COUNTDOWN TO MAY 17 2013 – AN UPDATE FROM THE IDAHO COMMITTEE TEAM !

It is now just over a month to go to the 9th annual International Day Against Homophobia & Transphobia. This week has seen an incredible amount of information come in about new from all four corners of the world. And, as of today, we can announce that actions which connect with one another into the form of an IDAHO Global Rainbow Flashmob will take place in at least 25 countries.
Activists from various groups in South Africa met on Monday, April 8, in Johannesburg, for a planning session to create an amazing series of events for May 17. They also released a video, as part of their push to inspire a cascade of creative events on the Southern side of Africa for this year.
Similarly, this week also saw the publication of a new short video from Italian LGBT Christian network, Gionata, “There is no fear in love”.
The IDAHO Committee team also heard from activists in Hong Kong and Taiwan who are planning flashmob events, whilst members of the Georgian LGBTI group, Identoba, have taken the courageous decision to hold a silent flashmob action on May 17, 2013 – which speaks back, in a way, to the events of last year’s IDAHOT march.
Young LGBTQI people, from the group Colour Youth, in Greece will be holding a poster competition, each featuring anti-discrimination messages, amongst many other events. Albanian group Pro-LGBT Albania will be hosting a queer history exhibition from Sweden and repeating their May 17th gay bike ride, amongst many other events! Meanwhile, the folks over at Gay Star News have made a call out for all different kinds of people and groups to get in contact with them, for their very own flashmob event in London, UK. As they advised this morning:
“We are planning to do it at 4pm on 11 May, near City Hall (date and details to be confirmed), so we can release the video on the 17th for IDAHO. We are working with the gay choirs, and a gay band and inviting other community groups. But if you, or anyone you know, wants to attend, just email anthonyf@gaystarnews.com and we will update you when we have more details. If you have a singing group/music group, let us know that in particular so we can get that co-ordinated: It’s better when everyone sings the same song in the same key!”
Activists in Belgrade have also announced a theatre/dance performance, which dramatises some of the realities of queer women living in Serbia. Actions have also been announced this week in Moldova, Belize, Honduras, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand.
The IDAHO committee team has also heard about various events in different countries which we cannot announce for security reasons. Those silent organisers, perhaps most of all, deserve our recognition and thoughts as we approach what promises to be a creative and truly International, Day Against Homophobia & Transphobia, 2013.
To report your event, or for any ideas for action or requests for information, partnership ideas etc. email the IDAHO committee team via contact@dayagainsthomophobia.org
You can also join the “IDAHO flashmob working group” on facebook where around 140 event organisers, from around the world, are exchanging ideas for action for May 17th.