International training course “Sing Equality – Bring Equality” was held from 14. to 21. March 2011. in Novi Sad

Novi Sad branch of Gay Straight Alliance organized an international training course about fighting discrimination and social exclusion of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people through the use of music and video production.

As a part of the course, besides the non-formal education on the fight for human LGBT rights, various workshops took place in Novi Sad (in- and outdoors) with the goal to create a song and music video. Participants from 10 different countries (Italy, Hungary, Israel, Turkey, Georgia, Albania, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia) wrote the lyrics for the song in their own native languages and recorded the song which contains messages of equality and solidarity of all, regardless of their nationality, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity. Then they conceptualized and recorded a music video for the song on the streets of Novi Sad.

The song and video were presented to the public on the 20th March as a final product of this training course.

Impressions

Vesna Gajišin, Project Manager: “Sing Equality – Bring Equality” is a project realised within the framework of the Youth in Action Programme of the European Commission, which is a programme that has been for years bringing together young activists from all over Europe and supporting their non-formal education, networking, and encourages them to keep on advocating values of the European Union: inclusion of all, tolerance, democracy, non-violence, etc.

And so, the participants of the course “Sing Equality – Bring Equality”, which took place in Novi Sad (from 14th to 21st March 2011), were mostly NGO activists and volonteers who are not professional singers and who did not have any experience in creating videos. Furthermore, some of them had never even met an LGBT person before (at least as far as they knew).

However, at the end of the course, everyone took away some new skills and new insights, not only about others but also about themselves, and they can be very proud of they accomplished.

Their messages of love, peace, tolerance, solidarity and equality of all, regardless of mutual differences, should be heard everywhere and they should make us think whether we are doing enough to make this world a better place for all people… Sometimes all that is needed is a smile at the right moment, sometimes one should pause and lend a hand, sometimes one should say Yes… Sometimes, one should say „we are all in this together“… As the lyrics say:

DIVERSITY BRINGS ALL COLOURS TO SING
WE ARE HERE TO UNITE EVERYONE

Bojan, participant from Macedonia (at the workshop about sharing personal experiences): I have to honestly say that, even though I thought of myself as very tolerant (I came to the course, didn’t I), I wasn’t really sure how I would feel before all this started… But now, after I met (for the first time, as far as I know) LGBT people, heard their stories and learnt more about the fight for LGBT rights, I can say that I am very glad to be here – and that I discovered a lot about myself as well, and even about my sexual orientation… I am still straight, (laughter), but now I understand much better what sexual orientation really means… As a matter of fact, I started to look at all people as human, not gay, lesbian or whatever. I also discovered what are the problems that LGBT population is facing even though they are all the same as me.

Emil, participant from Israel (before departure from the course): When we arrived, we experienced a mild cultural shock, because things are different in Israel, people are different, and so on… However, then we realised how everyone is nice here and what you are trying to accomplish, we met different cultures, and we are very glad to have participated on this project. I hope we’ll see each other soon, on some new projects… Maybe we could do something similar in Israel?

Participants (in the written evaluation of the course – replies to the question what did they achieve and what will they take with them):
– Met wonderful people, learnt a lot about LGBTTIQ people…
– Knowledge, satisfaction, respect among participants regardless of their sexual orientation…
– Got an idea for a new project in my country….
– Became much more aware about LGBT issues…
– Broke some stereotypes about LGBT people…
– Friendship and tolerance…
– Met a lot of people who are not homophobic and because of them I hope that homophobia will disappear….
– Released my creativity…
– Knowing that we have to be brave and creative…
– Knowing that we all have to be active to bring equality to all people in the world…

‘This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.’

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