Saint-Petersburg's Ombudsman - the only one Russian official to support "QueerFest"
"I hope the QueerFest will be another step forward the development of a tolerant society and mutual understanding between people despite their sexual orientation or gender identity", said Alexander Shishlov, Ombudsman in Saint-Petersburg.
As it was last year, the Ombudsman's office in Saint-Petersburg is the only one official body which supported the QueerFest. If last year there was only an information about human rights defense project in the City on Neva river given on the official Ombudsman's Internet site, this year QueerFest has got an official statement from Alexander Shishlov.
In his statement, Ombudsman besides wishing all the best and good mood to its organizers, pointed out that QueerFest was promoting further effective public space free of homophobia and other forms of discrimination. "These goals are common for all those people who believe in human rights as the most valuable idea".
It was very unlikely to hear something good about LGBT people and their human rights from Russian officials. For reference: recently the Russian Foreign Office not once stressed that the Russian authorities were not going to exarticulate human rights of LGBT people.
Speaking about the success of the QueerFest one can see its importance and force in its famous participants and guests who Gay.Ru had already informed you about. Now the QueerFest is in its zenith and 5 more vivid and gay days pending Lena Katina's performance.
Grand opening of the Festival
English translation presented by Yerdna Bananes
As it was last year, the Ombudsman's office in Saint-Petersburg is the only one official body which supported the QueerFest. If last year there was only an information about human rights defense project in the City on Neva river given on the official Ombudsman's Internet site, this year QueerFest has got an official statement from Alexander Shishlov.
In his statement, Ombudsman besides wishing all the best and good mood to its organizers, pointed out that QueerFest was promoting further effective public space free of homophobia and other forms of discrimination. "These goals are common for all those people who believe in human rights as the most valuable idea".
It was very unlikely to hear something good about LGBT people and their human rights from Russian officials. For reference: recently the Russian Foreign Office not once stressed that the Russian authorities were not going to exarticulate human rights of LGBT people.
Speaking about the success of the QueerFest one can see its importance and force in its famous participants and guests who Gay.Ru had already informed you about. Now the QueerFest is in its zenith and 5 more vivid and gay days pending Lena Katina's performance.
Grand opening of the Festival
English translation presented by Yerdna Bananes
