Subaltern Memories. The LGBTI+ struggles in Europe
Channel: EUROM - European Observatory on Memories
Date: 21/06/2022

This annual conference aims to give voice to different “subaltern memories” understood as those memories related to certain social groups that have been silenced or marginalized.

For this first edition, we will address the memories of the LGBTI+ communities which historically
suffered harsh repression due to conservative behaviours and policies against sexual diversity that are still in force today in many countries. Above all, this one-day conference aims to commemorate the struggles and achievements of the LGBTI+ communities in defending their rights in order to reach a truly egalitarian society in Europe.

Through historical basis, the experience of LGBTI+ activists, and a transnational perspective, the
conference aims to provide attendees with the knowledge to think about the roots of current discrimination and to contribute to a more tolerant and inclusive society.

Organized by the European Memory Observatory of the University of Barcelona’s Solidarity
Foundation with the support of the Department of Equality and Feminisms of the Government of
Catalonia, and co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European
Union (CERV) Program.

Agenda

9.30 – 10.00 a.m.
Welcome session

10.00 – 11.30 a.m.
Keynote: Monuments to Gays and Lesbians in Europe. Forms of memory in the public space.
Stefanie Endlich, Honorary professor of public art at the University of Arts Berlin (Germany)

11.30 a.m. Coffee break

12.00 – 1.30 p.m.
First Panel: “Shantay you stay” – who we remember, who we let go? Queer histories and memories in Italy, Spain, and Poland.

Kamil Karczewski, Riccardo Bulgarelli and Moisés Fernández Cano, researchers at the European University Institute

1.30 p.m. Break

3.30 – 5.30 p.m.
Screening of the film “The great freedom” (2021), followed by a Q&A session with Thomas Reider, scriptwriter.

6.00 p.m. Break

6.15 – 7.30 p.m
Second Panel: From the local to the global perspective: Lesbians in Catalonia.

Mercè Otero Vidal, activist at Ca la dona and Xarxa Feminista |  Sofia Bengoetxea Sabaté, Buddhist nun and trans activist* at EnFemme |  Maria Giralt Castells, director of Gayles.tv, vicepresident of the LGBTIQ Chamber and director of Social Pride Barcelona | Katy Pallàs Picó, president of the organisation LGTBI Families and activist for LGTBI rights.