Foredrag: Mariam Kvaratskhelia, Georgisk demokratiaktivist og medstifter af Tbilisi Pride
Historien om queer-personer i Georgien, i Europas sydøstlige udkant, er en fortælling om en bemærkelsesværdig udholdenhed og en ånd, som Mariam er indbegrebet af. Hun var i 2019 en af stifterne af Tbilisi Pride. Deres første ›March for Dignity‹ blev forbudt fem dage før begivenheden, men i de efterfølgende år holdt arrangørerne fast, og begivenheden voksede både i størrelse og betydning. Det ændrede sig i 2023, da politiet holdt sig tilbage, mens en højreekstremistisk anti-LGBTQIA+-pøbel stormede og ødelagde begivenheden.
Mindre end 18 måneder senere førte nedbrydningen af demokratiet i Georgien til de protester, vi fortsat ser i dag. Men hvad der ofte mangler i reportagerne og dækningen af disse protester, er en profil af nogle af de centrale aktivister, der er involveret: det er unge mennesker, ofte unge queer-personer, ofte unge queer-kvinder. Unge queer-kvinder i forreste række i den demokratiske kamp i hjertet af Europas fremtid.
På trods af udfordringerne fortsætter det queer-samfund med at samles og mødes for at yde støtte, skabe fællesskab og give plads til at være sig selv. Selvom Tbilisis dragscene stadig lever i undergrunden, blomstrer den.
Historien om disse inspirerende unge mennesker og deres krav om værdighed vil være i fokus i Mariams Pride: Out Loud! Hendes foredrag og spørgerunde vil blive efterfulgt af en eksklusiv optræden af Levau, en drag-kunstner fra Tbilisi, der her giver sin første optræden uden for Georgien.
Hver billet du købet udløser en ekstra gratis ledsagerbillet.
Bemærk: Arrangementet afvikles på englesk.
English:
Meet Mariam in a powerful story of courage, queer community, and young activism on the front lines of Georgia’s fight for democracy. The evening concludes with a performance by drag artist 'Levau', giving their very first performance outside Tbilisi’s vibrant underground scene.
The story of queer people in Georgia, on the southeastern edge of Europe, is one of remarkable resilience and spirit — embodied by Mariam. In 2019, she was one of the founders of Tbilisi Pride. Their first “March for Dignity” was banned just five days before the event, but in the years that followed, the organizers persisted, and the event grew in both size and significance. That changed in 2023, when police stood by as a far-right anti-LGBTQIA+ mob stormed and destroyed the event.
Less than 18 months later, the erosion of democracy in Georgia led to the protests we continue to see today. Yet what is often missing from reports and media coverage of these demonstrations is a profile of some of the key activists involved: they are young people, often young queer people, often young queer women. Young queer women on the front lines of the democratic struggle at the heart of Europe’s future.
Despite the challenges, the queer community continues to gather and create spaces of support, solidarity, and self-expression. And while Tbilisi’s drag scene still exists underground, it is thriving.
The story of these inspiring young people and their demand for dignity will take center stage in Mariam’s Pride: Out Loud! Her talk and Q&A will be followed by an exclusive performance by Levau, a drag artist from Tbilisi, making their first-ever performance outside Georgia.
Note: Every ticket you buy give you access to a free ticket for a companion.
Kontakt
Kulturhuset Indre By
Charlotte Ammundsens Plads 3
Kontaktperson
Steve Taylor
