On behalf of IGLYO, COC and the Youth Coalition, hello and welcome to Amsterdam!!

WeWe hope you're feeling well rested and ready for an exciting and fulfilling week. This first day's going to be all about getting to know each other and forming a picture of the situation for LGBTQ young people worldwide. We're so looking forward to hearing what you have to share.have to share.

Have a wonderful day!

warmest greetings from your prepteam: Angel, Augustas, Claire, George, Ricardo and Sara

Workshop on International Dialogue

Snapshot of the day

Session 1 - 09.00 – 10.30 - So, why are we all here? An introduction to the conference and each otherCoffee BreakSession 2 -11.15 – 13.00 - Exploring our hopes, fears & expectationsLunchSessionSession 3 - 14.30 - 16:00 - It’s like this is my region identifying barriers and resourcesCoffee BreakSession 4 - 16.30 - 18:00 - Identifying barriers and resources Evening Home groups & Dinner @ hostel

Daily ProgrammeMonday, 20th July 2009

Messages from the Logistical Team

• Mugs – you only get one mug, please take care of it and write your name on it and don't lose it.• Be on time!•• Smoking inside the building is not allowed.• Need help - find someone with a green badge.• Clean after yourself – particularly after coffee breaks, lunch and dinner.• Take care of your stuff, and keep your valuables with you.•• Garden closes at 23.00.• Photos – please respect others, do not take photos inside the COC building. Only people with blue badges are allowed to take photos.• Remember to take off your shoes in the Silence Room.•• Elevator – use only the elevator if you really need it.

Feeling inspirational?

....share your thoughts with the participants of the conference by

posting them in the Inspirational Box

Share interesting jokes from your country with the participants by posting them in the JOKE BOX and look out for this space for a few

smiles.

Tell us what you think about the conference...the programme, prep-team,

logistical team, communication team....anything that comes to mind...

please do share with us

the queer guardian invites you to voice your opinion and share it with the rest of the participants on this page...

This is who we are Monday, 20th July 2009 - Amsterdam

the queer guardian

Favourite IGLYO memory: “The moment that made a lasting impression with me was at a conference in Gothenberg where a man battling HIV/AIDS educated the group on the issues. There we were young kids having fun, and his story was powerful.”

FavouriteFavourite IGLYO initiative: “The Penpal Project started in 1988 because IGLYO kept receiving letters from isolated LGBTQ youth. We couldn’t write back to each individual case, but we couldn’t ignore the letters either. I came up with the idea to create the penpal scheme to give young people the opportunity to write to one another. At that time it was common for youth to feel like they were the only gay or lesbian person in the world – the penpal project hoped to change that.”– the penpal project hoped to change that.”

James Chapman is originally from the UK where he represented the Notting Hill Lesbian and Gay Youth Group. He was involved in IGLYO was fromfrom 1986 – 1992 where he served as a Bureau Member for six years.

What Type of Activism Does Your Group Do: “Our group operates on both the national and international level with sexual and reproductive health, human rights, and capacity building in the South. The activities we devote most of our energy to are lobbying, training, and focusing on the rights of young people.”

WhatWhat do you hope to gain this week: “We hope to learn about LGBTQ issues and to network with potential international partners. Our hope is that we can report back to our group with strategies for communication and improving the projects we have going.”

Annelies Mesman and Michiel Andeweg are from the Netherlands and are representing the group Choice for Youth and Sexuality. This is their first IGLYO conference. conference.

When I think of IGLYO, images that come to mind of those of highly-committed, creative, open-minded people, who always seek to learn more, to challenge themselves and to question how they view others and the world. Our thanks to all those of you who have over the years positively challenged us and been such a wonderful source of learning….and all the best to IGLYO for the next 25 years!best to IGLYO for the next 25 years!

Evelyne Paradis works with ILGA-Europe as a Policy Director.

Spotlight on Europeby Keith Bennie

Reunion EveningSaturday 18th July 2009

Intergenerational Dialogue Workshop

Sunday 19th July 2009