World’s Leading LGBT Activists To Speak In New York

NEW YORK - Dec. 2, 2014 - PRLog -- The Daily Beast, in collaboration with nine international human rights organizations, will host an unprecedented gathering of leading LGBT activists from around the world.  Entitled “Quorum: Global LGBT Voices,” the event will take place at the New York Public Library on Wednesday, December 10, designated Human Rights Day by the United Nations.

The live-journalism event will feature non-Western LGBT activists telling compelling stories about their struggles and successes.  To reach a wide audience, the event will generate a series of video talks, interviews, and presentations to be released online beginning in January, 2015, and continuing throughout the year.

The event is cosponsored by The Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, American Jewish World Service, All Out, GLAAD, The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), The International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), The International LGBT Association Europe (ILGA-Europe), 76Crimes.com, and Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV).

Quorum features a who’s-who LGBT activists and artists from around the world, including Adebisi Alimi (Nigeria), Anastasia Smirnova (Russia), Maurice Tomlinson (Jamaica), Meena Seshu (India), Alice Nkom (Cameroon), Nisha Ayub (Malaysia), Kenita Placide (St. Lucia), Parvez Sharma (A Jihad for Love), Xiaogang Wei (China), and Jabu Pereira (South Africa), as well as several activists whose names are being withheld for security reasons.

“Americans often find themselves outraged at human rights abuses overseas,” said Jay Michaelson, a columnist for the Daily Beast and one of the coordinators of the event.  “This is an opportunity for us to listen to those on the front lines.”

“MPV has been uncompromising in our advocacy of LGBTQI rights, particularly within Muslim societies,” said MPV President, Ani Zonneveld, “and particularly when religious language is used for abuse. The stories we’ll hear will highlight the personal human connections that we hope will touch hearts, and therefore change minds”.

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Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV) is a 501 (c) (3) founded in 2007.  MPV asserts that Islam is inherently progressive, inclusive and egalitarian which is an understanding that informs the ten principles by which the organization is guided. Since its inception, MPV has expanded to include chapter and affiliates in Los Angeles, New York, Washington DC, Atlanta and Columbus as well as in Ottawa and Toronto, Canada, France, Chile, Australia, and Malaysia. MPV has recently secured its consultative status as a UN recognized non-governmental organization.

Connect with @MPVUSA for the latest updates visit www.mpvusa.org

Launched in 2008, The Daily Beast provides a smart, up-to-the-minute, speedy read of what is happening in politics, entertainment, world affairs, fashion, business, culture and more.  The Daily Beast is based in New York and is an operating business of IAC .

Event Information.  Quorum is an invitation-only event, taking place 10am-6pm on Wednesday, December 10, at the New York Public Library.  Press passes are available by contacting Isabelle Weisman, isabelle.weisman@iac.com.