Italy IDAHO Report 2012

Turin’s Red Chamber in the City Palace played host to IDAHO 2012 celebrations for the first time. This is the historic chamber in which the City Council holds its assembly sessions, and was conducted before an assembly of politicians, LGBT associations’ representatives and citizens.
During the event, the IDAHO video, translated in the Italian language, was screened. The city’s Mayor made an opening speech highlighting the fact that progress had been made in recognizing the rights of LGBT people. Celebrations ended with a gift from the XXVII Torino GLTB Film Festival: A video produced by the students of the European Institute for Design of Torino representing a positive vision of the future in which humankind will have forgotten the meaning of discrimination.

About 100 people also gathered in Turin’s Castello Square, each wearing a white T-shirt with the words “Victim of Homophobia/Transphobia” and giving away prints of the program and stopping people on the streets to talk about homophobia and transphobia in Italy. At the end of the day, the Councillor for Equal Opportunities came by to lend support in the name of the city.

Activists also held a day-long “Ride the Pride” bus trip to commemorate IDAHO which visited three cities during the day and featured three different activities: Meeting with students at the high school in Castelmaggiore; an exhibition with a performances in the main square of Pieve di Cento; and a screening of the movie “Due Volte Genitori” about families with LGBT children at Pianoro cinema.

Prayer vigils were once again held for victims of homophobia and transphobia around the world. Christians of all denominations met in churches throughout Italy to remember victims and break down the wall of silence and embarrassment that is so prevalent in society.