ALBANIA: Albanian gays and lesbians have their first public outing in capital Tirana

Record ID: 277672

  • Title: ALBANIA: Albanian gays and lesbians have their first public outing in capital Tirana
  • Date: 18th May 2012
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) US AMBASSADOR TO ALBANIA, ALEXANDER ARVISU, SAYING: "Protecting the LGBT rights is a key priority of the US foreign policy. President Obama earlier issued a directive that all the embassies around the world would promote and protect the rights of LGBT persons." MEDIA AND OFFICIALS LISTENING TO SPEECHES
  • Embargoed: 2nd June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Albania
  • Country: Albania
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA3Y4ED0LXSHZN8OHE6JSDLPKF7
  • Story Text: On the international day against homophobia, activists and foreign diplomats took part in the first public activities of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) in Albania, aimed at fighting prejudice against people with different sexual orientation.
    Earlier plans to hold a gay pride in Tirana were abandoned after a deputy defense minister said the parade participants should be beaten with thick sticks.
    Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha called the remarks by Deputy Defense Minister Ekrem Spahiu "unacceptable."
    The International community also condemned the remark.
    One of the activities to raise awareness is an exhibition in the Albanian capital of Tirana.
    "We decided to call this exhibition "Hide and Seek" because it symbolises the life's of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) people in Albania, like living all the time isolated in loneliness and in fear of being themselves and showing to the outside world their sexual orientation," said Xheni Karaj, LGBT nd exhibition organiser.
    Albania passed a law in 2009 allowing same-sex weddings but there is still widespread homophobia in the small Balkan nation. Traditionally conservative societies across the Balkans have been slow to accept open homosexuality and many gay rights events in the region have ended in violence.
    "Protecting the LGBT rights is a key priority of the US foreign policy. President Obama earlier issued a directive that all the embassies around the world would promote and protect the rights of LGBT persons," said the US ambassador to Albania, Alexander Arvisu, one of the most influential diplomats in Albania.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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