European Trade Union Committee for Education

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EuroPride 2019, the biggest European event celebrating equal rights, is taking place between 1-16 June 2019, located in Vienna, Austria. EuroPride is organised by the European LGBTI community and occurs in different cities each year with the attendants of many visitors across the continent. This year’s moto “together & proud”, is a reflection of unity and solidarity in the fight for equal rights, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the modern LGBTI movement (since Stonewall riots). A series of events will be taking place across the continent to celebrate diversity in unison, such as the following:

EuroPride Conference on 12-14 June 2019, Vienna: This event will highlight the role of the LGBTIQ community, LGBTIQ rights as human rights, as well as the role of Stonewall in society today.

EuroPride Village on 12-15 June 2019 in the Rathausplatz in Vienna: This event will include a variety of information stands, workshops, diversity programmes and entertainment.

EuroPride Parade on 15 June 2019 will be between Rathausplatz (city hall square) and Schottenring, Vienna. The parade will consist of a march for love, respect and freedom, free from discrimination. The event will include speeches from activities and politicians, as well as further entertainment.

For this occasion, ETUC has issued video statements from the Confederal Secretaries Ludovic Voet and Isabelle Schömann, renewing the commitment of the recent ETUC congress against all forms of discrimination and in support of LGBTI rights. During the EuroPride Village, The Austrian Trade Union Confederation (ÖGB) will have its own booth in collaboration with the Chamber of Labor (AK), to raise awareness of employee rights and workplace discrimination, as well as having their own truck at the parade, under the motto “Pride at Work”. A recent study by the AK found that one in five of the participants in the study deliberately hide their sexual orientation in the workplace.

Education trade unions also celebrate the EuroPride through the participation and support of all the Pride events taking place in their countries. For example, in the UK, NASUWT takes place in London pride and funds the participation in the local Pride rallies and marches, providing materials, staffing and a stand at the events. This year, NASUWT has designed a special banner will also be sponsoring the UK Black Pride as a Silver sponsor. In Sweden, Lärarförbundet local branches and the head office will all be marching together this year during the Pride events in Stockholm in August, as well as organising workshops and seminars on teachers’ responsibilities and professional ethics in regards to addressing LGBTI rights.

During the EuroPride weeks, ETUCE reminds that prejudices, bullying and discrimination experienced by LGBTI students and education personnel, undermines their fundamental human rights, including the right to education. Therefore, ETUCE highlights the importance of strengthening capacity and awareness of teachers and other education professionals in managing diversity and tackling any form of intolerance and school violence towards LGBTI people, is vital for a safer, fairer and more open-minded society.

To read more on the ETUCE Resolution on ‘Setting the Priorities to develop the ETUCE Action Plan for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion’ and the ETUCE, ETUC and ILGA Joint Statement against homophobic and transphobic bullying in schools and in the workplace, please click here and here.