Dear friends,
A little bit more than four years ago I traveled to Lisbon. For the first time in my life I went to a real conference, for the first time in my life somebody paid my ticket. I didn’t really know what to expect, except that I understood the topic of the conference was ‘pride’. We slept the whole week in a hostel and the conference took place in a small community centre in Lisbon. For me it was to become the most special week of my life. Back home I tried to explain what IGLYO had done with me – but it was so hard to explain. One week of spending time with like minded people – one week of full dedication and energy.
Now, four years later I stand in front of you here in Malaga to say goodbye. To say goodbye from an organization that has played such an important part of my life. I had the privilege to work for an organization that is very unique. Like many other people: I became a bit of IGLYO…and slowly IGLYO became also a little bit of me. After these days I have the full confidence, that IGLYO will continue to become a bit of you – and that is what the truth strength of IGLYO is: a youth organization that knows what it works for.
It was a conviction that I should do this work, that I should take on the challenge of supporting an organization which does not know much of it equals. The conviction however did not come from inside. It came from you. It came from stories of exclusion, stories of injustice, spoken by brave, courageous people – people whom when they got together develop magic amounts of energy.
Four years have passed away now – they feel like a few months. Many challenges we have faced, and many challenges will also remain. Our belief and your inspiration helped us reconstructing the organization to what we are today: a well respected partner in the field of European Youth affairs.
IGLYO can not do without its volunteers. In the past years I had the lucky opportunity to work with many. Too many to thank all in person, but a few I want to thank. In particular the people that I started working with: Ruth, Jasna and Jelena. Those who started with me in this board: Maxence and Beverley. Those who work with me now, and still bear with my endless demands: Fabio, Darren, Lucy and Bruno. For you I have a little present to remember this meeting.
But also I thank people from outside, whom helped me reflect and have given me assistance and inspiration when I needed that. Evelyne, Judit, Bettina and Dennis: without you this work would very likely not have been possible.
I believe there is a future for IGLYO. Many of the numerous activists that once were part of IGLYO are now part of other important human rights organizations. The strategic plans and the commitment that have been show during this meeting gives me hope for considerable work to be carried out in the coming years. The confidence and trust that are given to the new board are an important asset in that, and I hope that the new board will continue building partnerships and encourage cooperation with youth organizations, and other organizations. Together we stand strong.
But dear friends, it is also my duty to share with you also my concerns. The work pressure on a small group of volunteers is enormous. This small group of people is too often characterized by their Western-European citizenships. Activists from other regions of Europe are extremely occupied by running their local and national movements – often already as volunteers. This creates a geographical power imbalance which needs to be challenged. We can not continue letting go the great contributions that young people from all regions in Europe can make.
At the same time there continues to be a lack of resources. The potential opening of an office next year will slightly improve the work conditions of the preceeding board. But let’s not create an air bubble: one person will not be able to run the complete administration and carry out the organization of events. The amount of work continues to increase, and this needs to be tackled. You all have an important role in this. I believe that only by showing vision, unity and true leadership we can expect this support to increase in the coming years.
Many efforts have been made to raise IGLYO’s profile in the past years – to position IGLYO in such way that both the number of activities engaging members can grow, the policy development can improve and extend, as well the capacity to accept an increasing amount of important partnerships can be developed. This work has to continue. We have to react on the policy developments in the EU, the Council of Europe, the OSCE and the UN, in order to create better standards for the realities of young people. We need to target our actions, and I am convinced that the new board will be helped by the existence of a strategic plan that will allos them to focus and target their energies.
But foremost, let’s not forget why we do this work. Our meetings have demonstrated repeatedly the unacceptable situation in which young LGBT people still find themselves daily. Why is the 14-year old Danny, living in a small village of the Netherlands, being criticized for being gay? Because many people in the Netherlands feel that at this age he can’t be sure about his sexual orientation yet. Self-determination is an important aspect of human rights principles that we need to advocate for.
Why is 19-year old Denise in Bulgaria forced to work and leave home? Because her parents wouldn’t take care of her anymore after she came out. We need to build project around intercultural and inter-religious dialogue – to ensure a better understanding of whom we are.
Why are numerous schools still refusing to discuss LGBT issues in their curricula, herewith contributing to social exclusion of LGBT young people? And when can these schools be kept accountable for the mental damage that they herewith cause? When can these schools be kept accountable for the isolation that they cause, isolation sometimes leading to suicide?
And then I do not speak even about the situation of young people elsewhere in the world. IGLYO is the only international LGBTQ Youth organization of this seize world wide. Why? Because we have it relatively good. Let’s not forget that. Let’s not forget that we carry a responsibility towards the situation of LGBTQ young people elsewhere in the world.
Dear friends, I must say that saying goodbye hurts. It helps to know that there is a new competent and enthusiastic board waiting to take over. I want to wish the new board a lot of luck with their work, I am confident that they will further guide IGLYO in the directions that we are needed to go. I have two little presents that should give some luck to the next board. I hope they will stay with IGLYO, and that the new board will give these presents to the new board.
One present is from Darren, Fabio and me. It’s a mirror for the new office, so that we can always remember whom we are working for. \
The other present is something more personal. It is a piece of the homo-monument in Amsterdam. A place where I often go to eat a sandwich for lunch. The triangle next to the Westerchurch in Amsterdam represents past, present and future. It commemorates those that became victim of who they are. In the summer tourists rest on the monument without knowing what the monument is – it makes it just a part of the environment. There is a text on the monument which still is a dream to so many young lgbt people in the world, it reads ‘to friendship, such an endless longing’.
It provided me with much inspiration, hope and perspective. I hope this piece of stone will bring the same to you.
Dear friends, thank you for all the great work and experiences in the past years. I wish you all the best for your future work and hope to be able to continue working with many of you.
So long, IGLYO!
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