dance Out Proud in Zagreb

On May 17, LGBTI communities in Zagreb, came together from 23:00 for a “Dance Out Proud event at the Hotpot Bar. For more information see the organiser’s facebook page.

LGBT Affirmative Counselling Course

Also around the IDAHOT 2014, the University Psychiatric Hospital Vrapce in Zagreb, offered an LGBT affirmative counselling practice for psychology students, on May 14. This was part of the elective course “Applied developmental psychology” led by professor Goranka Lugomer-Armano, PhD, Department of Psychology at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb.

Action by Coalition of Groups Merges IDAHOT 2014 and Anti-Fascist Commemoration

The organizers of the event (well-known institutions in Croatia such as the Serbian National Council, the Alliance of Anti-Fascist Fighters in Croatia as well as local municipalities), have this year decided to jointly commemorate this great anti-fascist victory and the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia. With this act they stand for a clear message that the struggle against homophobia is also the struggle against fascism and that anti-fascism does not only belong to the culture of remembrance, but is also a vital part of current struggles for better future, not only in Croatia, but also all over Europe.

Organisers explained, in the lead up to the event:

In times of current economic and social crisis that sows poverty and at the same time generates attacks not only on LGBTQ people, but also immigrants, national minorites, workers etc., we find it more important than ever to remember our antifascist legacy and use it to unite our seemingly separate struggles in one common goal: defending human rights and demanding equality for all. As an activist choir, we call upon mutual cooperation and solidarity of all groups fighting for the equality of us all.

Le Zbor, a lesbian feminist choir, performed as part of the action:

This year we are giving a performance at the 70th anniversary of a major anti-fascist event in Croatia: the breakthrough of the fascist army lines that took place on the site called Petrova gora and during which 730 partisans and 12 000 civilians, mostly women and children, were finally liberated from atrocities committed by fascist forces in this area during WW2.

Le Zbor choir, who participated in the IDAHOT 2014 in Croatia

Le Zbor is a Lesbian Feminist Choir from Zagreb. You can find out more about them and their work on Facebook or on and their website.

Zagreb Pride organised a series of events to commemorate the IDAHOT 2014, which included a focus on LGBT Refugees, Asylum & Migration, and on the rise of neoconservative movements in Europe.

Action on LGBT Refugees, Asylum and Migration

Organisers addressed the topic of LGBT Refugees, Asylum & Migration, with an evening of events planned around the topic of LGBT Asylum and the current situation of (LGBT) asylum in Croatia. This was organised in collaboration with other civil society organisations that also work with asylum seekers and refugees.

As an introduction to IDAHO, on Tuesday the 13th, activists organised a panel called “Immigration. Equality. Views from the LGBTIQ community”, where they addressed the topic of LGBT migration and asylum seekers.

The main goal was to raise awareness amongst the LGBT community that ‘LGBT asylum is something that happens in Croatia too, not just in the other EU countries.’

Conference on Neoconservative Movements in Europe

Another activity was also a conference about the rise of neoconservative movements throughout Europe – activists from some other EU countries were invited to discuss the issue, and to establish a network/coalition that will collaborate in the future.

Government represented at IDAHO Forum 2014 in Malta

Croatia’s Minister of European and Foreign Affairs, Vesna Pusic, also participated in the 2nd Annual International IDAHO Forum in Valletta, Malta (May 13-14). He signed the IDAHO 2014 Declaration of Intent – urging governments to defend and promote LGBTI rights – signed by Ministers from 19 European states in total.

Photo: Found on www.ivanklindic.info

Events on LGBT Refugees, Asylum and Migration

Organisers will address the topic of LGBT Refugees, Asylum & Migration, with an evening of events planned around the topic of LGBT Asylum and the current situation of (LGBT) asylum in Croatia. This will be organised in collaboration with other civil society organisations that also work with asylum seekers and refugees.

As an introduction to IDAHO, on Tuesday the 13th there will be a panel called “Immigration. Equality. Views from the LGBTIQ community”, where they will address the topic of LGBT migration and asylum seekers.

On saturday, the 17th there will be a public event with the main goal of raising (positive) awareness of the upcoming Life partnership act (civil unions for homosexual couples), while in the evening there will be a free showing of Stephen Fry’s documentary “Out there”, and later on there will be a stand up act called “Laugh out proud” with performances by LGBT comedians from UK and Croatia. This event is presented by the Lesbian Organisation Rijeka LORI. LORI has started the tradition of marking IDAHOT in Rijeka last year, with various activities. The aim of event is to fight homophobia and transphobia with the strongest possible weapon – humor, and the goal of the project is to educate people about the LGBT community through laughter and in good atmosphere.
Performers are well-known LGBT comedians: Scott Capurro (UK), Lara King (UK) and Marina Orsag (CRO).

The entire project ‘LAUGH OUT PROUD’ is funded by Horyou, the Action Oriented Social Network for the Social Good, organized by Studio Smijeha association, Centre for Civil Initiatives Porec, Croatia and Standup.rs association. Shows will take place in Belgrade (Serbia), Porec, Rijeka and Zagreb (Croatia).

The main goal is to raise awareness amongst the LGBT community that ‘LGBT asylum is something that happens in Croatia too, not just in the other EU countries.’

Conference on neoconservative movements in Europe

The other activity is a conference about the neoconservative movement throughout Europe – activists from some other EU countries that have similar “civil” activities that are pushing the conservative agenda through LGBT topics, will be invited to discuss the issue, and establish a network/coalition that will collaborate in the future.

A joint celebration of the historical victory against fascism in WW2 and the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia

On 17 May, Le Zbor is traditionally celebrating the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) and as always, on this day they are not only singing for the rights of LGBTIQ people, but also sending a message of solidarity to all groups fighting for human rights and equality of us all.

This year we are giving a performance at the 70th anniversary of a major anti-fascist event in Croatia: the breakthrough of the fascist army lines that took place on the site called Petrova gora and during which 730 partisans and 12 000 civilians, mostly women and children, were finally liberated from atrocities committed by fascist forces in this area during WW2.

The organizers of the event (well-known institutions in Croatia such as the Serbian National Council, the Alliance of Anti-Fascist Fighters in Croatia as well as local municipalities), have this year decided to jointly commemorate this great anti-fascist victory and the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia. With this act they stand for a clear message that the struggle against homophobia is also the struggle against fascism and that anti-fascism does not only belong to the culture of remembrance, but is also a vital part of current struggles for better future, not only in Croatia, but also all over Europe.

In times of current economic and social crisis that sows poverty and at the same time generates attacks not only on LGBTQ people, but also immigrants, national minorites, workers etc., we find it more important than ever to remember our antifascist legacy and use it to unite our seemingly separate struggles in one common goal: defending human rights and demanding equality for all. As an activist choir, we call upon mutual cooperation and solidarity of all groups fighting for the equality of us all.

Le Zbor is a Lesbian Feminist Choir from Zagreb. You can find out more about them and their work on Facebook or on and their website.

Below is the Conference summary of themes, workshops and panels we received from organisers before the event

Conference focal points – LGBT topics and media: ethical specifics and responsibilities

International conference on ethical specifics and responsibilities of the LGBT media and journalists will take place in Zagreb, Croatia during IDAHO dates. The conference will connect individuals, redactions and organizations who deal with reporting on LGBT issues in order to exchange experiences, debate specifics LGBT topics in the media and detect positive practice guidance for further collaboration between LGBT media worldwide. The conference will also focus on specific local context and reporting on these issues arising from the state of media and human right standards in each country participating at the conference.

The conference will include a panel of international appearances to be discussed on reporting on LGBT issues inside and outside the LGBT media, comparing these two approaches, and to consider ethical specifics related to the topic, as well as the added responsibility that can be recovered from the need for educating the LGBT community on the one hand, and informing the general public on the other. Besides theoretical inputs, within the conference workshops with young LGBT journalists will be organized.

LGBT groups from Croatia as the host country of this conference are closely associated with the LGBT movement in the former Yugoslavia, which is marked by different levels of human/LGBT rights in different countries in the region. At the same time, given the correlation of the organisers (Domino Association, which is already more than a decade internationally engaged in the promotion, protection and supporting of LGBT culture and identity) with networks of LGBT organizations across the region and Europe, the conference will include organizations and individuals engaged in media activities from a number of countries of the Caucasus and the Balkans to the major media organizations in Europe and North America. The participants of the conference will also be the members of non-LGBT media in Croatia as well as non-media LGBT organisations from the country.

Some of the issues to be addressed at the conference are the direct result from three years of experience managing the largest regional LGBT portal Queer.hr along with the decade of experience of the Domino association in advocating of LGBT culture, public policy and education, independent and in collaboration with other organizations in the Balkans.

Time table

The conference will be held for a period of two days, with 3/2 panels on each day and workshops for journalists. The introductory panel is aimed at the LGBT topics and reporting in general, the next two are more closely associated with the LGBT media. Workshops are conducted in the second part of the day. Panels last for an hour, which of half time for questions, and a half-hour break. The workshop lasts an hour and a half.

Topics and panels

First day: LGBT topics

1. How to approach to LGBT issues through the media. Responsibility towards LGBT community and towards the public- what are the differences and similarities? Journalistic activism: reporting on LGBT issues inside and outside the LGBT media includes elements of activism and brings responsibility of appropriate approach to the subject. (empowering/ educational approach towards LGBT readership versus informative / educational approach towards non LGBT readership) + comparison issues: LGBT / non-LGBT media.

2. Ethical specifics and dilemmas on reporting on LGBT issues Examples of problem areas: graphic representations of violence, the ethical question of outing, victimization of LGBT community, reporting on the activities of LGBT organizations, the threat of exploitation of examples from life).

3. LGBT topics There is always a political momentum in LGBT topics – regardless even, if the main focus of the topic is sometimes of a non-political nature. Likewise, LGBT lifestyles are difficult to separate from the LGBT culture because it is a culture of identities. Issues arising from these reflect on LGBT media editing, and segmentation of its contents to strictly cultural, political or lifestyle content.

4. Workshop for journalists: (Workshop for LGBT journalists) Basic editing and elaboration of the topic, preparing of materials.

Second day: Media as a platform

1. Cooperation and relations between the LGBT media to other media LGBT media as a platform for non LGBT Media: responsibility towards using of ‘politically correct’ (as well as ’community preferred’) concepts, discourses, approaches, and also building of networks of the LGBT media (with the question of co-existence of different political / editorial approach)

2. Involvement and activation of the LGBT community Social networks and forums, direct communication with the readership (comments and invitations to participate) – responsibility towards the activation of the level of interest in the relevant topics, and also the issue of affirmative action – including all the letters of the LGBT spectrum according to their needs.

3. WORKSHOP FOR JOURNALISTS: LGBT issues in the media: issues of terminology (politically correct and / or preferred terms), life stories vs. exploitation, compliance of content for LGBT and general audience.

For further information see the Domino Association site or the Queer Zagreb site or, for specific English-language information including attendance details, get in contact direct with Karla/the Queer Zagreb team via horvat.crnogaj@gmail.com

Here is the Conference summary of themes, workshops and panels we received from organisers:

Conference focal points – LGBT topics and media: ethical specifics and responsibilities

International conference on ethical specifics and responsibilities of the LGBT media and journalists will take place in Zagreb, Croatia during IDAHO dates. The conference will connect individuals, redactions and organizations who deal with reporting on LGBT issues in order to exchange experiences, debate specifics LGBT topics in the media and detect positive practice guidance for further collaboration between LGBT media worldwide. The conference will also focus on specific local context and reporting on these issues arising from the state of media and human right standards in each country participating at the conference.

The conference will include a panel of international appearances to be discussed on reporting on LGBT issues inside and outside the LGBT media, comparing these two approaches, and to consider ethical specifics related to the topic, as well as the added responsibility that can be recovered from the need for educating the LGBT community on the one hand, and informing the general public on the other. Besides theoretical inputs, within the conference workshops with young LGBT journalists will be organized.

LGBT groups from Croatia as the host country of this conference are closely associated with the LGBT movement in the former Yugoslavia, which is marked by different levels of human/LGBT rights in different countries in the region. At the same time, given the correlation of the organisers (Domino Association, which is already more than a decade internationally engaged in the promotion, protection and supporting of LGBT culture and identity) with networks of LGBT organizations across the region and Europe, the conference will include organizations and individuals engaged in media activities from a number of countries of the Caucasus and the Balkans to the major media organizations in Europe and North America. The participants of the conference will also be the members of non-LGBT media in Croatia as well as non-media LGBT organisations from the country.

Some of the issues to be addressed at the conference are the direct result from three years of experience managing the largest regional LGBT portal Queer.hr along with the decade of experience of the Domino association in advocating of LGBT culture, public policy and education, independent and in collaboration with other organizations in the Balkans.

Time table

The conference will be held for a period of two days, with 3/2 panels on each day and workshops for journalists. The introductory panel is aimed at the LGBT topics and reporting in general, the next two are more closely associated with the LGBT media. Workshops are conducted in the second part of the day. Panels last for an hour, which of half time for questions, and a half-hour break. The workshop lasts an hour and a half.

Topics and panels

First day: LGBT topics

1. How to approach to LGBT issues through the media. Responsibility towards LGBT community and towards the public- what are the differences and similarities? Journalistic activism: reporting on LGBT issues inside and outside the LGBT media includes elements of activism and brings responsibility of appropriate approach to the subject. (empowering/ educational approach towards LGBT readership versus informative / educational approach towards non LGBT readership) + comparison issues: LGBT / non-LGBT media.

2. Ethical specifics and dilemmas on reporting on LGBT issues Examples of problem areas: graphic representations of violence, the ethical question of outing, victimization of LGBT community, reporting on the activities of LGBT organizations, the threat of exploitation of examples from life).

3. LGBT topics There is always a political momentum in LGBT topics – regardless even, if the main focus of the topic is sometimes of a non-political nature. Likewise, LGBT lifestyles are difficult to separate from the LGBT culture because it is a culture of identities. Issues arising from these reflect on LGBT media editing, and segmentation of its contents to strictly cultural, political or lifestyle content.

4. Workshop for journalists: (Workshop for LGBT journalists) Basic editing and elaboration of the topic, preparing of materials.

Second day: Media as a platform

1. Cooperation and relations between the LGBT media to other media LGBT media as a platform for non LGBT Media: responsibility towards using of ‘politically correct’ (as well as ’community preferred’) concepts, discourses, approaches, and also building of networks of the LGBT media (with the question of co-existence of different political / editorial approach)

2. Involvement and activation of the LGBT community Social networks and forums, direct communication with the readership (comments and invitations to participate) – responsibility towards the activation of the level of interest in the relevant topics, and also the issue of affirmative action – including all the letters of the LGBT spectrum according to their needs.

3. WORKSHOP FOR JOURNALISTS: LGBT issues in the media: issues of terminology (politically correct and / or preferred terms), life stories vs. exploitation, compliance of content for LGBT and general audience.

For further information see the Domino Association site or the Queer Zagreb site or, for specific English-language information including attendance details, get in contact direct with Karla/the Queer Zagreb team via horvat.crnogaj@gmail.com

The Government’s office for gender equality of Croatia, following the formal recognition of the Day by the government in 2011, marked IDAHO for first time by holding a meeting with the organisation Zagreb Pride and by promoting the Day on the office’s web site.

LGBT organisations Iskorak and Kontra held an action in front of the Government of Croatia, unfolding a large rainbow flag in support of their lobby request for the government to go beyond the symbolic recognition and deliver concrete results in order to

• Combat discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation through family law. Equal rights for same-sex couples without compromise.
• Changes to the Draft Law on Medically Assisted Conception that discriminates against transsexual people, single women and same-sex couples
• The adoption of the National Program to combat discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (draft program has been submitted to the Department of Justice
• Removing all the homophobic content from school textbooks
• Amendments to the Personal Names Act and the State Registers Act related to the change of name and gender in personal documents for transgender people, according to the proposals which the currently ruling party had submitted in the Croatian Parliament in 2010, when an opposition party.