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Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

Part of UK in Ukraine

17th May 2012

IDAHO in Ukraine

On the eve of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) I’m delighted to meet in Kyiv old friend Clare Dimyon, a British human rights activist whom I last met in June 2009.

At that time, Clare was visiting Ukraine to coincide with the Second National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) conference in Kyiv.  This time, she is attending the 4th annual Mykolayiv Rainbow Spring gathering of LGBT people.

Ambassador Leigh Turner hands a letter to Clare Dimyon at the 4th Mykolayiv Rainbow Spring

The UK believes that LGBT people are entitled to enjoy the full range of human rights, without fear of discrimination or criminalisation; and plays an active role in promoting the rights of LGBT people internationally.  So I’m pleased to be able to meet Clare again; to pass on a message of support for the Mykolayiv Rainbow Spring gathering; and to send warm greetings to all concerned.  Good luck for a great event.

1 comment on “IDAHO in Ukraine”

  1. Dear all,
    The present philosophy to honour the LGBTI community and fight for their rights equal to the other citizens as the equal gender with equal rights and respect in the society of the Europe and the rest of the world is not based on the justice. Unless their source of income is not changed, which guarantees safety, security and acknowledgement of their rights equal to the other citizens.
    Say,a sex worker into a teacher,mechanics or a nurse or even a good tailor.This transformation is necessary and very much easy if the human rights practitioners are committed and clear to the definition of the human rights values. Otherwise,sex workers or the LGBTI community will remain the same vulnerable and disregarded in all respects, equal to the non LGBTI. For example,I did not imagine to send my daughter to the sex industry. If it were the good, I should have preferred rather to make my daughter a teacher or a nurse.
    Therefore , we all the human rights practitioners should condemn such thoughts and proposal causing wasting of time and money and a bloody joke with the human being.

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About Leigh Turner

I hope you find this blog interesting and, where appropriate, entertaining. My role in Vienna covers the relationship between Austria and the UK as well as the diverse work of…

I hope you find this blog interesting and, where appropriate, entertaining. My role in Vienna covers the relationship between Austria and the UK as well as the diverse work of the UN and other organisations; stories here will reflect that.

About me: I arrived in Vienna in August 2016 for my second posting in this wonderful city, having first served here in the mid-1980s. My previous job was as HM Consul-General and Director-General for Trade and Investment for Turkey, Central Asia and South Caucasus based in Istanbul.

Further back: I grew up in Nigeria, Exeter, Lesotho, Swaziland and Manchester before attending Cambridge University 1976-79. I worked in several government departments before joining the Foreign Office in 1983.

Keen to go to Africa and South America, I’ve had postings in Vienna (twice), Moscow, Bonn, Berlin, Kyiv and Istanbul, plus jobs in London ranging from the EU Budget to the British Overseas Territories.

2002-6 I was lucky enough to spend four years in Berlin running the house, looking after the children (born 1992 and 1994) and doing some writing and journalism.

To return to Vienna as ambassador is a privilege and a pleasure. I hope this blog reflects that.

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Diversity Human rights International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia lgbt Mykolayiv Prade Rainbow Spring

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