Bill Schiller, ILGCN coordinator (right) looks on as Murphy Red of Kapederasyon and Bishop Richard Mickley of the Catholic Diocese of One Spirit receive the “Rainbow Warrior” Award for Metro Manila Pride.
Stockholm-based International Lesbian and Gay Cultural Network (ILGCN) has awarded the “Rainbow Warrior” Award to Metro Manila Pride and the Quezon City International Pink Film Festival.
The award for Metro Manila Pride was received by some of the pioneers of the first Metro Manila Pride March in 1994, including Murphy Red of Kapederasyon and Bishop Richard Mickley of the Catholic Diocese of One Spirit. Meanwhile, the second award for the Quezon City International Pink Film Festival was received by QC Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte; QC film festival organizer and film maker Nick Deocampo; and chairman of the Quezon City Pride Council Soxie Topacio.
“The motivation for the award included a salute to Metro Manila Pride because in its 20th anniversary, it continued to parade on city streets to make LGBT people visible,” said Bill Schiller, ILGCN coordinator. Metro Manila Pride was also cited for “confirming that on the rainbow (barometer) are men and women, young and old, native and foreign born, differently abled, HIV positive and negative, queer, trans, bi-sexual colleagues and their supporters.”
The Quezon City International Pink Film Festival was given the recognition for “emphasizing that films are one of the most powerful cultural weapons to combat intolerance, ignorance, provinciality and homophobia – a crucial ally in the political struggle for rainbow and all other human right and for teaching new LGBT generations about the painful sacrifice and pleasures of the past while illustrating how the drama and humor of yesterday help create bridges to today and tomorrow,” said Schiller.
Recommendations for the ILGCN Rainbow Awards are initiated by the Information Secretariat in Stockholm, and then confirmed by ILGCN secretariats, coordinators, ambassadors, and supporters with the major criteria being work that has shown a strong emphasis on international work and the promotion of the rainbow culture.
The ILGCN Rainbow Awards was already given to courageous politicians and individuals in Eastern Europe who are facing severe verbal and physical homophobic attacks from political and religious leaders encouraging neo Nazi hoodlums to violence. Some Swedish human rights organizations have also been awarded for adopting LGBT rights in their campaigns for Eastern Europe.
