Whats to expect on Dec5, Manila Pride March Day

Whats to expect on Dec5, Manila Pride March Day:

Hello all! Just sending you some notes on the 2009 Manila Pride March from Task Force Pride (TFP) Philippines.

PRIDE MARCH

1. What is a Pride March?
Pride Marches worldwide celebrate the courage, solidarity, resilience and contribution of gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans and queer people. The Pride March is a collective action of the LGBT community to express its concern over human rights issues affecting the community, including homophobia and discrimination.

2. What is going to happen?
On December 5:
3pm - Registration/Walk-in (Remedios Circle)
5pm - Parade/March (Down Remedios St., Right Roxas Blvd., Right Pedro Gil Ave., Right Taft Ave., Right Nakpil St., Orosa – End)
7 pm- Candle lighting ceremony / Program / Pageant / Party

3. What if it rains?
We will march rain or shine. Be a girl/boy scout. Just be prepared and bring a colorful umbrella.

4. Why should I be part of the PRIDE MARCH?
It feels great to be out and proud to be surrounded by those who believe in the same causes. Taking to the street is a buzz. Once you’re part of a Pride March, you’ll be hooked on this special experience. It gives you a chance to be part of the LGBT community's action to promote freedom and human rights. It gives you a chance to care and help fellow LGBTs who are discriminated and abused."

5. Do I have to pay anything to march?
There is no registration fee. However, if people are able, we do suggest a donation of Php 50 for individuals; Php 200 for not-for-profit organizations; and Php 500 for for-profit organizations. Proceeds will be used to defraying the expenses used to organize the pride march.

Participants

1. If my org doesn't attend any preparation meetings can I and/or my organization still march?
Yes. Just show up at 3 pm at Remedios Circle and check-in at the registration booth.

2. Who can join the pride march?
Everyone can join the pride march including but not limited to the following:
- Individuals without organizations (you will be marching underreme the banner of Task Force Pride or join any group)
- Both LGBT and non-LGBT Organizations
- Parents, Friends and Pets
- LGBT individuals and non-LGBT individuals

3. Can I bring my friends?
Yes bring as many as you like.

4. Do I have to be out to march?
No. You may bring a mask or disguise as needed to take part of activities

Preparation

1. Is the color coordination a requirement? Why do we need colors?
Clothing Color coordination is only a guideline (not a policy) to show some level of organization and consistency of groups. You as an organization or individual can actually come as you are to march.

This is optional but for the TEAM PILIPINAS Delegation, our color is purple/violet. Feel free to wear or bring anything purple or violet.

2. What do we need to bring to the march?
Bring comfortable clothes for walking, candles for the candle light ceremony, placards, sound makers, lights, water and a whole lot of pride and voice!

Please note that TEAM PILIPINAS is bringing a long rainbow flag. Anyone from the TEAM PILIPINAS Delegation can carry the flag however, if you want your names mentioned and listed as the Official TEAM PILIPINAS Rainbow Flag Bearers for 2009, please contact http://www.facebook.com/l/aa133;teampilipinas.org@gmail.com for more details.

Maraming salamat mga kapatid!

Bruce Amoroto
President-Coordinator, TEAM PILIPINAS

xx

International Training on LGBT and Human Rights, Stockholm

International Training on LGBT and Human Rights

Stockholm, Sweden, October 26-November 13, 2009, Africa region June 14-18, 2010, and Asia region May 31-June 4, 2010

In 2009/2010, RFSL together with RFSU (The Swedish Association for Sexuality Education) is organising an international training programme on LGBT and human rights with funding from Sida (The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency). This will be the third year a training programme in this format will be organised. The 2009/2010 training programme is divided into into two sections, with participants from Africa participating in one of the sections and participants from Asia participating in the other.The closing dates to apply for this year's course is April 3 (Asia section) and April 17 (Africa section).

The training programme will include topics such as:

• Sexualities, Norms and Genders
• Human Rights and Protection for LGBT Persons
• Supporting LGBT in Practice

Requested qualifications are:

• A minimum of three years workinge experience in either LGBT or Human Rights' field.
• Academic degree in social sciences, law, public health or related fields of study.

In 2007/2008 and 2008/2009, persons from the following countries participated: Bangladesh, China, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey and Ukraine.

Chika at the International LGBT and Human Rights workshop in Stockholm

Chika and Zelal found each other in Stockholm! I met these beautiful women at a Sexuality Rights workshop at Himachal Pradesh in India. We have maintained friendships since.



Hooray to my dear friend Chika Noya for being awarded the fellowship of to attend the International Training on LGBT and Human Rights that is currently being held at Stockholm! I'm sure she will do a wonderful job at the workshop!

Chika has been working for the The Kartini Network for Women/Gender Studies in Asia for years and has been involved in working with LGBT rights in Indonesia. Apart from this, she is also an active organizer for the Queer Film Festival in Indonesia. QFF is also doing an amazing job in using innovative means to engage people to talk about important LGBT issues in Indonesia.

Watch Gimikera [streetwalker] @ the SFo Public Lib | A Powerful new Doc on Human Trafficking in the Philippines

Gimikera (Streetwalker)

A film by Ligaya Domingo & Justin Hakuta

Set amidst the bustling urban sprawl, towering skyscrapers and tin-roofed shantytowns of Manila, Philippines, Gimikera (Streetwalker) is the gripping tale of Mylene, a survivor of forced prostitution, and her struggle to find meaning in a life of exploitation and abuse. With interviews from leading anti-trafficking organizations, Gimikera (Streetwalker) depicts the brutal reality of human trafficking in the Philippines through the eyes of Mylene capturing her triumphs and hardships as she fights to put the pieces of her life back together.The film will be shown on October 3, 2008, Friday at the Koret Auditorium, San Francisco Public Library 100 Larkin Street San Francisco, CA. Screening Starts at 6:30 and will be followed by a talk with the filmmaker.

For more information email ligaya@traffickingproject.org or call 347-323-3670

Gimikera (streetwalker) is a production of the Human Trafficking Project, a New York-based nonprofit organization that utilizes art and technology to raise awareness of modern day slavery, connect those working to combat the issue and support trafficking survivors. For more information on human trafficking and what you can do to help visit www.traffickingproject.org.

Girl Effect

Young Asian Women's Leadership Forum (YWLF) Bali, Indonesia Nov 2-5, 2008

The Young Asian Women’s Leadership Forum 2008 is a collective, integrative and necessary regional initiative that aims to address, deconstruct and provide viable solutions and alternatives to the challenges facing young women leaders of the Asian women’s movements. As elsewhere, the Asian women’s movements are led by women who emerged as leaders in the 1970s and 1980s.

Their themes, their methods of organizing, their conceptual tools have so far dominated the movements. Similarly Women’s Studies in Asian universities are faced with a generation gap. There is an urgent need for the continuation, expansion and creation of rich Asian feminisms incorporating the needs, methods and concepts of young women. In the face of the highly patriarchal and hegemonic forces of neoliberalism and fundamentalisms, young women have to find their voices.The forum will provide a safe, nurturing and mutually supportive peer based environment that will enable young women from Asia to develop a nuanced understanding of feminisms within a regionally contextual and topically relevant framework.

The forum will be held in Bali, Indonesia from 2-5 November 2008. It will be an integral component of the Kartini conference’s focus on the future of Asian feminisms.

Major Objectives of the YYF:

• Identifying, organizing and orienting young feminist leaders from all over Asia for a sustained and active network for working on women’s issues.

• Alignment of the young talent, research, innovation and initiative in line with the ongoing women’s movement, to make it stronger, more visible, larger and inclusive with the fresh influx of young blood.

• Establishing the much required link between the three major generations of feminisms, the ‘been there done that’, ‘the movers and shakers of the present’ and the ‘exploring, opening and kindling fires’.

Thematic Focus:

1. Identity Politics: Gender, Embodiment and Hetero-normativity

2. Break the Silence: Express yourself, don’t repress yourself: Re-examining women’s sexuality, sexual rights and gendered language/ silence in women’s movements and academia

3. Another World is Possible: De- Gendering Poverty, Livelihoods and Neoliberal Development Discourse

4. The Art of Peace

5. Standing on the shoulders of giants: bridging the genertion gap

6. Circles of Affinity

7. The Future of Asian Feminisms

For more information email: yff@kartiniasia@gmail.com

ADD US in Facebook! Search for Young Asian Women's Leadership Forum group

The Mirror Art Group: Making Waves in the Mountains

Working north of Thailand, Chiang Rai, The Mirror Art Group focuses on projects and programs that aims to help the hilltribe peoples of Mae Yao sub-district to combat their everyday struggles with unemployment, poverty, drug addiction and lack of Thai citizenship. The group also work to provide the skills, education and support to hilltribes of Mae Yao that prepare them to adapt and co-exist with lowland Thais without sacrificing their cultural identity.

The Mirror Art Group has one of the largest Internet presence within the Thailand NGO community.
Their well designed IT Development Program uses the internet to create a community to bring in volunteers, create funds, and develop projects. With six of their acitve core members being women working from web design, to e-commerce or leading volunteer teachers to the hill tribes, this group of young artists is trully making waves in the mountains for the hill tribes of Northern Thailand! They also design websites for other NGOs, to raise funds and spread information about the hilltribes to the rest of the world. What an awesome way to use your creativity and pile up the good deeds!

Here are some of the projects: (Taken from their website)

Backtohome.org - Missing Persons Locator
Throughout Thailand, economic and societal changes have created a migration pattern of individuals leaving the safety of their villages. In this migration, some people lose contact with family or disappear as a result of more sinister causes. Backtohome.org attempts to re-unite disappeared people with their loved ones.. Backtohome.org is sponsored by the Asia Foundation.

Virtual Hilltribe Museum @ www.hilltribe.org
The cultures of highland ethnic minorities in Southeast Asia are changing rapidly as the hilltribe people become more incorporated into the lowland majority societies . The Virtual Hilltribe Museum is geared to documenting these cultures and their changes for the world to see. The Virtual Hilltribe Museum is sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation.

Bannok TV
With changes in the new Constitution, local stations will soon have the right to broadcast pertinent, non-Bangkok-centric local programming. Bannok TV is a developing local-access television station set up by the Mirror Art Group to address the needs of the Mae Yao community, keep them abreast of relevant issues, give positive media images to the hilltribe youth and address the lack of knowledge about the hilltribes in modern Thailand.

Project to Combat Trafficking in Women and Children
Every child has the right to happiness and to grow up in a safe environment. Unfortunately, among the poor of Northern Thailand, especially the hilltribes, this right is often not realized. The cities in Northern Thailand are full of children who have left school as early as the fouth grade to struggle earning money for their family. Worse yet, the extreme poverty of the region is fertile ground for those wishing to traffic women and children to wealthier areas of the country and the world.

The Story of PETA

After more than 10 laborious years of research, compiling, writing and editing, the book on the story of PETA is finally available to the public. Entitled A Continuing Narrative on Philippine Theater: The Story of PETA, the 740 plus page book is priced at PhP 1,499.00. You may call PETA - FAU for orders and payment: (+632) 4100822, 7226911 telefax (+632) 4100821.

About the book:

The Story of PETA may be considered a collective biography that provides a comprehensive yet intimate account of its lifework, from 1967 to 2007. It highlights the company’s unique approach and contribution to Philippine theater aesthetics, performance and pedagogy, and to popular education.

PETA began by asserting the then radical view of creating and performing plays in Filipino. A solid record of some 400 plays written, translated, adapted, published and performed, shaped the company’s and indeed the country’s theater history, enriching it through theater forms and techniques that express local, national and universal themes.

PETA’s pedagogy and aesthetics for people’s theater, a unique and powerful curriculum for training in theater and the arts has inspired artist-teachers to share their skills, talents and experiences with others, directed toward individual human development and societal transformation.

This book presents a chronicle of the collective journey of men and women who have inscribed a powerful presence in Philippine theater history. Woven together, their stories provide strings of hope and inspiration, a remarkable tapestry of dreams dedicated to Philippine theater, society, and nation.

As PETA enters its fifth decade of existence, it continues to nurture young artists who will metamorphose into artists-teachers- leaders and carry on the torch of art to inspire many to become cultural creatives.

Panaghoy ng Naghahanap: A Sharing of Experiences of Families of the Desaparecidos

In observance of the International Day of the Disappeared, the Center for Women’s Resources (CWR) will host a roundtable discussion on the 29^th of August 200 with mothers, sisters, and daughters of the victims of enforced disappearances. It will be held at the UP Balay Kalinaw, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City from 9:00 a.m.-12:00nn . Entitled Panaghoy ng Naghahanap: A Sharing of Experiences of Families of the Desaparecidos, the activity is a venue for sharing of experiences of the families and how they cope with the situation.

CWR is a research and training institution for and by women. Since its inception, CWR has actively promoted the rights of women through advocacy and services such as education, training, research and publication. Part of the advocacy work of CWR is the promotion of human rights, especially in cases and situations where women are affected.

The activity will gather women and human rights advocates from the academe, non-government organizations, government agencies, church and media.

We hope you will join us to show our solidarity with the families of desaparecidos.

For inquiries, please contact Di, Teta, or Osang through 411-2796 or 920-1373.