Eurovision Stars Promote Message of Tolerance

On the 17th of May, 2015, celebrated throughout the world as the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT), the official opening ceremony for Eurovision took place at Vienna’s City Hall Square. Vladimir Simonko, Executive Director of the national LGBT* rights organization LGL, was among the few lucky fans invited to the red carpet event,

Cheer Queer, Opening Event of Rainbow Days 2015

On Thursday the 14th of May, the colorful and exquisitely fashionable event Cheer Queer organized by the National LGBT* Rights Organization LGL took place at One-Two Bar, in Vilnius. The event successfully marked the beginning of the Rainbow Days 2015 festivities, a week-long series of events to celebrate the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia

At 1:00 pm on the 15th of May, 2015, the national LGBT* rights organization LGL’s Board Chair, Elena Dapkūnaitė, and Executive Director, Vladimir Simonko, presented the President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė with the “Change It!” petition signatures. LGL leadership presented a representative of the presidential office with the signatures collected in support

Rainbow Days 2015 Press Conference at Parliament

From 10 to 10:30am on the 15th of May, 2015, a press conference for Rainbow Days 2015, which was organized by the national LGBT* rights organization LGL, was held at the conference hall of the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania. Vice-Minister of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania Algirdas Šešelgis, Senior

LGL Co-organized the 2014 National Equality and Diversity Awards

On the 28th of April, 2015, the member organizations of the National Equality and Diversity Forum, including the national LGBT* rights organization LGL, alongside the Equal Opportunities Ombudsman’s Office of the Republic of Lithuania organized the 2014 National Equality and Diversity Awards in Vilnius, which honoured Lithuania’s most notable individuals, organizations and initiatives in the field

LGL’s Representative Spoke at the Council of Europe

On the 21st of April, 2015 trans activists from Ukraine, Turkey, Ireland, France and Lithuania spoke at the Council of Europe on their battle for human rights. The audience heard their testimonies of what it is to live as a trans person in Europe. Tomas Raskevicius, the national LGBT* rights organization LGL, Lithuania: “Trans people’s

Human Rights Conference at Seimas: Equality Policies in Europe and in Lithuania

On Monday the 20th of April, the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania Seimas hosted a Human Right Conference Equality Policies in Europe and in Lithuania: Current Challenges and Future Perspectives. The event was organized by the National Equality and Diversity forum (NEDF) in cooperation with the Office of Equal Opportunities Ombudsman of the Republic

On March 26th, 2015, the conference organized by the Lithuanian Human Rights Centre, “Expression of Opinion on the Internet: Human Rights, Ethics, and Legal Practice,” took place at the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Lithuania. Attorneys, public prosecutors, journalists, scholars, and representatives from state and non-governmental institutions read reports and participated in discussions.

LGL Travels to Iceland to Learn More about TRANS* Inclusion

On March 19th-22nd, 2015 two representatives of the national LGBT* rights organization LGL visited the partner organization Q – Queer Student Association in Reykjavik, Iceland. The main purpose of this 4-day visit was to acquire additional skills and competences in advocating for human rights of transgender individuals and to draw upon the best Icelandic practices

On 19-22 February 2014 two LGL representatives participated in a Kick-Off Meeting in Warsaw (Poland) for the project ‘Accommodating the needs of the victims of homophobic and transphobic hate crimes – raising the competences of law-enforcement institutions’, co-funded by the European Commission. The project is aimed at diagnosing specific needs of the aforementioned victims in

LGL Meets with the President of the Republic of Malta

On February 25th – March 1st, 2015 four representatives of the national LGBT* rights association LGL participated in the fifth partners’ meeting in the course of Grundtvig Learning Partnership “Queer Pathways into Diversity: ‘Being Different’ as a Key Factor in LGBT*Q European Adult Education (QuPiD)” in the Republic of Malta. During their visit, the LGL’s

European Volunteer Service (EVS): On-Arrival Training

Between the 26th of February and the 1st of March our EVS volunteers (Alice and Adam) participated in on-arrival training in the Lithuanian countryside, many miles from civilization… in Molėtai. Despite the remote location of the training, the accommodation was cozy, warm and provided an ideal environment for the activities that followed later. Participants had