Seta, a major national organisation for LGBTI Rights in Finland, hosted a series of IDAHOT events in several different cities across the country. Highlights included demonstrations, picnics, street art, a candle light vigil and a house warming party. Cities with IDAHOT 2014 actions included Helsinki, Joensuu, Tampere, Lahti and Turku.

Helsinki

LGBTI Rights in Finland, Seta, Amnesty Finland, No Hate Speech Movement and other organisations hosted an information booth where people were invited to sign solidarity cards for Belgrade Pride (where authorities have previously banned parades before, most recently in 2013). People also wrote messages against Hate Speech and for Freedom of Expression for LGBTI people at the tent, where pictures were also taken.

IDAHOT event in Helsinki. Source: IDAHOT Finland

Joensuu

HOHTO, the regional Seta member organisation, hosted a whole ‘rainbow week’ of activities around IDAHOT, which started on May 8th. Actions included a rainbow mass, info desk, book club meeting, the Hohto parade, parties, free hugs action, a discussion on the political aspect of love and a Youth group get-together. On May 17, there was a silent demonstration in the city centre against hate and discrimination, and a picnic at Ilosaari. You can find more details of the week on their Facebook page.

Hohto’s promo material for IDAHOT 2014

Photos from silent protest against hate and discrimination. Source: Hohto

Lahti

In commemoration of IDAHOT 2014, activists organised a knitted rainbow graffiti installation at Pikku-Vesijärvi park. The event also included street art activities for LGBTI young people, near the central bus station. A picnic was also held to commemorate the Day at Pikku-Vesijärvi.

Tampere

In Tampere, the local organisation Pirkanmaan Seta held a memorial & candle light vigil for victims of homophobia and transphobia on May 17 at Keskustori. You can find more information on the event’s Facebook page.

Candle Light Vigil In Tampere. Source: Pirkanmaan Seta

Turku

In Turku, local community groups organised a dance flashmob on the Market Square, as well as film screenings, and a house warming party at the regional Seta office on May 17. You can find out more about the regional Seta group on their website.

Further information

Find more Information about the organisation Seta on their website and Facebook page.
They have also made a small video at the event in Helsinki which you can watch here.

Several groups came together for different events around the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia 2014, in the Motswana capital, Gaborone. Actions included a one-day queer theatre festival, a press conference and panel discussion, poem recitals, song, dance and storytelling, as well as a march and candlelight vigil.

Various groups come together for diverse IDAHOT 2014 series

The Botswana Network On Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS (BONELA), Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals of Botswana (LEGABIBO) and Rainbow Identity Association (RIA), and their partners, commemorated IDAHOT 2014 through various activities spread through three days – as outlined in their press release, published ahead of the day:

“Day one of the commemorations will start with a press conference and followed by a panel discussion under the theme ‘Is Botswana a Homo-transphobic Country, Perspective from affected communities).’ The second day will be a night of spoken word against Homophobia and Transphobia on the 16th of May (from 1800hrs) at Thapong Arts Centre (opposite Village Clinic) at Village, Gaborone. It is at this space that the LGBTIQs will express themselves artistically through poem recitals, song, dance and storytelling. The last day will be celebrated by having a power march from Game City Supermall to Kgale Hill at 0800am. Once at the hill, a candlelight vigil will be conducted and multi-lingual prayers will be recited by different attendants. The festivities will continue from 1400hrs with an Expression show held at Somarelo Tikologo Ecological Park.”

First “Queer Shorts” series held in Gaborone

Katlego K Kol-Kes staged her 3rd IDAHO event in Gaborone, Botswana, on May 17 2014. The Queer Shorts Showcase is posited to be an annual event, and 2014 marked the inaugural staging. Featuring 5 short productions by Katlego K Kol-Kes, Queer Shorts Showcase, expressed LGBT themes through various means. Kol-Kes was joined by 3 other directors from Gaborone with the sole mission of addressing the 2014 IDAHO theme: Freedom of Expression.

The productions were all between 10 and 15 minutes long. These productions are: Under My Roof (Institutionalised Homophobia), Horses, Rivers, Mountains, Men (Discovery/Coming Out), Butchered (Romantic Drama), A Real Woman (Defining a Trans* reality), and Sakeng (Male Privilege and Responsibility). With a company of 20, comprised of dancers and actors, the inaugural Queer Shorts Showcase promises to be an enlightening and entertaining evening of theatre and activism.

Queer Shorts Poster

Media coverage

• Star Africa: ‘Botswana agency bars gays from donating blood‘