The 2007 European Diversity Truck reaches Liverpool

The Truck audience

in Liverpool

Liverpool was the first city in the UK to host this year's Truck tour. The vehicle’s mighty wheels ground to a halt on 25 July in the centre of the city, where crowds had already gathered for the event. Some had heard about the Truck Tour from the local press, others were from local community groups and others young passers-by who just wanted to join in the fun.

The event was organised by the Diversity and Social Inclusion Team alongside the Youth Service of Liverpool City Council and ran for two days. The program on each day was a mix of awareness-raising activities and entertainment.

Four different workshops were held in the offices of the Job Centre Plus in Williamson Square.

Polish street theatre performing

Hosted by Diversity Ambassadors Jo Anne Brown and Joel O’Loughlin as well as by the Faces of the Year Bill Majrowski and David Neita, the following topics were covered: "Discrimination at school, at work, in life" targeted at teenagers; “The business case for diversity" for SME employers; “Recognising and managing harassment in the workplace: a workshop for employees" as well as "Diversity poetry".

While the workshops were in progress, around the Truck was a hive of activity! Information stands, games and giveaways were organised and representatives from different organisations helped the audience get involved.

To read the complete article and to find out where your nearest truck stop will be please click here.

European Photo Competition draws over 600 photo entries

31 July saw the deadline for the EU Photo Competition for Diversity. From all 27 Member States, students focused their minds on how best to portray the elements of diversity, social inclusion and non-discrimination in our society.

Some students took shots that were uplifting and epitomised the spirit of tolerance, while others presented the destructive impact discrimination can have on people’s lives. 

All in all, there were 604 entrants, with most contributions arriving from Germany (65), Poland (58) and Italy (52). The most recent Member States to join the EU also proved their desire to counter discrimination through creativity and 30 photos were submitted by Romanian students alone. An exhibition of the best entries will be held in Brussels in October. 

Soon the winners will be revealed on http://photocompetition.stop-discrimination.info/ - so stay tuned!

Canal Parade in the Netherlands on Gay Pride weekend

On Saturday 4 August, a parade of over 70 boats wound their way through the canals of Amsterdam as part of the annual and world-famous Gay Pride weekend. Lining the banks of the canals was a record number of spectators with over 400,000 people in attendance.

One of the attractions again this year was the “For Diversity. Against Discrimination Campaign” boat. At its helm was Jeroen Kijk in de Vegte, who is not only a famous radio DJ and TV presenter, but also an ambassador for the campaign. In several interviews made prior to the actual start of the parade, he made an appeal to make diversity the central theme of the day. “Although we are pretty open-minded in the Netherlands, discrimination is still an issue. I would like to spread a positive message for diversity. We are all different and that is our strength”, he said during the parade.

Just four weeks left to enter EU Journalist Award

Journalists writing about issues of diversity and discrimination have just 4 weeks left to enter the EU Journalist Award 2007.

It is the fourth year of the Award, created by the EU to honour journalists whose work helps to raise awareness of diversity and anti-discrimination issues. The award is open to print and online journalists from all 27 EU Member States and articles can be written in any of the 23 official languages. A total prize value of €12,000 is on offer and the overall winner, two runners-up and the winner of the special prize will be awarded a research trip to an EU destination of their choice.

The articles should deal with discrimination or diversity on the grounds of racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, age, disability or sexual orientation. Journalists are particularly encouraged to raise awareness of diversity in employment and multiple grounds of discrimination. To celebrate the 2007 European Year of Equal Opportunities for All, the competition is also offering a special prize for articles that highlight one or more of the many events of the European Year.

For further information, please visit the competition website.

Diversity conference for the German Gay Managers Association

Dominic Frohn from the University of Köln

presented his study “Out in the Office?”

In Berlin on 19 June 2007, the German Gay Managers Association or “Völklinger Kreis” held its annual conference under the topic “Equal opportunities! At work – In Europe”. It was hosted at “Treptowers”, the high-rise building of the German Allianz AG assurance company and drew together self-employed entrepreneurs and managers from all elements of the economy – science, administration and culture.

The Völklinger Kreis association is the leading network of homosexual managers, entrepreneurs and independent professionals in Germany. It has been supported by the “For Diversity. Against Discrimination.” campaign for many years and aims to attain equal opportunities for homosexuals at work and within the broader society. The association is part of the European Gay and Lesbian Managers Association EGMA, the umbrella organisation of the European professional institution for homosexuals.

The Federal Minister of Justice,

Brigitte Zypries

The main theme of the gathering concerned the question: is being homosexual in the workplace still considered a taboo? Some 70 participants discussed the topic, looking at the different levels of the workplace, from colleagues to chief executives, and where stigmas attached to sexuality generally lay. They also explored the issue from more international points of view, reviewing differing attitudes across other parts of Europe. Also the German Federal Minister of Justice, Brigitte Zypries, joined the discussion and informed everyone as to the political state of play with regards to anti-discrimination legislation in Germany and amongst the wider community of the European Union.

Commission launches public consultation on anti-discrimination

The European Commission has launched an online consultation on combating discrimination in the Member States and at EU level. The public consultation will help the Commission plan new measures to tackle discrimination on the basis of gender, religion, belief, disability, age or sexual orientation in areas beyond the job market.

"We want to hear the views of as many people as possible on how to take on discrimination effectively in areas such as healthcare, education and housing," said Vladimír Špidla, Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities. "The EU already has some of the most extensive anti-discrimination laws in the world. But we want to make sure that protection against discrimination is focused where it is most needed and that the right balance is struck between everyone involved – be they individuals, employers, public authorities or associations."

The consultation runs from 4 July to 15 October and is accessible at: http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/consultations/index_en.htm

Introducing our national partners in Hungary: HAND

The principal mission of the Association 'HAND' (Hungarian Association of NGOS for Development and Humanitarian Aid) is to contribute to the formulation of an effective, transparent and sustainable development cooperation policy.

Since its inauguration on 7 November 2003, the association has grown rapidly and now encompasses 25 member organisations. It focuses on a wide variety of subjects, such as humanitarian aid, cross cultural relations, human sciences, human rights, environmental issues, global education and awareness-raising, volunteering, health, gender and social services.

The association’s main activities revolve around the representation of the NGDO (Non-Governmental Development Organisations) sector, an awareness-raising campaign and service to member organisations.

For more information: www.hand.org.hu or email: office@hand.org.hu.
For more information on our national partners in Hungary please click here.