Serbia

Different groups and organisations in Belgrade, Serbia prepared for a variety of actions to commemorate IDAHOT, but due to the natural disaster – creating mass floods – in the Balkans right before May 17, all the actions on and after the day had to be cancelled. The only IDAHOT event that could be held was a Stand Up Comedy show on May 14.

In commemoration of IDAHOT and as part of an international tour, on May 14 there was the show “Laugh out proud” which consists of stand up comedy that took place at KC Grad, a social club in Belgrade. Making part of the show were LGBT comedians from the UK, Scott Capurro and Lara King, and the host Marina Orsag, from Croatia. The organiser of the show in Belgrade was standup.rs
As the rain and floods started to become more devastating during the week, the organisers of the other IDAHOT actions decided to cancel all events. In a statement by IDAHO Belgrade, organisers called out for solidarity with all the victims of the floods that struck Serbia and Bosnia & Herzegovina in the week leading up to IDAHOT. Many members of groups who had planned events were involved in supporting and assisting people who needed help after the catastrophe.
Planned events included a conference and a public event hosted by Labris, the Lesbian Human Rights Organization in Belgrade. Also, an advocacy campaign “Get a safe space for the LGBT community”, organised by Safe pulse of Youth, Gayten-LGBT and Labris – to raise awareness of the necessity of safe spaces, and ultimately to establish a centre for counselling and supporting the LGBTIQ community and their families. Activists also planned to hold a conference to inform the public about these issues.
The IDAHO Committee was in regular contact with activists organising in the country, and issued statements of support, which we reaffirm here.