A delegation of six Namibians are in Germany to visit Berlin’s historic Christopher Street Day (CSD), also known as ‘Berlin Pride’, at the request of the Lesbian and Gay Association of Berlin.
The delegation, which left on Sunday, will have the opportunity to engage with the Berlin LGBTQIA+ community and organisations, as well as queer activists from Ghana and Uganda, and will take part in a variety of LGBTQIA+ events and engagements leading up to the CSD Parade in Berlin on Saturday.
The Namibia Pride delegation is made up of; Deyoncé Naris representing the Transgender Intersex Androgynous Movement of Namibia (TIAMON), Hildegard Titus representing Power Pad Girls and A Curt Farewell, Omar van Reenen representing the African Queer Youth Initiative (AQYI), Patrick Reissner representing Equal Namibia, Rodelio Lewis and Jean-Paul Scheepers (known as Miss Mavis and Selena Dash respectively) – representing Drag Night Namibia.
Van Reenen, also Equal Rights Namibia’s spokesperson, told Nampa on Wednesday that while in that country, Namibia Pride will host a panel discussion at the Technical University of Berlin/Zentrum für Interdisziplinäre Frauen- und Geschlechtesforschung (Interdisciplinary women’s and gender studies), sharing the triumphs and challenges of creating LGBTQIA+ safe spaces in Namibia.
He stated that they will also partake in the CSD Pride procession as invited guests on the parade’s first float, which will be followed by a solidarity speech on the event main stage in front of the Brandenburg Gate, said to attract more than 500 000 visitors each year.
“Drag Night Namibia’s Miss Mavis, Selena Dash with Deyoncé Naris’ Cleopatra promise to dazzle as they take to the stage for a drag performance at the well-known LGBTQIA+ Club, S036 in Kreuzberg,” Van Reenen said.
This historic trip to Berlin, he said will cement the sister city partnership between Windhoek and Berlin, as well as expand support for gender diversity and inclusivity.
He said the group will seek worldwide support for Namibia’s LGBTQIA+ community at a time when proposed State-sponsored discriminatory measures undermine the country’s constitutional democracy.
Namibia Pride activities will take place in Windhoek this year from mid-November to early December.
Source: NAMPA