KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 27

Born with Pride Conference commenced in Kathmandu today. The two-day programme is being organised here by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, in collaboration with the Embassy of Germany in Kathmandu, Samriddhi Foundation, and the German Nepal Friendship Association.

The conference is engaging in conversation with multiple stakeholders of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA+) community, politicians, activists, academicians, lawyers, organisationsm and civil society, according to a press release issued by the German Embassy.

Twenty-one speakers from seven South Asian countries as well as from Europe and the Tibetan community and more than 100 participants are attending the event. The high number of participants shows the importance of the issue and the willingness to know more about the issue.

The conference also has welcomed seven keynote speakers from across the Nepali and European political spectrum addressing various LGBTQIA+ community issues.

There are five interactive sessions to discuss various topics such as queer in power, inclusive digital spaces for queer persons, and the issue of legal recognition, the role of media, and the acceptance and integration of queer persons in civil society.

Speaking at the conference, Carsten Klein, Head of the FNF Regional Office South Asia said, 'Platforms like this provide an opportunity to have a healthy dialogue, network, and come together to solve the inequalities and discrimination.'

Former minister of Urban Development and member of the House of Representative Ram Kumari Jhakri highlighted the need for convergence of political and civil society campaigning to achieve the shared goal of promotion and protection of queer rights, noting that her party had nominated two inclusive candidates in the upcoming federal and provincial election and that they were determined to bring them in the upcoming house of representative.'

Yannick Shetty, member of the Austrian Parliament, highlighted the need for a value-based foreign policy that condemns discrimination.

The event will conclude on 28th September with prize distribution to the winners of the Born with Pride Visual Art Competition that was organised online before the conference.

A version of this article appears in the print on September 28, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.