On the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, a new All Island LGBTQIA+ Forum has been established in Ireland. Announced on Thursday, April 6, the purpose of the initiative is to bring queer people and organisations “together in a spirit of partnership and cooperation”.
With support from The Community Foundation for Ireland, the Forum has been created by LGBT Ireland and The Rainbow Project, the national services for queer people on either side of the border.
“There is no better way to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement than to announce the creation of a new north-south initiative,” LGBT Ireland’s Policy and Research Manager, Pádraig Rice said.
“This new project is all about bringing people together from diverse backgrounds to work on common interest in a spirit of partnership and cooperation.
“The challenges we face as LGBTQIA+ people are the same north and south, east and west. We all want to see hate crimes reduced and LGBTQIA+ rights respected and enhanced,” Rice continued.
“The forum will provide us with an opportunity to undertake some of this work together.”
New figures published by the Gardaí today show a 30% increase in reported hate crimes.
Read the LGBTQI+ Sector response: https://t.co/H0SrTrClMp
— LGBT Ireland (@LGBT_ie) March 22, 2023
Policy and Advocacy Manager for The Rainbow Project, Aisling Playford, similarly commented, and while acknowledging the strides Ireland has made regarding LGBTQ+ acceptance, she emphasised that much work is still to be done.
“We are seeing the growing rise of anti-trans discourse from the far right and hate crime towards the LGBTQIA+ Community is on the rise across the Island. LGBTQIA+ people are still experiencing abusive conversion practices in Ireland.
We are proud to sign this letter. https://t.co/KC2lJp9MP7
— The Rainbow Project (@TRPNI) March 29, 2023
“It is now that we need to see further development of policy, sharing of good practice and united campaigns across the island in regards to highlighting the inequalities that still face LGBTQIA+ individuals,” she said.
Playford concluded her statement by expressing The Rainbow Project’s delight at partnering with LGBT Ireland on the All Island LGBTQIA+ Forum, with both organisations committed to working “towards a better shared island for all.”
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