New All Island LGBTQIA+ Forum launches to improve north-south cooperation between Irish organisations

The All Island LGBTQIA+ Forum has been established by LGBT Ireland and The Rainbow Project, with support from the Community Foundation.

Close up of handshake with rainbow LGBTQIA+ wristbands on arms.
Image: Shutterstock: Sophon Nawit

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.”

 

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.

 

“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.”

© 2023 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.

Support GCN

GCN has been a vital, free-of-charge information service for Ireland’s LGBTQ+ community since 1988.

During this global COVID pandemic, we like many other organisations have been impacted greatly in the way we can do business and produce. This means a temporary pause to our print publication and live events and so now more than ever we need your help to continue providing this community resource digitally.

GCN is a registered charity with a not-for-profit business model and we need your support. If you value having an independent LGBTQ+ media in Ireland, you can help from as little as €1.99 per month. Support Ireland’s free, independent LGBTQ+ media.

0 comments. Please sign in to comment.