ilga promises improved relations with its regions

Thuli Madi (BTM Director)

AFRICA ABROAD – November 17, 2008: The International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) hosted its 24th world conference in Vienna, Austria on 3 to 6 November 2008.

This assembly, which was attended by more than 80 member countries of the world aimed to, among other objectives, create and strengthen networks between activists campaigning in all regions of the world. 

ILGA’s world conference also granted lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) activists an opportunity to impact the work of the ILGA, including making amendments to its constitution and standing orders.

The four day programme was a combination of workshops on different areas of activism and other ILGA logistics such as the election of the secretariat and overview of the Geneva Conference in 2006.

“The conference aims to put LGBTI activists in one space where they can share ideas regionally and learn from each others’ experiences.

We also want to focus on how we can empower lesbians and bisexuals, encourage North and South power sharing and to come up with ideas on how we can implement projects in difficult contexts”, Patricia Curzi, one ILGA World Conference’s organisers said.

Meanwhile, the election process resulted in Renato Sabbadini being the new Secretary General of ILGA, filling the shoes of Phillip Braun who occupied this position for many years.

Before being elected to a new post Sabbadini was a member of the Executive Board of ILGA.

While celebrating his victory he admitted that he does not possess much knowledge in overseeing all of ILGA’s regions but said he is willing to learn.

He also revealed that he, together with his colleagues, plan to draft a 5-year strategic plan that would see to it that there is more funding sought to implement projects and workshops to empower all ILGA regions.

“I also hope to visit Africa to get a better understanding of the kind of work that Pan-Africa has been engaged in.”

Asked what this conference means to him as an African LGBTI activist Jide Macaulay of House of Rainbow Metropolitan Community Church, an inclusive congregation in Nigeria said “This conference is important to bring more visibility to Africa, to empower LGBTI activism and human rights in Africa.”

He added that the conference helped create positive role models in politics and introduce equality measures across the global spheres.

“Now that we, the African region, have experienced the first world conference of ILGA since our establishment, this conference in this regard gives us, as a collective, power to voice ourselves with conscious minds when it comes to decision making”, Linda Baumann, co-chair of Pan-Africa ILGA commented.