Former Dutch political leader Boris Dittrich will speak at Liberty Hall in Dublin today in support of a Yes vote in the upcoming Marriage Referendum.

Widely credited as being responsible for the first marriage equality law in the world, Dittrich now heads the LGBT Advocacy Program at Human Rights Watch, “I am delighted to be in Dublin at this historic and momentous time, as Ireland is set to join the ever-growing number of nations that have extended full marriage equality to their LGBT citizens,” he says. “In voting Yes, Ireland will be placing itself on the right side of history where this civil rights issue is concerned.”

“When I and my party ensured that The Netherlands became the first in the world to enact such a law, there were dire predictions from some quarters that our society would face negative and destructive consequences. In fact nothing of the sort happened and even many critics of the law back in 2001 have now come to support it. It is simply not an issue in The Netherlands any more and gay couples getting married is seen as completely unremarkable. It is my hope and expectation that the same will happen in Ireland.”

Adam Long, who is chairing the event, says: “It is a great honour to have someone of the calibre of Boris Dittrich in Ireland to support our campaign for a Yes to equality on May 22. His knowledge and experience of the issue is second to none and he has witnessed first hand the great joy passage of this reform has brought in his own country and also in the many other jurisdictions he has travelled to where it has also been enacted.”

Boris Dittrich will deliver a public lecture on marriage equality, which will be followed by a panel discussion which will include the Minister Of State For Equality, Aodhan O’Riordain TD.

Boris Dittrich at Liberty Hall, Dublin, Tuesday, May 5, 6pm to 8.30pm