On the 30th January, 2015, the National LGBT* Rights Organization LGL promoted a joint initiative together with the Embassy of Sweden in Vilnius as far as preparations for this year’s celebration of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) in Lithuania are concerned. The meeting was hosted in the Swedish Residence and more than thirty ambassadors and members of civil society organizations attended the meeting.

The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia is celebrated every year on the 17th of May all over the world to commemorate the day when the World Health Organization declassified homosexuality from the list of mental disorders in 1990. Since 2004 the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia has received official recognition from such international institutions as the European Parliament.

This year LGL is organizing the Rainbow Days 2015 to mark the IDAHOT for the fourth time. The previous events proved to be very successful and were attended by a significant number of people. This year LGL is planning to have a number of events, including our traditional bus ride in the centre of Vilnius and film screenings in three Lithuanian cities. Ambassadors and civil society organizations members during Friday‘s meeting showed great interest in supporting IDAHOT and in implementing several initiatives during the Rainbow Days.