Date:         Wed, 28 Dec 1994 13:38:13 -0500
Reply-To: Bjorn.Skolander@NORDISKA.UU.SE

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Source: The SETA server at URL http://www.seta.fi

   Mayor Ignores Gay and Lesbian Human Rights

   ILGA's European conference takes place in Helsinki on December
   27th-31st 1994 in Paasitorni. ILGA is an international lesbian and gay
   organisation whose members are national, local and international
   lesbian and gay organisations fighting for human and citizen's rights.
   ILGA was founded 1978 and now has about 400 members.

   This decade at various ILGA conferences, for example in Vienna,
   Stockholm, London, Barcelona, Brussels and Berlin, receptions were
   organized by the city for delegates from the conference. This year,
   ILGA's world conference took place in New York where delegates
   received greetings from President Bill Clinton.

   In contrast, Mayor Kari Rahkamo does not seem to consider human rights
   activism as an important part of Helsinki's cultural atmosphere. He
   rejected an invitation to receive participants of ILGA's conference.
   While Mayor Rahkamo has previously organized a reception on comparable
   occasions, when it comes to ILGA, he decided to make an exception.

   ILGA's tradition of conferences can contribute a great deal to the
   cultural life of a city, especially a city like Helsinki that hopes to
   receive the title of "Cultural Capital". This conference deals with
   lesbian and gay human rights and discusses the activities in Europe
   and cooperation between ILGA's member organizations. Also to be
   discussed will be situation in Eastern Europe for gays and lesbians,
   and the influence of European integration for gay and lesbian member
   organizations. Representatives will come from at least 30 different
   countries. Altogether there are about 150 participants expected. This
   is the biggest conference dealing with lesbian and gay rights,
   legislation and AIDS organized in Finland.

   The host of conference is SETA (the Finnish organization for sexual
   equality). The last time that ILGA's World meeting was held in Finland
   was ten years ago.