Shortlist for 2015/16 “Rainbow” Award

Belgrade, 14 May 2016

Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) is hereby informing the public that the yesterday’s session of the jury, deciding on the 2015/16 “Rainbow” Award, had resulted in forming a shortlist of 5 nominees for the award. The winner of this year’s “Rainbow” Award will be pronounced on May 17th, at the ceremony organized for that exact occasion.

DUGA-nagrada-logo-1Among the 21 nominees, which included various institutions, organizations, artists, media, journalists, citizens, etc., the jury had decided to form a shortlist for the fourth “Rainbow” Award that includes:

  • Merlinka – Queer Film Festival
    nominated for this award due to years of its promotion of human rights of LGBT persons and contribution in reducing the level of homophobia and transphobia in Serbia through movie arts. Also, the festival itself expanded last few years by organizing not only in Belgrade, but in other cities in Serbia, as well as the region;
  • Commissioner for the protection of equality Brankica Janković
    as a newly appointed Commissioner, one of the main focuses of her actions were human rights of LGBT population and she continually promoted tolerance and equality through public statements, warnings to human rights offenders, acting on complaints and supporting various LGBT organizations, as well as being present on the events significant to LGBT population, such as Pride Parade, Trans Pride and Hate Free Zone;
  • Actor Slaven Došlo
    due to a role in a movie “Pored mene” (Beside me), where he portrayed a gay student, which gave an undoubtable contribution to a better understanding of LGBT populations position in society, especially among younger people and, above all, his determination and courage to fully commit to the role and perform admirably;
  • Aleksandar Stojmenović, liaison officer to the LGBT community of the Ministry of Interior (MUP) of Serbia
    being a first openly gay employee of Ministry of Interior, he significantly contributed by improving police work with LGBT people, increasing the LGBT community confidence in the police, as well as the number of reported cases. During the past year, he excelled at working the cases involving violence and discrimination against LGBT individuals, achieved a very good cooperation with LGBT organizations and community with these and other relevant subject matters. He also had notable media appearances, promoting police activities in working with LGBT population;
  • Web portal „E-novine“
    „E-novine“ were nominated for the award due to their promotion of human rights for LGBT persons in the previous year, and many years before. This portal used the right way, with honest and all-round way, of processing themes and broadcasting informations from Serbia, region and the world, conserning LGBT population, using their personal stories, and adequatly processing the events of importancy for LGBT population. Also, E-novine are achieving the cooperation with organizations dealing with LGBT rights and participating in projects that contibute in increasing tolerance toward LGBT persons and varieties in society.

Members of this year’s jury were: Jadranka Joksimović, minister without portfolio incharge with european integrations and last year’s winner of „Rainbow“ Award; Ljiljana Smajlović, editor-in-chief of „Politika“ daily newspaper and president of Serbia journalists Assosiation (UNS); Prof. dr. Zorica Mršević, science advisor for Institut of Social Sciences in Belgrade; Milan Prelić, journalist of „Alo“ daily newspaper; Aleksandar Prica, president of “Rainbow” Assosiation from Šabac; Gordana Mitrović, trans rights activist and Lazar Pavlović, president of GSA, as a representative of an award founder.

“Rainbow” Award had been established by GSA and since 2013 it’s awarded every year regarding the May 17th – International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia – IDAHO for contribution to battling homophobia and transphobia, and protection and improvement for LGBT human rights in Serbia for the past year. Award’s goal is to instigate and affirm the promotion and protection of fundamental human rights of LGBT’s in Serbia from the state and local institutions and organs, as well as the society in a whole.

Previous winners of “Rainbow” Award were minister without poftfolio incharge of european integrations Jadranka Joksimović, Head of Negotiating Team for Accession of the Republic of Serbia to the EU Tanja Miščević as well as the Department for working with the community of the Ministry of Interior of Serbia.

The award is given via public contest and it’s decided by jury that is always consisted of successful individuals from various fields, previous “Rainbow” Award winners, representatives of the award founders, as well as activists of other organizations dealing in LGBT rights.

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