WorldPride 2005 to be held in Jerusalem, organized by the Jerusalem Open House.Jerusalem, October 22nd 2003 - The recent 22nd annual conference of InterPride - The International Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered Pride Coordinators - has voted to accept the bid of the Jerusalem Open House (JOH) to host WorldPride 2005 in the Holy City. Over 150 delegates from 51 cities from around the world attended the conference, hosted by Divers/Cité in Montreal, Canada.
Jerusalem WorldPride 2005 will be the second WorldPride event ever held. The first was in Rome WorldPride 2000. The major theme planned for the event is "Love Without Borders" - a theme central to the JOH vision and highlighted in previous Jerusalem Pride events. WorldPride is a unique event that is decided upon by InterPride when needs are present and is used to bring change where it's most needed, to carry a special message and/or to have a global impact.
JOH Executive Director, Hagai El-Ad, expressed his hope that "Love without Borders: Jerusalem WorldPride 2005 will bring a new focus to an ancient city through a massive demonstration of LGBT dignity, pride, and boundary-crossing celebration. In these times of intolerance and suspicion, from the home of three of the world's great religions, we will proclaim that love has no borders." He added: "In the 22 months leading towards Jerusalem WorldPride in August 2005 we are committed to work closely together with InterPride, the American Friends of the Jerusalem Open House and a broad coalition of Israeli and international non-governmental organizations in order to insure that WorldPride 2005 will fulfill our vision for a message of optimism, tolerance and hope from Jerusalem."
"WorldPride in Jerusalem is important for the Pride movement," said InterPride co-president Suzanne Girard. "We want to send a clear message out to the world that our struggle transcends borders and encompasses all faiths. Through this celebration, we wish to embrace all world communities in the search for recognition and acceptance."
Jerusalem WorldPride 2005 will gather Israelis, Palestinians and people from all over the world to bring a message that is needed throughout the Middle East and beyond: human rights transcend cultural and ethnic boundaries, that differences can be respected peacefully, and that love knows no borders. WorldPride 2005 will bring thousands to Jerusalem to confront preconception with reality, prejudice with an opportunity for understanding, in a way that will capture the attention of the world.
WorldPride 2005 has already gained support from a wide array of prominent leaders, including: The Rev. Elder Troy Perry, Founder & Moderator, Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches; Faisal Alam, Founder and Director, Al-Fatiha Foundation (for LGBT Muslims); Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, Senior Rabbi, Congregation Beth Simchat Torah, New York; Bassem Eid, Executive Director, Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group; Anat Hoffman, Director, Israel Religious Action Center, Jerusalem; The Rev. Michael W. Hopkins, President, Integrity USA (Organization of LGBT Episcopalians); Lorri Jean, Executive Director, Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Service Center; Saar Nathaniel, Council Member, Municipality of Jerusalem; Scott Gansl, President, World Congress of GLBT Jews; Einav Zilber, Board Member, Community of Lesbians and Feminists, Israel; Eliezer Yaari, Executive Director, New Israel Fund; Rachel Benziman, Executive Director, Association for Civil Rights in Israel.
The JOH provides direct services to the local LGBT community, and advocates for social change to promote tolerance and pluralism in Jerusalem. The JOH was founded in 1997 as a non-profit agency, and in the space of a few years it has become one of the Middle East's leading LGBT service and advocacy organizations.
InterPride began in 1981 when Lesbian and Gay Pride organizers met during a leadership conference. Today, more than 18 million people attend events planned by the over 75 InterPride member organizations. The conference is held in a different city each year.
For more information please contact :
Jerusalem Open House
Hagai El-Ad, Executive Director
hagai@joh.gay.org.il
www.gay.org.il/joh (multi-lingual: English, Arabic and Hebrew)