European institutions welcome ELC* / 100+ applications for workshops received.

**European institutions welcome ELC* / 100+ applications for workshops received.**

What you can find in this issue:

EXTERNAL NEWS: Parliament, Austrian president and World Pride support EL*C

1. EL*C meets with the European Parliament’s’ Intergroup for LGBTI rights in Brussels.
2. EL*C meets with the Austrian president in Vienna.
3. Summit World Pride 2017 supports EL*C

INTERNAL NEWS: 10+ workshops and great campaigns coming up!

4. Over 100+ workshop & performance applications received following the open call!
5. Crowdfunding begins for 10 lesbians to be able to attend the EL*C in Vienna!
6. EL*C social media campaign!

1. EL*C meets with the European Parliament’s’ Intergroup for LGBTI rights in Brussels.

From May 30-31, EL*C Board Members Alice Coffin, Silvia Casalino, and Mariella Müller were in Brussels to meet with MPs, Members of the European Parliament’s LGBT Intergroup and representatives from European institutions dedicated to advancing women’s rights. We are pleased to report that EL*C Board Members were warmly welcomed the Intergroup on LGBT Rights’ Co-President, Ulrike Lunacek, her staff and all those in attendance.

EL*C generated enthusiasm, with tangible results, including:

– Commitment of MPs to reach out to lesbian groups and individuals in their respective countries to encourage their constituents to support the EL*C movement, raise sponsorship, and attendance at the October event.

– Gaining support and enthusiasm of numerous representatives of European institutions whose common objectives include advancing women’s rights. We are pleased to note that the European Women’s Lobby particularly expressed willingness to ensure experts are in attendance at our event in October.

– Raising awareness amongst the incredible individual lesbians that they met, many of whom were not yet aware of EL*C, but pledged to be a part of the event in October.

2. EL*C meets with the Austrian president in Vienna.

The president of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen welcomed a group of more than 50 representatives of LGBTI Organisations during International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia & Transphobia (“IDAHOT”) celebration in Vienna.

Mariella Müller, co-chair of EL*C, was able to hand over our EL*C flyer to the president and to inform him about the upcoming EL*C : our long-term objectives to empower lesbians*, to structure an European Lesbian* Association and to gain more visibility.

Mr Van der Bellen was delighted to learn about our initiative.

Picture: Queer Business Women (“QBW”) and EL*C representatives Verena Moser, Sissi Kettl, Mariella Müller and Ewa Dziedzic

3. Summit World Pride Madrid 2017 supports EL*C

The EL*C will be present at the Summit World Pride and will have the opportunity to inform the participants about the upcoming European Lesbian* Conference in Vienna. We have also been invited to participate on the following panel: “The connections between the patriarchy & various forms of power, domination and violence in today’s society”

4. Over 100+ workshop & performance applications received following the open call!

Over 100+ workshops, exhibitions, panel discussions and presentations were submitted as a result of the EL*C open call for proposals for the first annual event in October 2017. The Board began the review process of the proposals upon receipt. Final selection will be decided by 25 June, and shortlisted applicants will be contacted shortly thereafter.

5. Crowdfunding begins for 10 lesbians to be able to attend the EL*C in Vienna!

Please see our campaign to support “10 Lesbians* to attend”

Please support our drive by donating funds and / or other support to relieve financial barriers for 10 attendees to participate in the premier annual European Lesbian* Conference: “Lesbians in Europe: ACT, TRANSFORM, REFLECT & CONNECT” to be held in Vienna from 6-8 October, 2017.

Without your valued support, the 10, yet to be identified lesbian participants, would otherwise not be able to meet the expense of travel and accommodation in order to attend.

6. EL*C social media campaign!

Wow – we are present on the web and thank all that contributed to making this possible! In particular, to Maja Radosavljevic for the powerful EL*C video that she prepared, start to finish. Let’s take a look at the video https://youtu.be/HFrsab-2Nbw and images thanks to Andrea Klem. Soon we will start to published our first EL*C social media campaign.