Belfast City Council dodges questions on sponsoring 'centenary' of three LGBT rights groups - the eldest of which is 50 years old
Belfast Council has dodged questions on sponsoring the “centenary” of three LGBT rights groups in the city – none of which date back further than the 1970s.
The organisations are holding a joint event early next month, which council documents state is “to celebrate a combined century of support and advocacy from three of Northern Ireland’s LGBTQIA+ organisations”.
One of the LGBT rights groups formed in the 1970s, one in the 1990s and one in the 2000s, but the event is being held as they say they’ve cumulatively been operating for 100 years.
Their bash is advertised to include a drinks reception and four-course gala dinner in the Titanic Belfast visitor attraction, plus entertainment as well as photo opportunities with the building’s replica of the SS Titanic’s opulent staircase.
Belfast Council has agreed to not only be a named official sponsor, but also book a £750 table for 10 councillors and staff to attend the do.
But the local authority wouldn’t say how much public cash it’s spending on the event in total, and also wouldn’t detail whether or not it regularly backs cumulative anniversaries from self-selecting separate organisations or if this is the first time it has done so.
Instead of answering individual questions posed by the News Letter about the council’s support for the bash, a spokeswoman issued a brief blanket statement saying it “regularly provides sponsorship to a range of events which reflect our corporate values and objectives”.
The spokeswoman added: “This event is being sponsored, alongside other organisations, as part of our Diversity Action Plan. The sponsorship costs are included within our overall budget for this work.”
The groups – Cara-Friend, the Rainbow Project, and HereNI – are celebrating their 50th, 30th, and 20th anniversaries respectively, but have merged the dates to make a combined 100 years.
The centenary night will also host the Tolerantia awards ceremony, presented by a Europe-wide body set up to combat violence and spread LGBT rights.
The body operates in France, Germany, Poland, Northern Ireland and Switzerland; the awards were last held in Belfast in 2016.
Council officials have stated the awards ceremony will “add to the significance” of the centenary bash.
Documents say LGBT councillors have been invited to take seats at the booked table for 10, as have senior members of staff appointed as a diversity ambassadors, and “members of the staff LGBTQIA+ network who commit a considerable amount of personal time and effort on top of their day jobs to support and manage the network”.
A report containing details of the local authority’s sponsorship of the centenary event and decision to book a table at the ceremony was approved without debate by a council committee last Friday (21st).
When the joint bash was announced, the three LGBT groups stated: “This event will mark 100 years of relentless dedication, remarkable achievements, and forward momentum in championing equality and acceptance for all.
“Adding to the significance of this occasion, the prestigious Tolerantia Awards will be held in Belfast in 2025. This renowned event honours individuals and organisations that have made substantial contributions to the promotion of tolerance and human rights.”