There will be LGBTQ awareness-raising in Újpest this weekend, also funded by public funds
On the first weekend of September - September 3 and 4 - the Student Festival is held, which this year is the IV. Szent István tér in the district will host it, announced the current mayor of the district, Tibor Déri, on his social media page. In addition to LGBTQ awareness and sexual education, drug and alcohol problems will also be discussed at the event, which is supported by the left-wing municipality with HUF 1 million.
But the European Solidarity Fund also appears among the financiers of the Student Festival.
"On the first weekend of September, we will present the best of domestic socially critical art, in a concentration never seen before in Hungary," reads the festival's announcement, which also reveals that there will be not only musical programs, but also a number of public interactive programs and performances. On the first day of the Student Festival, on the professional stage, for example, there will be a discussion with the following title:
Responsibility in society; Forbidden Family: LGBTQ Social Relations.”
As the organizers write, in this panel discussion the presenters want to explore what the so-called "forbidden family"; how LGBTQ people fit into the world around them according to different aspects of everyday life; and how the LGBTQ person works as an employee, consumer, voter, family member and politician.
In addition to LGBTQ sensitization and sexual education, drug and alcohol prevention will also be discussed at the lectures - for example, Áron Molnár "noÁr", who usually appears on government-critical forums, will also participate in the event; as well as the performances of musicians who "formulate a message related to some kind of society". But let's single out one speaker: Gregory G Ras, alias G Ras, will also be there in Újpest, who will "invigorate the audience with powerful true messages, positive vibes and a live performance".
Mandiner also inquired with the Újpest municipality about why they consider hosting the event important. The press department responded: "Nine musical artists and numerous professional performers point out the most important social problems and engage the audience in the discussion of public affairs. The primary goal of the event is to address the young generations through artistic channels, who are difficult to reach with traditional methods in relation to public issues."
The portal also contacted the Association for Sustainable Democracy to find out whether the Student Festival will be open to visitors under the age of eighteen. In his response, the press officer wrote, "we make the event available to those under 18 in accordance with the current legislation. It is clear from the relevant law that the display of sexuality and sexual acts is prohibited for those under the age of 18, whether homosexual or heterosexual, but it does not prohibit us from discussing the diversity and challenges of family relationships, depending on what kind of relationship it is." He added, "in addition, the Basic Law of Hungary (Article IX) states that:
Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. Hungary […] provides the conditions for free information necessary for the development of democratic public opinion.”
The association referred to Article 13 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (Act LXIV of 1991), which states: "The child has the right to freedom of expression. This right includes the freedom to request, learn and disseminate all kinds of information and ideas regardless of borders."
The press officer also indicated that if the newspaper "is so concerned about the safety of children, when will they address the fact that the majority of children forced into prostitution in the European Union are Hungarian, or that, according to the Ombudsman, the children in the foster home in Kalocsa are not properly fed, perhaps with the fact that the ruling party voted down the amendment that would have prevented persons convicted of pedophile crimes from working with children as priests or religious teachers."
Source: mandiner.hu
featured image: Millena
