Can everyone be themselves in the 21st century? Human Rights & LGBTQI+ rights 

Can everyone be themselves without being threatened is one of the most important questions nowadays. According to the Fundamental Values on which European societies are based on, everyone should be respected on all possible grounds. However, there is a current trend in some European societies that threatens people belonging to the LGBTQI+ community. A clear example is Poland, where the government is not respecting and is visibly threatening LGBTQI+ rights – for instance, by supporting the spread of hatred against this group via the national newspaper “Gazeta”. But unfortunately, this is not the only danger for the community. As this is a pressing issue, Novum organises an online panel discussion about the present situation of LGBTQI+ rights within the broader discussion of Human Rights. 

The main topic of the conversation will be: the current state of LGBTQI+ rights in Europe and specific European countries, with a particular regard on the possible changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first part of the panel will focus on outlining the state of this community’s rights in Europe and in specific European countries, while the second part will mostly concentrate on responses and actions – collective and individual – to protect and guarantee the rights of LGBTQI+ people.

Speakers:

- Tiernan Brady, Responsible for developing and implementing Clifford Chance's global inclusion policies and campaigns within the firm, one of the world's pre-eminent law firms. Tiernan is an equality campaigner. He has the director of the Equality Campaign and Yes Equality, the successful Australian and Irish marriage equality campaigns. He has served as the Director of Organisation to the Irish Deputy Prime Minister (Tánaiste), Mary Coughlan and as Mayor of his hometown of Bundoran in Ireland.

- Matteo Di Maio, from Italy, is a law graduate with a strong interest in human rights and migration. He has worked as legal consultant for asylum seekers and immigrants, and he is currently focused on political communication and advocacy projects. He is an active member of +Europa, he has been a board member of Certi Diritti and other LGBT+ associations such as Bocconi Equal Students and Bocconi Students LGBT Business Network.

- Richard Mole, Professor of Political Sociology and Deputy Director of the School of Slavonic and East European Studies at University College London. His research focuses the relationship between identity and power, with particular reference to nationalism, sexualities and migration. He is the editor of Soviet and Post-Soviet Sexualities (Routledge) and Queer Migration and Asylum in Europe (UCL Press). He is also Director of Research at POPREBEL, an inter-disciplinary consortium of researchers.

The round table is going to be moderated by two active members of the European Liberal Youth (LYMEC).

- Berber Dotinga, from the Netherlands, is a youth political party activist, a member of the EU Civil and Minorities Working Group, and recent graduate of the Erasmus Mundus MA in Euroculture where she completed her dissertation on racism in Europe, she walks the talk. Additionally, she works as a social media contributor for WeBelong.  

- Martina Rubino, from Italy, is a student of the Master of Arts in European Studies. She is active in the field of international solidarity and gender equality rights. She is active member of LYMEC’s Working Group on Civil and Minority Rights and Event organiser of the Students' Association of the Institute for European Studies for the academic year 2021/22. 

The panel discussion will be held online and will start at 6 p.m. (CET).