Queer Beograd

conni 20.05.2005 12:55 Themen: Antifa Antirassismus Freiräume Gender Kultur
QUEER FESTIVAL, FIRST TIME IN BELGRADE!

International Queer Festival The Encounter took place in Belgrade, Serbia&Montenegro, from 3rd to 7th May.
QUEER FESTIVAL, FIRST TIME IN BELGRADE!

International Queer Festival The Encounter took place in Belgrade, Serbia&Montenegro, from 3rd to 7th May.

QueerBeograd is a group of eight people who decided to stand against the violence:

Because first attempt of organizing Pride Parade in Belgrade in 2001. was blocked by large group of violent homophobic hooligans. Because this violence is a result of politics of war, clericalism, nationalism, militarism and machismo that has been mainstream politics in Serbia during last 15 years. Because second attempt to make LGBT community and politics visible on streets of Belgrade in 2004. had to be canceled coz organizers again couldn’t guarantee for participants safety. Because the state and citizens are still ignorant toward problems of LGBT population and all the others who are “Different”. Because Human Rights are abused on daily bases.

We gathered as people of all kinds to say the divisions between us are not so great and to promote queer politics. We recognize that there are many ways that people love one another. We support each other in the right to do this.

That is why this year we had new concept – we refused to spend time on worries about violence that might happen and hiring private security or police, but rather create, for a few days, the world we would like to enjoy. Free from fear, free from violence, free from discrimination. We organized Queer Festival and declared a free space where regardless of the differences between people there is respect and sharing, where tolerance and understanding can develop, where people were discussing their social and political views.

Because of pervasive homophobia and fascism in society that we live in, festival was mainly clandestine. That is why we decided to publicize the event once the activities were finished.

Many events took place over the 6 days of the festival, daily visited by over 100 people from Germany, Slovenia, France, Macedonia, UK, Croatia and Serbia&Montenegro.
Along with a 3 day self defense workshop, each day workshops took place which included theatre, gender and sexuality, safer sex, multi relationships & conservatism, Roma women’s issues and S/M culture. An exhibition of works Self portraits by artist Alenka Spacal from Slovenia, Toilets by Deivan form Beograd, and «Doomsday Graphics & Shaved Women» by Nenad Vukmirović & Andrea Tomašević, Beograd.
Evening events included an exhibition opening and festival launch, a presentation of Queer Zagreb, Croatia along with a film screening All 5 by Dana Budisavljević, Croatia about first outed prostitute/porn star in Croatia; performance event featuring Act Women from Beograd in Transkitchen rhythmic therapy and Jet Moon from London in Capitalist whore fantasy. Performances are sarcastic toward patriarchal and capitalist society from feministic point of view, and its influence on body and sexuality. All of these events were well attended and attracted different crowds.
On third night a local club was used to host an all woman band event - featuring Tribade a lesbian bend from Paris, Lollobrigida girls from Croatia and Bitcharke na travi from Beograd.

Last day of the festival a street action-party was held in the main street of Beograd with the theme 'no more violence in the streets', live act by trance artist Lava 303 from Frankfurt, Germany, a banner was hung in the street, food not bombs was served, music played and flyers were distributed giving information about discrimination, encouraging freedom and tolerance. Everyone was nervous about going to the street but we did it and this was an empowering moment for those present. Party was continued in a small club on the lake Ada where festival was officially closed.

During the event there were no incidents what-so-ever, and this action it is one of many activities against homophobia and violence upon Others and Different that will take place in Serbia.

QueerBeograd –  queerbeograd@yahoo.co.uk
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