The United 4 Diversity conference in Brussels featured a three-day diverse agenda, focusing on combating anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-democratic movements. It included sessions on research, communication, legislation, and finance, with Pink’s Chairperson, Karine Aghajanyan, as a key speaker, emphasizing unity, resilience and cooperation. Among the participants were experts and representatives of various fields. Hadja Lahbib, Belgium’s Minister of Foreign Affairs also addressed the activists at the end of the conference.
14 human rights defenders, including Pink’s executive director Hripsime Kizogyan, refined their advocacy skills and deepened their knowledge of Council of Europe (CoE) advocacy throughout 2023 as part of the Human Rights House Foundation’s Advocacy Capacity Building Program.
Participants from civil society organizations in the Network of Human Rights Houses in 8 countries took part in the program, which included a hands-on advocacy trip to the CoE in Strasbourg during the autumn session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
Mamikon Hovsepyan, Pink’s communication director, was re-elected to the board of ILGA-Europe. In the previous two years, he was one of the secretaries of the board of this organization. On the day of the elections, Mamikon mentioned in his speech that those years were a special chapter of his life and now he is more enthusiastic to continue his work.
Mamikon has been involved in human rights protection in Armenia for more than 20 years and during that time has gained great experience and recognition on an international level as well. He received 3 prominent international awards in London, Berlin and Los Angeles.
On Coming Out Day, we present a PSA about tolerance and the right to love. Excerpts from real people’s letters were used in the video. English subtitles are available.
