Latvian-Belarus-Swedish Rainbow Cultural Event
Riga, April 18-21, 2013

April 18, 18:30 – 20:30
"Humanism vs. Religious Dragons/European Rainbow Humanists" -- Rolf Solheim, Norway

April 19, 18:30 – 21:30
International Live Rainbow Museum
Latvian Presentations and Performances:
Anna Jurkovska, a popular photographer and Jolanta Cihanovica, a public person, will present the pilot photo-project "Men, women, angels"on people, individuality and gender.

Olga Helly, an artist, will present her popular LGBT comic strip.

Katrina Gaile, an artist, and Jade, a genderqueer graphic artist, will present their art.

Jolanta Cihanovica, an actress, will give a performance

Ieva, a journalist from a popular Latvian magazine.

Special guest: Olga Kononova (a transsexual women and Work of Art herself)

Film: selections from a Czech TV programme “Q” about Olga Helly’s dolls and LGBT
culture in Latvia.

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International Presentations and Performances:

Belarus: Rainbow in chains -- Belarus LGBT Journalist Network

Rainbow culture & history -- Tupilak/ILGCN

>Nordic Rainbow co-operation with Eastern Europe - Tupilak/ILGCN

A summary of "Humanism vs. Religious Dragons/European Rainbow Humanists" -- Rolf
Solheim, Norway

"Nordic Rainbow Islands & Remote Regions" -- Mariahamn-Stockholm
archipelago-Visby -- Tupilak/ILGCN.

Peter "Sexodus" Fröberg - songs and music from Sweden

The Mad Monk of Sweden -- a rainbow monologue

Short films: "LGBT Monuments," "Survival" by Willi Reichhold, Sweden

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Travelling Tupilak & ILGCN Rainbow Art & Photography Exhibition


"Sexodos"


Art from Serbia


Estonia


Sweden


Belarus

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April 20 23:00 – all night, at the Golden Club



Q-PARTY!!!

The Q-party is a possibility to dress up for the party, wearing what you have always wanted to wear, but have not had a place to come in such an appearance. People can become Art, using themselves as the creator, the creating and the creative process. A costume competition in the following categories: drag kings, drag queens, carnival, subcultures, BDSM and freak out. Everyone is free to choose whether to participate in the costume competition or just to enjoy the party. The party will be held in two languages – in English and Latvian. After the costume competition we’ll have music and fun!

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Very Welcome!
-- Yolanta and Olga in Riga, Rolf in Oslo, Journalist Network in Minsk, Bill in Stockholm

Latvian, Polish, Finnish and Swedish contributions

LIVING RAINBOW HISTORY MUSEUM

STOCKHOLM – The second session of Sweden's Living Rainbow History Museum at Café Mannekäng at Tallkrogen on Saturday, January 26 included presentations about the LGBT human rights struggle in Latvia, the work of the Latvian LGBT organization Mozaika and the rainbow cultural scene in this Baltic nation by Yolanta Cihanovica, psychologist/ actress and ILGCN (International rainbow cultural network) cultural co-ordinator for Latvia while Olga Helly, Latvia's ILGCN cultural ambassador, presented some of her artistic dolls.

"We hope to continue such events in Riga and Stockholm -- and increase co-operation with Sweden and other countries in the region," says Yolanta Cihanovica. Other presentations in the Latvian section of the program included a description of living in Stockholm and Riga and coming out as a trans person by Petra Inna and "A Swedish Look at Latvia" by Kjell Rindar.

Another presentation covering a 3-month solidarity trip to Palestine and work with the Swedish Palestine Committee was made by Sweden's Peter Roth, poems about a nostalgic visit to New York and elsewhere were presented by Sweden's Tomas Åberg and several songs were provided by Finnish participants.

Michal Piotrowski of the Polish Institute in Stockholm described his just-completed visit to LGBT colleagues in Warsaw and to the Polish Parliament along with Swedish Parliamentarian Barbro Westerholm who spoke there about LGBT rights, while Bill Schiller of Tupilak (Nordic rainbow cultural workers)/ILGCN described the first historic visit of an official rainbow delegation to the Nazi death camp, Auschwitz.

The short film,"Glad, Warm & Calm-- you never really loved me," by Axel Mihau portrayed a passionate and music-filled transsexual encounter for the museum audience.

The next sessions of the Living Rainbow Museu

will be on February 23 and March 23 (18.00-22.00)

More information:

oxford69@hotmail.com

info@tupilak.org

www.tupilak.org

Facebook: Café Mannekäng and Tupilak

These are monthly events with historical study circles, art, films and performances until a permanent LGBT museum can be established in the Swedish capital -- with guests coming from Sweden and abroad -- emphasizing the rich, dramatic, bloody, courageous and often humorous LGBT struggle for identity and visibility over the centuries. The museum project is supported by Konstattack, Tupilak (Nordic rainbow cultural workers), Nordic Rainbow Humanists, 3rd Age International-Sweden, Nordic-Baltic-Polish-Russian-Belarus Network, ROHS (Swedish national organization for LGBT solidarity) and the ILGCN (international rainbow cultural network).

Stockholm Press Release December 15

Stockholm presentations, art and photography, films, performances
Press Release December 15, 2012 

LIVING RAINBOW HISTORY MUSEUM INAUGURATED

Stockholm — A "rainbow Lucia" on December 13 helped inaugurate Sweden's first Living Rainbow History Museum, a provisional monthly event at the Café Mannekäng with historical study circles, art, films and performances until a permanent LGBT museum can be established in the Swedish capital. "It has long been a dream to see the creation of a LGBT history museum in Sweden to make sure that we become more aware of our own history," says Elinore Lindén Strand who also exhibited art work at the café during the inauguration.

Barbro Westerholm (center)

Izzy Young

Elinore Strand

Jan Hammarlund (left)

"I am proud to be here at the inauguration and am very pleased to be invited to the Polish Parliament to speak about LGBT rights and culture and the need for parliamentarians to support this everywhere," says Barbro Westerholm, Swedish Liberal parliamentarian, who has earlier received a Tupilak award for her support of LGBT issues and who attended both ceremonies at the LGBT monument in Visby -- the first in the Nordic zone.

Swedish and International Guests at the Museum,
Visits to Swedish Prides

"The aim of the museum is to invite guest speakers from LGBT organizations and individuals from all over Sweden and from abroad," says Bill Schiller of Tupilak (Nordic rainbow cultural workers) and the ILGCN (international rainbow cultural network) "And to come with workshops and presentations to Swedish and other Prides interested in the museum's work and the rich, dramatic, courageous and often humorous LGBT struggle for identity and visibility over the centuries."

"This is an excellent place to discuss LGBT history," says Rolf Solheim, ILGCN co-ordinator from Oslo and member of the Nordic Rainbow Humanists, who presented a history of the global humanist movement's support of LGBT rights and his work as ceremony master of the Norwegian humanist organization's christenings, weddings and partnerships and funerals fulfilling the desires for formal ceremonies without religious input. Adding to the humanist message with a short monolgue by "The Mad Monk" with the "humanist bible" look at historical relgious figures.

"We are always pleased to be part of Tupilak and ILGCN events -- and feel that the question of HIV and AIDS should always be part of LGBT human rights and cultural events since this is important for our entire community," says Anders Björnum of Sweden's PositHIVagruppen for men having sex with men.

Other presentations came from Pia-Kristina Garde, talking about her book about the family and friends of one of Sweden's finest poets and authors, the bisexual Karin Boye who died in 1941, Willi Reichhold talking about his participation in the United-arranged conference in Finland about new creative ways to combat discrimination on all levels, Chilean-born Christian Mendez about running a rainbow-minded café in Stockholm and Malga Kubiak, actress and film maker about her work with LGBT films about historic lesbian and gay personalities, and Izzy Young, American-born folk lore expert reading erotic poetry of gay icons Allen Ginsberg and Auden.

Rolf Solheim

Bill Schiller

Robert Hill

Veliki Velickovic

Anders Björnum

Songs and music were provided by Swedish singers Jan Hammarlund, a veteran of the Swedish LGBT scene, and young trubador Robert Hill with anti-war and solidarity songs.

Short film screenings by Willi Reichhold included "LGBT Monuments" with music by the renown Swedish soprano saxophonist Anders Paulsson, "The Tupilak Visit to Kiev" and the "Global Survival."

Both film projections and art photography on the wall were presented by Serbian-born Stockholm resident Veliki Velickovic, who also described his work and earlier exhibitions in Serbia, Croatia, Sweden and elsewhere. Other art work came from Tupilak & ILGCN Art & Photo Travelling Exhibition with special focus on Vlladik of Minsk and Alice of Tallinn.

Keller of Chile, costume designer and performer and co-manager of Café Mannekäng, presented his own version of the St. Lucia figure brought from Sicily to Sweden over a century ago to lighten up the dark December nights by wearing a wreath of candles.

ILGCN awards announced during the event included the "Clio's Silver Cup" for outstanding work promoting LGBT history to Swedish photographer Elisabeth Olson Wallin and a brand new "Rasmus" for LGBT work in remote and isolated areas far from big city anonimity -- named after the late, pioneering Faroese journalist and LGBT activist Rasmus Rasmussen who died in October this year. The first Rasmus has gone to the organizers of the first Nuuk Prides on Greenland.

Greetings to the event came from Belarus, Ukrainian, Sudanse and Montenegro delegates to the ongoing ILGA world conference taking place in Stockholm.

"We are very happy to report that in the next session of the Living Rainbow Museum on January 26, the new ILGCN cultural co-ordinators and ambassadors from Latvia-- Yolanta Cihanovica psychologist and actress and artist-doll maker Olga Helly will be coming to the Café Mannikäng for presentations, performances and art exhibitions," concludes Bill Schiller.

The museum project is supported also by Tupilak, Nordic Rainbow Humanists, 3rd Age International-Sweden, Nordic-Baltic-Polish-Russian-Belarus Network and ROHS (Swedish national organization for LGBT solidarity). ILGCN Information Secretariat-Stockholm.

More information:    www.tupilak.org    www.ilgcn.tupilak.org    bill@tupilak.org   

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Next session at the LIVING RAINBOW HISTORY MUSEUM
at Cafe Mannekäng:
Saturday, January 26, 2013 — 18.00-22.00

PRESENTATIONS:

Yolanta Cihanovica, actress,
ILGCN coordinator, Latvia

Olga Helly, artist/doll maker,
ILGCN cultural ambassador, Latvia

ART EXHIBITS:

"Dolls": Olga Helly, Latvia

"Copulating beetles, erotic flowers and other adventures"

From Sweden with Love to Latvia and Belarus
Press Release November 29, 2012 

Riga: Swedish & Latvian Rainbow Meeting

Riga – Visiting Swedish activists and culture workers met with Latvian colleagues in Riga on November 29 to discuss rainbow cultural co-operation which also includes colleagues in neighboring Estonia, Lithuania and Belarus in a mini-festival organized by Tupilak (Nordic rainbow cultural workers), the ILGCN (international rainbow cultural network) Information Secretariat-Stockholm, the national Latvian LGBT organization Mozaika and the Golden Bar in the Latvian capital.

At the Golden Bar: Yolanta & Olga no. 1

Sabine & Olga no. 2 (photos by Peter Fröberg)

This "mini-festival included Nordic and Polish rainbow music, and art work from the Tupilak & ILGCN International Art & Photo Exhibtion with special spotlights on work from Vladik and Lily Mossan of Belarusand Alice T. of Estonia.

"We are happy to have this meeting and plan on future co-operation," says Sabine Tropa of Mozaika.

"This meeting has been very valauble and part of very imporant work" says Jolanta Cihanovica, psychologist/ actress/performer -- new ILGCN co-ordinator for Latvia and Olga Sidorenko -- artist/doll maker and new ILGCN cultural ambassador for Latvia. "We are also planning rainbow cultural events for coming international events such as the ILGA European conference -- and hope that Tupilak and the ILGCN will work together with us."

"We are pleased to give support to the Latvian LGBT community and are happy to extend this to visiting foreign delegations and visitors and international LGBT co-operation," says Anatolijs Skangalis, manager of the Golden Bar.

Pioneer Latvian Trans, Youngsters,
and the Need for Co-operation with Belarus

"Great to meet new LGBT activists and cultural workers in Riga," says Swedish singer/musican Peter Fröberg who has participated in a number of rainbow events in Riga and an earlier ILGA European conference in the Latvian capital. "Especially impressive was the meeting with Olga -- a pioneering trans person struggling for her rights in a hostile environment during the Soviet occupation. We hope she will also join us in Stockholm to meet colleagues to share dramatic experiences and history."

"I had great pleasure showing the Swedish delegates the Old Town of Riga and discussing future co-operation and exchanges -- and a visit to Stockholm which I have so far never seen," says Latvian translator Janis M., who works with Mozaika-supported web site for young LGBTs -- a web group which has meetings at the Mozaika office and joins in monthly non-alcohol rainbow youth meetings at the Golden Bar.

At the Golden Bar: Latvian participants

Czech participant (photos by Peter Fröberg)

"We noted also the hard work colleagues are doing in Estonia to the north and to the south, Lithuanian's efforts to arrange the next Baltic Pride in Vilnius, and with the importance of having mutual co-operation and exchange with our colleagues in Belarus -- facing severe homohoiba in this last dictatorship in Eastern Europe which may seem so far away but which in fact borders the Nordic region," says Bill Schiller of Tupilak and the ILGCN.

"We are also pleased that Olga Sidorenko and Jolanta Cihanovica will visit Sweden in the near future," Schiller concludes.

More information:    www.tupilak.org    www.ilgcn.tupilak.org    info@tupilak.org    sabinetropa@gmail.com

MOONBOW CRUISE TO RIGA:

"With Love From Sweden to Belarus!" November 29, 2012
Noon: Presenting books and magazines to the Mozaika library.
(K. Valdemara 18-1a)
Golden Club (33/35 Gertrudes iela tel. 25505050) 17.00 - 22.00

Presentations:

• Games and Latvian LGBT Short Story -- Mozaika
• Rainbow Cultural Life in Belarus -- Maksim Kavaliou , LGBT Belarus Journalist Network
• Rainbow Cultural Life in Sweden -- Bill Schiller, Tupilak/ILGCN Information Secretariat-Stockholm
• Running the Golden Club in Riga -- Anatolijs Skangalis 
• Written words from Estonian LGBT Association
• Latest information from Baltic Pride 2013 - Vilnius -- Lithuanian Gay League

Art:

• Works from the Tupilak & ILGCN International Travelling Exhibit 
• Photo Exhibit: Elinore Lindén Strand - Sweden
• Photo Exhibit: Veliki Velickovic - Serbia 

Films:

• "LGBT Monuments" "Tupilak in Kiev" "Survival" by Willi Reichhold - Austria/Sweden
• "Garcia Lorca" -- Malga Kubiak - Poland/Sweden
• "Cum Pane" -- Anne Hallin - Sweden 

Music & Song:

• Peter "Sexodus" Fröberg 
• Swedish & other Nordic rainbow CD music 

Monologue:

• The Mad Monk with the "Humanist Bible" 

Info: tupilak.org bill@tupilak.org

International Day Against Facism / Kristallnacht Candlelight Ceremony

Honouring all victims of the nazi death camps -- homosexuals, Jews, Roma, dissidents, war prisoners, resistance fighters, disabled and intellectuals (as potential troublemakers) from occupied countries. At Side Track (Wollmar Yxkullsgatan 7 T-ban Mariatorget) Friday, November 9, 2012 18:00 

• Voices from the Shadows of the Rainbow -- Bill Schiller, Tupilak/ILGCN
• Words from Savine Tropa, Mozaika - Latvia
• Erotica: Ginsberg and Huges: -- folklore expert, Izzy Young
• Poesi -- Tommy Öberg
• Film: "LGBT Monuments from Visby to Mauthausen to Barcelona" -- by Willi Reichhold 
• CD music "Niemals Vergessen" -- songs from the anti-facist resistance. 
• Art from Auschwitz by Marian Ruzamski, gay Polish prisoner nr. 122 843.
• ILGCN & Tupilak Awards: "Orfeo Iris" (research on LGBT persecution) "Loke's Rainbow"(poineering trans culture)
• No entrance fee but alas, no free drinks!

Tupilak music in Auschwitz

LGBT monument in Visby

Organized by: Tupilak (Nordic rainbow cultural workers), ILGCN (international rainbow cultural network) Information Secretariat-Stockholm, Nordic Rainbow Humanists, Nordic-Baltic-Polish-Russian-Belarus Rainbow Network, 3rd Age Rainbows International - Sweden, Homosexuella Socialister, ROHS (Swedish national organization for LGBT solidarity)

Meeting Tupilak, ILGCN and other activists in Stockholm

and at the Gothenburg Book Fair

Rainbow Belarus Journalists Visit Sweden 

Stockholm/Gothenburg --  Joining Tupilak(Nordic rainbow cultural workers)  and ILGCN (international rainbow cultural network) representatives at Gothenburg's annual International Book and Library Fair (September 27-30, 2012) were Belarus journalist Aleh Hrubich of the newly-created Belarus LGBT Journal Network and  Darya Hushtyn, one of the few heterosexual journalists in her nation willing to support the network publically and helping with its legal battles against homophobia and discrimination in the Belarus media.

The two also participated in the Tupilak/ ILGCN presentation "Belarus -- Rainbows in Chains" from the main stage of the book fair's International Square -- which unites some 50 Swedish human rights organizations presenting their work at book tables, meeting the public and making stage presentations. 

"We were very happy to see groups at the International Square working for human rights in Belarus and we have made very valuable contacts at meetings in both Swedish cities," says Aleh Hrubich.  "The visit to this giant book fair was fascinating and we are already preparing reports on the fair, its support of Belarus human rights, language and culture -- and the many meetings with Swedish LGBT and other activists," adds Darya Hushtyn.

MEETINGS WITH NGO'S, STATE INSTITUTIONS, LGBT TRANS/HIV/MEDIA

& HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS

In the west coast port of Gothenburg and in the east coast capital of Stockholm,  the Belarus journalists interviewed and met with representatives from the International Square,  Sensus (the umbrella human rights organization), SIDA (Swedish International Development Authority),  LO-Bistånd  (Swedish labor union's foreign assistance organization), Civil Rights Defenders, the Swedish Institute, the president of RFSL-Sweden (the national LGBT rights organization), the head of RFSL-Gothenburg,  the  chairman of the Swedish PositHIVa gruppen, journalists and the publisher of the Swedish LGBT monthly pubication QX,  FRES (Swedish national trans organization), the IT's Swedish-Belarus solidarity stand, Östgruppen (Swedish-Eastern Europe solidarity group) and cultural workers of Tupilak and the ILGCN Information Secretariat -Stockholm.

"We have had several meeting with members of the very courageous Belarus LGBT Journalist Network before -- including at a "conference in exile" in Vilnius last year -- and the visit this time has enabled us to continue with these crucial solidarity contacts," adds Bill Schiller of Tupilak and the ILGCN.

At the IT's special "travelling Swedish-Belarus literary journeys in Belarus" which provides presentations by journalists, writers, translators, human rights activists and others, the ILGCN presented former Swedish Ambassador to Minsk, Stefan Eriksson, with its annual "Rainbow Iceberg" award for the support he and his embassy dipomats have given over the years to the LGBT community in Belarus and Swedish-Belarus LGBT co-operation.  (The Swedish Embassy in Minsk has been closed by the Lukashenko regime for its contacts with opposition activists.)

The Belarus journalists' visit to Stockholm and to the Gothenburg Book Fair --the biggest yearly cultural event in the entire Nordic region-- was made possible thanks to the Swedish Institute's fund for journalistic exchange.