Here, via Andy at UK Gay News, is the press release from Louis-Georges Tin of IDAHO (International Day Against Homophobia) on the historic occasion of the presentation of a statement to the United Nations in support of the global decriminalization of homosexuality.
If you watched the United Nations Webcast, you saw Louis-Georges Tin sing, unaccompanied, “We Shall Overcome” during his remarks to the UN assembly following the presentation of the document. It was a very moving moment from which we can take hope for ourselves and our brothers and sisters around the world.
From IDAHO:
Towards a universal decriminalisation of homosexuality
Summary: The IDAHO Committee which launched in 2006 a campaign « For a universal decriminalisation of homosexuality » is proud of the historical Declaration that was read about this issue today December 18, for the first time ever, in the General Assembly of the United Nations.
On May 17, 2006, for the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO), the IDAHO Committeee launched a campaign « for a universal decriminalisation of homosexuality », and published the list of the first signatures which include several Nobel Prizes (Desmond Tutu, Elfriede Jelinek, José Saramago, Dario Fo, Amartya Sen), famous artists (Merryl Streep, Victoria Abril, Cyndi Lauper, Elton John, David Bowie, etc.), many intellectuals (Judith Butler, Noam Chomski, Bernard-Henri Lévy, etc.), organisations like ILGA, Aids International, the FIDH, etc. As a matter of fact, today, same-sex relationships are criminalised in more than 80 countries in the world, and gays and lesbians are exposed to death penalty in 7 countries.
On may 17 2008, the French government announced that they would bring in a statement within the General Assembly of the United Nations. The text was read today in New York, and was supported by 64 countries in the world, and it clearly inscribes sexual orientation and gender identity in the context of human rights. This is just a historical event.
“For the first time ever, such a text has been read in the General Assembly of the United Nations, said Mr. Tin, president of the IDAHO Committee, the NGO at the origin of this initiative. “To decriminalise homosexuality worldwide is a combat for human rights. We have worked a lot on this issue, for us it is a great achievement, and I want to thank all the people who have worked with us since the beginning, but I also want to remind that it is a long-term battle. To love is not a crime”.
For all the work she did on this issue, Mr Tin thanked French secretary of state for human rights Mrs Rama Yade, who also participated in the press conference, and he offered her a copy of the Dictionary of homophobia, a global survey of homophobia throughout the world, a book he published in 2003, but which was just translated into English last month by the Canadian publisher, Arsenal Pulp. Mrs Yade said she was very happy to receive the book, and it will certainly help her to fight against homophobic rhetoric in general.
Press contact :
Louis-Georges Tin, 00 33 6 19 45 45 52, tinluigi (at sign) aol (dot) com, www.idahomophobia.org
The IDAHO Committee is the NGO [Non Governmental Organization] coordinating the International Day Against Homophobia. This day is celebrated in more than 50 countries in the world, and is officially recognised by the European Union, Belgium, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Costa-Rica, etc. These actions support international campaigns, like the call launched in 2006 “for a universal decriminalisation of homosexuality”.
We all owe a tremendous debt to Louis-Georges Tin and to France, which in its capacity of leadership of the European Union, brought this document to the United Nations.
Note: For more posts on the topic and information about the UN statement on the decriminalization of homosexuality, scroll up and click on the blue UN flag in the upper right-hand column.
