Festival co-organiser Mani Mitchell says the first day of the heath and human rights Proud Conference in Wellington built on the thoughts shared by the Executive Director of ILGA, Renalto Sabbadini, during last night’s powhiri. Executive Director of ILGA, Renalto Sabbadini Opening with a beautiful speech paying homage to New Zealand and Oceania and to the LGBTI community, Sabbadini told the audience; “I think that this land of birds is a very fitting place for the second ILGA Oceania conference, because it means that ILGA Oceania is really ready to take off and that the sky is the limit!” “Today built on this,” says Mitchell. “Our ILGA oceania conference 'grew wings’” Mitchell says it built on the “moving, heart wrenching feedback from our local Wellington youth Bella and Alex - who held a pre conference hui some weeks back as our actual conference date landed smack back in the middle of school term” and the feedback from the women hui where Rosslyn Noonan, the retired New Zealand Human Rights Commissioner gave the background introduction to the Human Rights Commission which they says was “a moving speech that reminded us all of the legitimacy and importance of all forms of activism and protest.” “This conference has made a commitment to make visible the HUGE diversity that exists in our community” says Mitchell “A community that is not just a sexual diversity - but one that honours gender diversity as well.” They say that the human rights panel and workshops covered a huge range of topics proving that “we are a complex and vibrant community that is clear in defining the current issues.” “There is a resiliency,” says Mitchell, “there is also despair about a lack of progress. Today we variously 'tracked and recorded the issues, tomorrow we will both record this and clarify what it is that needs to change.” “I feel so proud of everyone today!”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 10th March 2016 - 10:58pm