Equality Without Borders: a European perspective on Scottish LGBT rights
This conference for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Equality is to be held in Stirling, at the Stirling Highland Hotel, on Saturday 31st May 2008, from 10am to 4.45pm.
Our aim in organising this event is to bring together people in Scotland who want to learn how other countries in Europe lead on LGBT rights. Guest speakers from across Europe will lead workshops and a panel discussion on equality without borders: equality in Europe.
About the conference: who is it for? What are the aims? Is it accessible? What does it cost? How do I book? What's happening on the day?
About the conference
Who is it for?
For everyone with an interest in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality in Scotland.
For everyone who would like to know more about LGBT equality across Europe.
Individuals, groups, statutory bodies, and businesses are all welcome.
What are the aims?
Across Europe, LGBT people have different access to equal rights depending on the country that we live in. Access to marriage, or to civil partnerships; recognition of LGBT families; gender recognition; equality in education or employment; recognition of hate crime. Guest speakers from other countries in Europe will lead discussion on the LGBT equality issues in areas such as same-sex marriage, education, health, and community capacity-building.
Is it accessible?
We want everyone to be able to fully participate in the conference. If you have any access requirements, please tell us about them on the registration form. Please give as much detail as possible. The earlier we know, the more we can do.
Attending Equality Network Events: Access
There will be a private room available at the conference for anyone who would like to change their outward appearance at the conference, and store their street clothes to change back into for their return home. Please let the Equality Network know if you would like to make use of this.
What does it cost?
• £10 for individuals and/or voluntary organisations
• £60 for statutory and/or commercial organisations
These fees cover registration, refreshments, buffet lunch, and conference documents. We can offer a few free or concessionary places. Please contact the Equality Network if you’d like to come to the conference, but can’t afford the fee.
How do I book?
Download a copy of the registration form from the Conference page. Fill it in. Post it back to us. Please send a cheque or postal order with your registration form. Make your cheque or postal order payable to Equality Network.
If you are on our network, you should receive a copy of the form in the post before the end of April.
We appreciate early registration. Final deadline is 23rd May. (Update: we have extended the deadline to 30th May.)
Please let us know what your childcare needs are when you register. If you do not let us know by 16th May, we may not be able to provide childcare. (Update: as no one has contacted us requesting a creche, we regret that we will now be unable to provide childcare at the conference.)
What's happening on the day?
Three guest speakers have confirmed: Odhran Allen from GLEN, who will speak about mental health provision in Ireland. Peter van Dijk from COC, who will speak about education in the Netherlands. Hans Ytterberg, the Ombudsman against Discrimination on grounds of Sexual Orientation, who will speak about winning hearts and minds in Sweden. Klaire Connor, who’s been involved with organising the Ljubljana Pride March in Slovenia; David Montero from Spain (representing the Federación Estatal de Lesbianas, Gays, Transexuales y Bisexuales – FELGTB) who will speak on equal marriage.
The keynote speaker is Stewart Maxwell, the Scottish Government's Community Minister.
Workshops are planned to discuss mental health provision, education, hearts and minds, same-sex marriage, community capacity-building, and homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia across Europe. As usual, we'll be running several workshops simultaneously, but workshops which a lot of people want to attend will be run twice. We'll ask you to indicate which workshops you would like to attend nearer the time: don't worry that there isn't an option on your registration form.
(Note that this timetable for the day will be updated with further information about guest speakers, workshops, keynote speakers, and so on. This version is correct as of 20th May 2008.)
10.00am Registration / Refreshments / Workshops signup
10.30am Welcome
10.40am Keynote Speaker: Stewart Maxwell, Community Minister
11:05am Guest Speakers
11.30am Refreshments
11.45am Workshops (morning)
Workshops will include:
- education isses
- equal marriage
- mental health provision
- Hearts and Minds
- community capacity building, with Klaire Connor
We will do our best to schedule the workshops so that everyone will be able to go to the ones they want: the most popular may be run twice, morning and afternoon.
1.00pm Lunch
1.45pm Guest Speakers
2.15pm Workshops (afternoon)
3.30pm Refreshments
3.45pm Panel discussion
4.30pm Evaluation
4.40pm Closing Remarks
4.45pm End