Armenia: Candlelight vigil for AIDS victims

According to the organizers of today’s candlelight vigil to commemorate the victims of HIV/AIDS, another event might have also been held had not attitudes in society been as they presently are. Nevertheless, the small rally by about 60 Armenian Red Cross volunteers and members of Pink Armenia to commemorate those killed by HIV/AIDS was largely successful and even went unhindered by police.

Not that the authorities have anything against such marches, but rather that they are overly sensitive to any actions, especially by youth, after last year’s presidential election. Anyway, the last such action The Caucasian Knot covered was for Global Voices Online on World AIDS Day, and Pink Armenia’s Mamikon Hovsepyan (interviewed in the video below) explained today’s event in a message sent out on Facebook a few days ago.

May 17 is a special day for us, there are 2 inernational event but we celebrate only one

Candlelight Vigil to Commemorate Victims of AIDS

this event is organized by Armenian Red Cross Society. The march will start from their office at 18.45 (www.redcross.am)

International Day Against Homophobia

This is too early for us to conduct any big event or march against homophobia. While in Armenia we even can’t think about it and in cities like Riga, Kiev and Moscow, LGBT demonstrations are being blocked by authorities, in more than 50 countries in the world there are activities to celebrate the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia.

Mamikon Hovsepyan, Pink Armenia, Candlelight Vigil to Commemorate Victims of AIDS, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2009

Nazeli Kirakosyan, Armenian Red Cross, Candlelight Vigil to Commemorate Victims of AIDS, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2009

Meanwhile, Unzipped: Gay Armenia reports that Armenia and Georgia did at least sign an EU statement against homophobia some days earlier. For more information on such issues please see Mika’s blog. Shot more material, but just don’t have time to edit a larger selection down as well as to upload it.