Date: Wed, 22 Jan 1997 14:59:19 GMT From: iglyo@intex.ie (Suzy Byrne _ IGLYO) Press Release International Queer Youth Meet to Plan for 1997 The International Lesbian and Gay Youth Organisation (IGLYO) held its general meeting in Munich from January 17-19 in Munch, Germany. Discussions and debates were held on the organisation's workplan for 1997 and changes to the constitution. IGLYO which is celebrating its 10th year of organising activities and providing information for lesbian gay and bisexual youth and students groups will now also invite transgendered youth to participate in our work and will actively adopt the issues faced by transgendered people in our political campaign work. Work approved by members for 1997 also includes holding our 13th International Conference in Pisa, Italy. The theme for the conference will b on homophobia and Fascism and will be attended by over 70 young people. Work continues on obtaining funding for the event and in particular in sponsoring attendance from outside Europe. IGLYO will also host a seminar on Religion and Homosexuality in co-operation with International Youth Organisations representing different religious beliefs. The seminar will be sponsored by the European Youth Centre. In our continuing efforts to increase the involvement of women throughout our work IGLYO plans to hold a training event for young lesbian and bisexual women youth leaders in the second half of this year. The board also will undertake an evaluation of how young women's organisations are contacted and involved in our work EuroPride this year takes place in Paris and IGLYO will co-sponsor a welcome event for youth groups who attend with our member group, Gemini, The French speaking Federation of Lesbian and Gay Youth Groups. IGLYO representatives will also attend the World Conference of the International Lesbian and Gay Association and are planning to facilitate workshops on youth at the conference. Resolutions were also passed which will call on the European Youth Ministers meeting in Romania in 1998 to be moved to a different venue. This resolution also calls on the board to campaign throughout the European Institutions highlighting the situation facing lesbians and gay men in Romania. The meeting also adopted a plan for the evaluation of IGLYO's work and also instructed the Board to work on the inclusion of groups outside Europe as well as continuing our work already well under way supporting groups in Eastern and Central Europe Elections to the board also took place at the meeting and the Executive Board of IGLYO for 1997 is as follows Suzy Byrne (Ireland) Chairperson Pascal Hildebert (France) Secretary Henrike Eisfeld (Germany) Treasurer Sanne Goedhart (Netherlands) Ken Carl (USA) Nikoli Georgiev (Bulgaria) For further information contact Suzy Byrne, Chairperson at the addresses listed below. end IGLYO is a membership organisation of lesbian gay bisexual and transgendered youth and student groups. Activities and political representation form the basis of our work as well as an information and advice network and a penpal programme. For more information contact IGLYO IGLYO Postbus 542 NL 1000 AM Amsterdam the Netherlands Ph/Fax +31 20 6188172 email