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5月21日第二屆「國際不再恐同日」香港區遊行
張超雄議員 將出席開幕禮
第二屆「國際不再恐同日」香港區遊行，已定於今年5月21日，於銅鑼灣舉行。今年遊行由17個同志友善的民間團體主辦，主題為「挺身而行 消除歧視」，希望藉著是次遊行，喚醒世人關注對同性戀的恐懼。今年全球將有40多個國家同步響應。香港區遊行更會增加「宗教祝福禮」及「一分鐘默哀」環節，向公眾推廣性傾向及性別認同的平等權利訊息。
今年遊行邀請到立法會議員張超雄任開幕嘉賓。中、台的知名同志友善團體亦會派出成員參加遊行，包括國內的同志網站「愛白‧華文同性資料中心」代表鄭遠濤、台灣同志教會「同光同志長老教會」、台灣首位同志牧師曾牧師、台灣BDSM組織「皮繩愉虐邦」。
宗教祝福禮
今屆遊行新增的宗教祝福禮，邀請到多個宗教團體出席，包括尋道會、基恩之家、香港基督徒學會，以愛心呼喚宗教與同志的復和。參與的宗教團體希望藉著是次祝福禮，為人類社會帶出理想願景，鼓勵不同性別、性傾向、階級、種族及宗教人士，積極消除對異己的恐懼和疏離，幫助眾人接納彼此的差異，共同進入和好，達至彼此相愛。
一分鐘默哀
為響應「英國國際不再恐同日籌備單位」的呼籲，全球多個國家今年都會有不同的默哀活動，今屆香港區遊行亦將加入「一分鐘默哀」環節，屆時將會讀出發生在國際及香港的恐同大事，以悼念恐同下的死難者，及向受害者致意。
承接去年 推廣「性傾向平權」
去年，「第一屆國際反恐懼同性戀日」香港區遊行於5月16日成功舉行，有350名支持同志平權的朋友參與。今年經網上659人次投票更改中文譯名為「國際不再恐同日」，以更清晰表達希望香港社會不再出現對性小眾的恐懼之願景。
國際不再恐同日
國際不再恐同日IDAHO (International Day Against Homophobia)正日為5月17日，由Louis-George Tin先生於去年倡議，並得到國際同性戀組織ILGA (International Lesbian and Gay Association) 支持，喚醒世人關注對同性戀的恐懼，源於1990年5月17日世界衛生組織 (WHO) 將「同性戀」從精神病名冊中除名。IDAHO亦關注對於跨性別、雙性戀及不同性小眾人士受到的不公平對待。
第二屆「國際不再恐同日」香港區遊行詳情：
日期：2006年5月21日
集合時間：下午2:00
集合地點：銅鑼灣東角道行人專用區（SOGO百貨後）
大會網站：www.idahohk.org
聯絡電郵：[email protected]
國際不再恐同日香港籌委會由17個民間團體組成，包括：
香港女同盟會、女同學社、姊妹同志、啟同服務社、香港十分一會、香港基督徒學會、香港彩虹、彩虹行動 、基恩之家、尋道會、國際特赦組織香港分會同志組、跨性別平等與接納行動、香港性學會、八樓社會運動資源中心、紫藤、f'union及G Magazine。
如有查詢請致電聯絡：煒煒 (電話：9711 6992)
2006年5月8日
For immediate release:
May 8, 2006
May 21: The 2nd International Day Against Homophobia Hong Kong Parade Legislator Fernando Cheung as guest of honour
The 2nd International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) Hong Kong Parade is scheduled to take place in Causeway Bay on May 21. Sixteen sexual minority-friendly groups have joined force to organise the event, entitled "Stand Up Against Prejudice", in hopes of increasing awareness about homophobia in the society. This year, some 50 countries will have IDAHO events. "Spiritual blessings" and a "tribute of one-minute silence" are among the items in the programme that aims to promote to the public the message of equal opportunities on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Dr Fernando Cheung Chiu-hung, a member of the Legislative Council, has accepted the invitation to be the guest of honour to open this year's Hong Kong IDAHO. Prominent sexual minority-friendly organisations from other parts of Greater China will be present at the parade, and they include mainland sexual minority website Gay Chinese - Information Clearinghouse for Chinese Gays and Lesbians (ICCGL), represented by Mr. Silvano Zheng; Taiwanese sexual minority church group Tong-Kwang Light House Presbyterian Church; Taiwan's first sexual minority cleric Rev. Elias Tseng; and Taiwanese BDSM (bondage and discipline; domination and submission; and sadism and masochism) group BDSM Company.
Spiritual blessings
New to the programme this year are spiritual blessings offered by several religious organisations such as Spiritual Seekers Society, Blessed Minority Christian Fellowship and Hong Kong Christian Institute, aspiring to bring reconciliation between religions and sexual minorities through messages of love. With these blessings, the participating groups seek to convey a vision to humanity, of the day when people of diverse genders, sexual orientations, standings, races and creeds work together to eradicate fear of difference, and to help everyone accept one another for a new chapter of harmony and even universal love.
A tribute of one-minute silence
Under the call from the international organising body, UK IDAHO Correspondent, silent tributes are to be held at IDAHO events around the world. In Hong Kong, the tribute will include citation of cases of homophobia locally and from around the world as a commemoration to the victims.
Keeping up the momentum and pushing for equality between sexual orientations
In the first Hong Kong IDAHO march, which took place with great success on May 16 last year, some 350 supporters of sexual rights participated. This year 659 online votes have chosen a Chinese name for IDAHO, further expressing Hong Kong's vision of a society free of homophobia.
Initiated by Mr. Louis-Georges Tin and endorsed by International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) to raise concerns about homophobia, IDAHO's official date is May 17. It was on this day in 1990 that the World Health Organisation removed "homosexuality" from its International Classification of Diseases. IDAHO is also concerned with the inequality faced by transgender, bisexual and other sexual minority people.
Details of the 2nd International Day Against Homophobia Hong Kong Parade:
Date: May 21, 2006
Meeting time: 2pm
Meeting place: Pedestrianised area on East Point Road (behind Sogo)
Official website: www.idahohk.org
Official email: [email protected]
IDAHOHK Committee consists of 17 NGOs, including:
Women Coalition of HKSAR, Nutongxueshe, Queer Sisters, HORIZONS, HK 10% Club, Hong Kong Christian Institute, Rainbow of HK, Rainbow Action, Blessed Minority Christian Fellowship, Spiritual Seekers Society, Amnesty International Hong Kong LGBT Group, Transgender Equality & Acceptance Movement, Society for the Study of Sexualities and Sex-pol, 8A Social Movement Resource Centre, Zi Teng, f'union & G Magazine.
For further information please call Reggie 98678283