Meanwhile Greece Color Youth will hold a seminar to present their research on school climates

In Athens, youth action group AEGEE_Athina hosted a number of young LGBTI activists from across Europe for a weekend of youth-focused talks, workshops and activism. The campaign camp, Beyond The Rainbow, was designed the foster cross-European solidarity and cooperation and saw activists from several countries taking part.

We are also expecting a number of smaller  community events held across the country. For more updates on how Greece marks IDAHOT 2016 please keep an eye out for our upcoming annual reports. 

The organisation Athens Pride hosted a freezing action in the busy shopping streets of Athens. The message of the activity was ‘JUST LIKE YOU’.

The goal of the action was to show the general population that LGBTQI people are just like them. There were six different aspects of life shown in a freeze position, while the six performers wore different T-Shirts, each with a different colour of the rainbow flag. Additionally, there were other participants with the JUST LIKE YOU banner who engaged in conversations with the people passing by to talk about IDAHOT, the situation of LGBTQI people in Greece and what their organisation does.

Watch the video of the freezing action here.

Foteini Pipi, one of the main organisers, brings the aim of the action to a point:

“We would like to inform everyone who is passing by. We would be happy if everyone who passes by that day will ask us questions and we can inform them about the LGBTQI community, and specifically about the action on that day, to raise awareness of the day and what the Freeze Action represents.”

If you want to know more about the action and how Athens Pride were preparing for that, read this article with an interview with Foteini Pipi.

Meanwhile in Thessaloniki, the Thessaloniki Pride, together with local gay club Enola hosted and celebrated the IDAHOT Party on May 17. Aside from dancing, there was also a drag performance by Queen V. The party started at 9pm.

The groups Athens Pride and Colour Youth – LGBTQ Community of Athens, commemorated the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia 2014 in conjunction with ʺVote for your rightsʺ a joint awareness raising campaign for the 2014 European parliamentary elections.

On May 17, volunteers for the Vote for Your Rights program carried placards through the historic center of Athens, with the slogans supporters sent to the organizers. The route started from Syntagma Square and ended in Monastiraki Square, with a stop at the Church of Kapnikareas on Ermou Pedestrian Street.

This year activists underlined that it is important to vote against homophobia and transphobia, which result from the lack, in Greece, of legal recognition of LGBT rights and the lack of appropriate information and awareness.

Further Information

The European Union is making inroads in this fight by initiating relevant laws and policies. Actions taken in this direction by the European Parliament can be found (in Greek) here

More info on the event: can also be found here

More on ʺVote for Your Rightsʺ campaign: also here

“Write a Slogan for Your Rights” on May 17!
On May 17, from 12.00 noon until 14.00, volunteers for the Vote for Your Rights program will be carrying placards through the historic center of Athens, with the slogans supporters sent to the organizers!
The route will start from Syntagma Square and end in Monastiraki Square, with a stop at the Church of Kapnikareas on Ermou Pedestrian Street.
Follow the event on Facebook.

And, of course, don’t forget to check the progress of the “Vote for Your Rights” campaign on the website (in Greek).
This year activists are underlining that it is important to vote against homophobia and transphobia, phenomena that result from the lack, in Greece, of legal recognition of LGBT rights and the lack of appropriate information and awareness.
The European Union is making inroads in this fight through by initiating respective laws and policies. Actions taken in this direction by the European Parliament can be found (in Greek) here: http://voteforyourrights.gr/?page_id=29.

Greek activists highlighted:

• The targeted attacks in Athens and other Greek cities by organized teams of far-right thugs on LGBTQI persons in the public space.
• The lack of official recognition of organized far-right violence against LGBTQI persons.
• Lack of official recognition and adequate legal protections for sexual orientation and gender identity.
• The disregard of LGBTIQ rights on the excuse of the economic crisis