Назад Coming Out Day Fest 2023: Changing negative attitudes toward LGBTI persons in the Republic of Moldova

Coming Out Day Fest 2023: Changing negative attitudes toward LGBTI persons in the Republic of Moldova

The Coming Out Day Fest, is a thematic event aiming to raise awareness of the human rights situation for LGBTI persons in the Republic of Moldova and combat homophobia, transphobia and biphobia through artistic and cultural events. The fifth edition of the festival was held on 6-11 October.

An important outcome of the festival was the creation of a shared space for discussions, exchanges, and dialogue for the general public with LGBTI persons. Communication through art and culture was encouraged, to raise awareness and combat discrimination against LGBTI persons in the Moldovan society. 

The activities organised during the festival on the coming out theme included photo and painting exhibitions, film screenings, an introduction to queer representation of Eastern European cinematography, and a book launch. Queer artists were present in these activities. A discussion between parents and LGBTI children focusing on the coming out process and how mutual support can be efficient for both parties was organised with the facilitation of a specialised psychologist.  

The challenges encountered by LGBTI persons were at the focus of the festival, showing that hatred, prejudices and stereotypes can negatively impact the right to non-discrimination. This is essential for safeguarding the human dignity of those targeted by hate speech and hate crimes.

For the Council of Europe, protecting the human rights of LGBTI persons in its member countries has always been a key priority in the anti-discrimination domain. Cooperation activities of the Council of Europe stem from the recommendations of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), including the most recent Recommendation to stop intolerance and discrimination against LGBTI persons, but also rely on the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights, interpreting the European Convention on Human Rights and on the Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers on measures to combat discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Coming Out Day Fest 2023 was organised by Genderdoc-M, a non-governmental organisation protecting and advancing the rights of LGBTI people in the Republic of Moldova, with the support of the project “Combating discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes in the Republic of Moldova” and the Council of Europe Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Unit (SOGI).

This event is part of the European Union and Council of Europe joint programme “Partnership for Good Governance”, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe, in the framework of the project "Combating discrimination, hate speech and hate crimes in the Republic of Moldova”.

Chisinau, Republic of Moldova 6-11 October 2023
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Strasbourg, France Strasbourg, 1-2 July 2024
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Addressing hate speech and hate crime: regional gathering of the network of Equality Bodies from the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership Region

A two-day workshop on addressing hate speech and hate crime took place at the premises of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, involving Equality bodies from the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership regions.  The event supported by the EU and Council of Europe, gathered 50 representatives from both regions who discussed and exchanged on the best practices, measures and common challenges when addressing hate speech and hate crime. Through monitoring and reporting, policy advocacy, raising awareness and supporting victims equality bodies play a fundamental role in protecting human rights and ensuring that all individuals are treated equally.

In her opening remarks, Angela Longo, Head of Anti-discrimination Co-operation Unit, Council of Europe, underlined the significant progress in engaging with Equality Bodies through this network, regularly exchanging best practices and addressing the challenges of hatred and intolerance in societies. She highlighted that this new chapter of discussion delves into the grey area between hate speech and hate crime, addressing issues of incitement and biases,

Representatives from Equality Bodies had the opportunity to discuss and enhance their knowledge on the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers Recommendation to member States on combating hate crime, adopted on 7th May 2024, as well as gain a clearer understanding of EU standards in the field of hate crime. Moreover, participants engaged in exchanges with peers from the Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia (OBERAXE), who shared insights on addressing hate speech in the public discourse. The National Office Against Racial Discrimination (UNAR) in Italy provided practical examples for developing counter-narratives and raising awareness initiatives.

They also explored opportunities to advocate for legislative reform, foster multisectoral co-operation, enhance data collection, and overall improve national mechanisms to counter hate crimes.

This seminar was organised within the action “Promoting equality and combating racism and intolerance in the Western Balkans” and the project “Promoting equality and non-discrimination: towards more resilient and inclusive societies” – co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe  under the joint Programmes “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” and “Partnership for Good Governance”.

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