(Finnish info in the comments)
Let’s boycott Eurovision and collect some money to support the work of alQaws in building a Palestinian LGBTQ+ movement! We’ve got some lovely artists to support the cause so come enjoy an evening of music & spoken work at Kalasataman Seripaja on May 17th with performances from:
Knife Girl
Sir Liselot
Sirota
Taneli Viljanen
Tania Nathan
DJ felix alexander
(introductions coming in the comment section)
🫒
ALL AGES
18-22
5-20€ with all money going to alQaws for Sexual & Gender Diversity in Palestinian Society:
https://www.alqaws.org/about-us
🫒
Kalasataman seripaja is unfortunately not accesible by wheelchair. There are multiple steps both at the entrance and inside the space and the toilets in the building are also inaccessible. Guide dogs are welcome. If you come with a personal assistant, their entry is free. Send the organizers a message if you have any questions<3
🫒
To quote the Queer coalition for Palestine in their call to action to boycott Eurovision and stop Israel’s pinkwashing:
“Since October 2023, Israel has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. Even since the long-awaited, fragile ceasefire, it continues to block aid to Gaza. Despite clear requests from the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate, BDS movement and the Slovenian national broadcaster, along with artists from Sweden, Finland, and Iceland to ban them from the Eurovision Song Contest, organisers continue to keep Israel in the competition, declaring it “a non-political event.” This highlights the hypocrisy of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) which banned Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.
By allowing Israel to compete in Eurovision, the EBU is complicit not only in whitewashing the genocide Israel is commiting against Palestinians, but also in upholding the apartheid regime’s pinkwashing propaganda— the exploitation of LGBT rights to project a progressive image while Israel commits racist, colonialist atrocities.
Since adopting the “Brand Israel” strategy in 2005, Israel’s cynical instrumentalisation of LGBT+ rights and liberal gay lifestyles has been key to its pinkwashing campaign to conceal its apartheid regime. Eurovision — the ultimate celebration of camp and flamboyance — has attracted the interest, passion and support of the LGBTQIA+ community for decades. Israel understands that the competition presents a unique opportunity for the settler-colonial state to pinkwash its systematic denial of Palestinian’s rights.
For over 76 years, Israel’s apartheid regime has robbed, oppressed, ethnically cleansed, impoverished, imprisoned and killed Indigenous Palestinians, queer and non-queer alike. Now we see Israeli soldiers waving rainbow flags while standing on the ruins of the Palestinian homes, weaponizing homophobia to push Israel’s racist, colonial agenda. But there can be no queer and trans liberation without freedom, justice and equality for Palestinians.
Queer Palestinians continue to exist and resist, as they have done for decades. Now more than ever, it is time for queers around the world to take serious and strategic action in solidarity with our Palestinian siblings...”
🫒
Read more at:
https://queercoalitionforpalestine.noblogs.org/
🫒
Welcome and message us if you’d like to table the event!<3
SAFER SPACE POLICIES:
-be open minded, aware of your own biases and keep in mind that your assumptions on other peoples backgrounds or identities might be wrong; respect everyones right to self-determination
-respect both physical and emotional space. be aware that people can have different views and opinions. however this doesn’t mean you can hide oppressive behaviour or opinions behind the right to your opinion.
-be mindful when taking space and give it to otheers - make sure everyone has the opportunity to see and enjoy the performances!
-take accountability of your own actions. what you say or how you behave can have an effect on others, no matter what your intentions are. if you do something harmful, react appropriately. listen, apologize and change your behaviour.
-be mindful that certain topics can be more personal for other people and affect people differently - be sensitive and respectful when talking about different subjects, for example topics around palestine. give space to people who have not spoken as much yet and preference to people who are directly affected by the topic that is being spoken of.
-you are allowed to photograph and take videos of the performances. otherwise if you take pictures with people in them - ask for permission first!
if something happens, you can always reach out to the organisers who you can recognise from big red BOYCOTT EUROVISION pins and we’ll make sure to help and support you the best way we can<3
Also check out other Nonprofit events in Helsinki.
