MEPs send a solidarity statement to participants and organisers of Rainbow Friday in Poland

Ahead of the 2019 edition of Rainbow Friday in Poland, Members of the LGBTI Intergroup send a letter to express their solidarity with organisers and participants

Dear students, teachers and school staff in Poland,

Ahead of Rainbow Friday 2019, we want to send you our heartfelt support. We sincerely wish for this 2019 edition to reach as many schools and educational settings as possible, in a peaceful and respectful environment.

At a time where bullying, violence and discrimination against LGBTI children and children in Rainbow Families are all too common, we can only support initiatives like Rainbow Friday.

As representative of EU citizens, it is our duty to remind Member States and EU institutions that educational settings should be safe and inclusive for everyone, including those who identify as LGBTI. We believe that inclusive and quality education for all is a matter of human rights, but also key to create global peace and prosperity, as shows its inclusion into the Sustainable Development Goals.

Many times, the European Parliament has taken a stand against LGBTI-phobia in schools and called on EU Members States to tackle bullying and violence against LGBTI children and children in Rainbow Families. It has also called on Member States and EU institutions to promote gender and LGBTI equality in education in multiple reports and resolutions.

However we must stress that it is also thanks to initiatives like Rainbow Friday, raising awareness and promoting respect and tolerance on the ground, that we can hope to “leave no one behind” when it comes to education.

Therefore we want to thank you and congratulate you for your brave commitment to making schools in Poland safer and more inclusive for everyone for the past four years. It takes courage to stand up publicly for human rights and inclusive education.

Rest assured that on Friday 25 October, we will be thinking of you and supporting you all from across Europe.

Sincerely,

Terry Reintke MEP, Co-President of the LGBTI Intergroup

Tanja Fajon MEP, Vice-President of the LGBTI Intergroup

Sirpa Pietikainen MEP, Vice-President of the LGBTI Intergroup

Marie Toussaint MEP

Alexandra Louise Phillips MEP

Sylwia Spurek MEP

Clare Daly MEP

Barbara Gibson MEP

Brando Benifei MEP

Julie Ward MEP

Dietmar Köster MEP

Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield MEP

Seb Dance MEP

Karen Melchior MEP

Nicolae Stefanuta MEP

Rosa D’Amato MEP

Milan Brglez MEP

Frédérique Ries MEP

Maria Walsh MEP

Alex Agius Saliba MEP

Tilly Metz MEP

Kim van Sparrentak MEP

Manuel Bompard MEP

Radka Maxová MEP

Josiane Cutajar MEP

Vera Tax MEPMarianne Vind MEP

Marianne Vind MEP

Pina Picierno MEP

Robert Biedroń MEP

Rasmus Andresen MEP

Isabella Adinolfi MEP

Jackie Jones MEP

Agnes Jongerius MEP

Evin Incir MEP

Miapetra Kumpula-Natri MEP

Kathleen Van Brempt MEP

Sira Rego MEP

Alice Kuhnke MEP

Irene Tolleret MEP

Petra de Sutter MEP

Sandor Ronai MEP

Read more:

Our letter to the Minister of Education about attacks on Rainbow Friday in 2018