IDAHO (International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia) is marked on May 17^th. This day is celebrated in more than 70 countries and has become a very important date in the cycle of the annual events.

Nowadays, IDAHO is officially recognized by EU Parliament, Spain, Belgium, UK, Mexico, Costa Rica, Netherlands, France, Luxembourg and lately by Brazil, as well as by many personalities, organizations and institutions. In Argentina, Bolivia, Australia, Croatia and in other countries national civil society coalitions urged their officials to recognize that day officially.

Louis-Georges Tin, French university lecturer, campaigner for Black and LGBT Rights and chief editor of the «Dictionary of Homophobia», launched in August 2004 an initiative to create an International Day against Homophobia that is global in scope. He launched an appeal « For a universal recognition of the International Day against Homophobia » (IDAHO) and proposed that this day be fixed on May 17th, to commemorate the World Health Organization’s decision to remove homosexuality from the list of mental disorders.

Armenia is not behind the international scene either. It is through the efforts of Public Information and Need of Knowledge (PINK Armenia) NGO that Armenia has become the participant of IDAHO in 2010 and 2011. We are happy to mention that this important day in Armenia was commemorated not only in Yerevan but also in Vanadzor.

RainbowFlash events are organized every year. According to the data, 48 cities have participated in the event in 2010, including Yerevan, and in 2011 the number has reached till 50. Countries that participated include; Russia (23 cities in 2010), Germany (21 cities), Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Israel, Czech Republic, Singapore and Armenia.

The idea of the event is to release balloons with the six colors of the rainbow by which confirming one’s eagerness to fight against homophobia and transphobia. Hans, the colors of balloons are defined for that day, we have added also pink as a color of our organization. Every willing person participates regardless their sexual orientation, gender identity and/or other characteristics.

The modern gay history of Armenia is quite “fresh” and “poor” in its “track”. The fact is homosexuality was decriminalized in 2003 only. A big legislative step for the image of the country. Naturally, it didn’t change people’s hearts and minds so far; despite the fact the veil of taboo is being ripped off of the topics regarding sexuality and especially homosexuality these days, LGBTs still are vulnerable, misunderstood, not enough visible so far. This is why, despite sometimes the hostile atmosphere of the country, some LGBT and civil society activists do their best in trying to change the situation.

On May 17 at 7pm people gathered in Yerevan near the Swan Lake for participating in RainbowFlash 2011. The colorful part began when everybody received our pins with “As I am” message on it. Excited, with happy smiles and high mood, we were distributing between each other the balloons. Not only LGBT people but also some heterosexual men and women were involved.

Few seconds, and the pleasure began… lots of colorful balloons over our heads that have started their love-full and peaceful mission of floating in the sky. Pleasant experience, especially when it’s once in a year!

The mood was still high; girls and boys, and others, were chatting, making jokes; it was fun all around. So important to have this kind of small, but reinforcing and empowering events that inspire and revive hope. Hope and faith that it is possible to live in a country, where there are posters all around the city warning people to condemn homosexuality, because it makes the nation unclean… hope and faith that change is possible and we may create our own little Armenia; all-inclusive, non-discriminatory, friendly and cheerful regardless any characteristics…

Rays of love and positive energy were around us that day!

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The Day of Silence is an event that brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. Students from middle school to college take some form of a vow of silence in an effort to encourage schools and classmates to address the problem of anti-LGBT behavior. The event is designed to illustrate the silencing effect of this bullying and harassment on LGBT students and those perceived to be LGBT.

As a way of supporting the idea and those that are harassed in Armenia, we will undertake certain actions:

• we won’t be available for the world on April 15, we will not respond to emails, phone calls, we will not have any activities and will not provide any direct service, that day we will keep silence for…

• next day silence will be broken by launching our new e-mag “As you”!

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History: In 1996, students at the University of Virginia, USA organized the first Day of Silence in response to a class assignment on non-violent protests. Over 150 students participated in this inaugural Day of Silence. In 2001, Gay, Lesbian and Straight Educational Network (GLSEN) became the official organizational sponsor for the event. GLSEN envisions a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.

World AIDS day – this is the day when the world wears red ribbon and takes actions to stop AIDS.

World AIDS Day in Armenia – this is the day when not all Armenians but at least several NGOs are raising the worldwide issue in the country. Since 2008 those NGOs work together, organize joint events and build stronger capacity for HIV awareness, prevention, treatment, care and human rights protection. Public Information and Need of Knowledge NGO (PINK Armenia) is one of them.

This year UNAIDS, UNDP and Mission East Armenian Branch supported local organizations to conduct joint event dedicated to the World AIDS Day. Event was prepared due to the World AIDS Campaign’s slogan “Universal Access and Human Rights”. PINK Armenia together with Real World Real People, Women Resource Center, Positive People Armenian Network, National Center for AIDS Prevention, Education in the Name of Health, Armenian Red Cross Society and Public Health Information Statistics created booklets with stories, telling the cases of human rights violations addressed to the people living with HIV, men having sex with men, sex workers, migrants, injecting drug users, women, the problems that they face in families, at workplace and in general in the society. The booklet was available during the UNAIDS press conference on December 1st for journalists, parliamentarians, civil society representatives and other guests.

That day, from early morning we gathered in front of the building housing many of the country’s Ministries, and set up special windows that carried the message “Open and see who can be affected by AIDS.” When people opened the window they saw themselves in the mirror, the meaning was that anybody can be infected with HIV. Usually people think that AIDS is not their problem, only drug users, “bad” women or gays can be affected by AIDS. We wanted to show that there are no risky people, but there is risky behavior that any of us can have. Mostly governmental employees didn’t pay attention, either they were late or they thought it was some action against them.

Later that day, we marched in the central streets of Yerevan, distributing info materials and spreading the message “Silence is not a solution”. During the march we had flashmobs with panels, when we put those panels together we had the slogan of the event and on the other side red ribbon. In front of the march participants were holding big red ribbon made of balloons. In the end of march, near the Opera House, we had the last flashmob there and blew up the balloons to break the silence.

To compare, if last year young people were passing by and asking: “Why are you having this event? We don’t have AIDS in Armenia,” this year people were more aware.

For HIV prevention there are 3 main steps: awareness, advocacy and behavior. Now we know about HIV, also awareness raising actions are widely spread in the country to inform about the ways of transmission and how to prevent it, but do we behave safer? That is the reason that we have a lot to do in order to prevent the practicing of risky behavior. And which is the most important – never keep silence, talk about it, ask if you don’t know and inform others when you are aware, protect your rights and help to advocate for others’ rights as well.