The commemoration of the IDAHOT 2014 took place in at least 17 cities in Indonesia, from Sumatra to Papua, and from May 7 to May 16.

The events took place in 13 Indonesian regions (Medan-North Sumatra, Lampung-Sumatra, Jakarta-Java, Bandung-West Java, Solo-Central Java, Cirebon-West Java, Kupang-East Nusa Tenggara, Manado-North Sulawesi, North Minahasa-Sulawesi, South Minahasa-Sulawesi, Gorontalo-Sulawesi, Palu-Central Sulawesi, and Papua) was organized by Suara Kita, although an IDAHOT event was cancelled in one region (Lombok-West Nusa Tenggara) due to security issue. They were extremely diverse, ranging from public discussion at universities, hearing with state agency, community discussion, community gathering, press release, LGBT movie screening, road rally, radio-television talkshow, solidarity act to help low-income group, and consolidation-evaluation of the 2014 IDAHOT events.

The events involved 29 organizations and communities whose backgrounds were not only from LGBT community but also from women groups, religious groups (both Muslim and Christian), student groups, research/study groups, worker activists, environmental activists, pluralism activists, and media. Overall, the 2014 IDAHOT events ran well as planned, although a public discussion in Medan had a minor disturbance.

The highlights of the conducted events include the discussion on the impact of a particular well-known Islamic party towards the LGBT rights movement in the country, and a movie screening of ‘Tales of Waria’, a documentary about the Indonesian transgender community. Activists also created an online video campaign which popularised the issues faced by trans* communities in the country.

Coordinated by Suara Kita, Indonesia’s LGBT-themed media and journalist group, the whole list of IDAHOT events in Indonesia can be seen from the agenda below:

At the end of the 2014 IDAHOT, a evaluation and consolidation meeting was held, gathering some of executive organizations in the 2014 IDAHOT in Jakarta. Due to limited resources, only organizations from Jakarta (Java), Manado, Tomohon, and Palu (Sulawesi) were invited to come. The consolidation meeting evaluated the 2014 IDAHOT events and made plans for the next IDAHO in 2015. Hopes are that more participants would contribute to the event with more varied backgrounds such as students, activists, and government agencies.

All 2014 IDAHOT events will be compiled into a book (both in English and Indonesian version) that will be distributed to various individuals and entities (NGOs, universities, LGBT communities, government agencies, foreign embassies, donor organizations, and general public) either in hard and soft copy form.

Public discussion in Medan on May 23

Public Discussion at the Muslim University in Jakarta on May 26

In New Zealand, events to commemorate the IDAHOT 2014 took place in six different locations, and included an art project and series of nationwide picnics.

Kia ora! Big Gay Picnics

Across New Zealand, communities came together for picnic events across the country which were organised to celebrate love, equality and acceptance, around the IDAHOT 2014. Everyone was invited to bring a rug and some food, and spend a great time with some great people.

‘The Big Gay Picnic’ took place in five different locations, including Dunedin, Rotorua, Hamilton, Auckland and Wellington.

Poster for New Zealand’s Big Gay Picnic for IDAHOT 2014 – held in five cities

I stand with you poster exhibition

A poster exhibition was also organised and took place in Otara, South Auckland, New Zealand from May 12-17 2014. ‘I stand with you’ is a collaborative project between final year Visual Arts majors, Tara Simon and Luisa Tora of the Faculty of Creative Arts at Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT).

Timed to coincide with the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, the project and its contributing artists and partners stood in solidarity with MIT’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex students and staff, and their broader communities.

I Stand With You, South Auckland. Source: Out at MIT

The participating artists were Sharon Fitness, Tanu Gago, Rebecca Ann Hobbs and Thomas Fonua, Leilani Kake, Nicole Lim, Steve Lovett, Jo Mears, Richard Orjis, Molly Rangiwai-McHale, Sangeeta Singh, Luisa Tora, Pati Solomona Tyrell, and Kerrie-Anne Van Heerden and they were asked to respond to the IDAHOT 2014 theme ‘Freedom of Expression’.

The art work is in the form of posters, and many of the works explicitly blend political activism together with artistic creativity. I Stand With You was created to help foster a safe and nurturing environment for LGBTQI students and staff at the Faculty of Creative Arts and greater MIT.

I Stand With You Poster. Source: Out at MIT

The posters were installed at MIT’s Faculty of Creative Arts and at Fresh Gallery Otara in South Auckland. The events also included talks by the artists and LGBTQI youth service providers. For more details check out the project’s blog. More information about the Out at MIT LGBTQI students at Manukau Institute of Technology can also be found here.

This video was also created to give an introduction to the project:

In Israel, LGBTI organisations and allies came together for two events in Jerusalem, as well as two events in Tel Aviv and a radio interview to mark the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia 2014, amongst other highlights.

Jerusalem

Coordinated by Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance, there were two events planned prior to May 17 in commemoration of IDAHOT that were linked to the topic of freedom of speech. One was “Pride Shabbes” which took place on the 5-6th of May and is a joint pride event with a local Jewish congregation. The second was a LGBTQ week that has been organised at the Hebrew University on 14-15th of May.

The Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance (JOH) is an LGBTQ organisation based in Jerusalem. They provide direct services to LGBTQ people in the community and the area. For more details about the organisation, please visit their website.

Tel Aviv: Knowledge is Power!

Once again, for IDAHOT 2014, LGBTI communities and allies came together in Tel Aviv for the award of the prize of Outstanding academic or research paper on LGBTI-phobia. This event was supported by long standing organisers of IDAHOT events in Israel, Havana.

The programme also included discussions and panels on masculinity, health resources, working with high school students, as well as presentations on gender fluidity and trans communities. You can find the academic papers on the Havana website.

The event took place on May 15 at the School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University.

Knowledge Is Power, Tel Aviv. Source: Havana

The full programme was as follows:

15:30 / Registration
16:00 / Prof. Bilha Davidson-Arad – Head of the School of Social Work
Yadin Sapir – One of the organizers of the International Day Against LGBT-phobia in Israel
Yali Ben-Ami Vitenberg, Hoshen CEO
Dr. Gill Fishof- Coordinator of the Aguda’s Nir Katz Center Against LGBT-phobia
16:15 – 17:10 / Opening Lectures
Dr. Amit Kama – Outline of the LGBT Research Field in Israel
Uri Eick – Changing Attitudes of High School Students in Israel towards Homosexuality

Knowledge Is Power, Tel Aviv. Source: Havana

The LGBT Club of Tel Aviv University invited the Seminar participants to a social continuation at the pub ‘Rosh Pina” in Brodetzki Center, Ramat Aviv.

Youth movements rally to mark IDAHOT – International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia in Israel

The event took place on Thursday, May 22, 2014, and was hosted by Youth Movements in Israel – IGY (the Israel Gay Youth), The Scout Movement, Hamahanot Haolim, The Youth Guard, and The Federation of Working and Studying Youth. It included a dialogue between youth organizations and movements and the main ceremony of the Gay Youth Council. Professor Yuli Tamir, former Education Minister and current president of Shenkar College, attended the event, as well.

Tel Aviv University promo videos:

Radio Interview

Additionally, May 16 in Israel also saw a radio interview, in English with Yali Kelrich (one of leading co-organizers of Havana this year), about the battle against discrimination towards LGBTI communities.

The interview was on TLV1 station, which is an English-language internet radio broadcasting from Tel Aviv. Founded in 2013, TLV1 seeks to provide listeners with a fresh and novel perspective on the daily agenda in Israel and its neighbors, and keeps its finger on the beating pulse of Tel Aviv. The interview was part of the show “Where cultures meet – Weekend Edition”.

You can find the interview here at 104 minutes in.