IDAHO is in its second year and organisers hope it will remind the world that, despite advances in the legal equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in the UK and elsewhere, they are still subjected to prejudice, abuse, imprisonment and violence.
Green Party councillors Bill Randall and Simon Williams (pictured left) have tabled a motion to Brighton and Hove City Council, to be debated on 4 May, that declares the city council's "support and solidarity" for IDAHO and requests that the council fly the rainbow flag from a main council building on 17 May.
Alongside any commemoration by the city council, community activists will hold a public vigil with candles and a choral performance at 19.00 - 19.30 hrs on 17 May in Bartholomew's Square, Brighton Town Hall.
Derek Lennard, UK Coordinator of the IDAHO campaign, said: "It's fantastic that Brighton and Hove, such a symbolic city in the UK for the LGBT community, is taking the lead in establishing this day as an important date in the calendar. It is easy to forget that male homosexuality is officially illegal in more than eighty countries around the world and same sex sexual relations are punishable by death in some countries."
He added: "The recent banning of Moscow Pride highlights just how fragile is LGBT equality in many countries. Now in its second year, IDAHO will be commemorated in more than 40 countries. We hope all partys on the city council will support Councillor Williams' motion and acknowledge this important day for the whole community in the city and that it will remind everyone, whatever their sexuality, of their responsibility to stamp out hate crime and prejudice."
Councillor Simon Williams said: "While we already have a successful Pride festival in this city, IDAHO differs from Pride in that its aim is to involve and focus all of society in opposing prejudice and hate crime against LGBT people.
"Despite some important legal advances in equality for LGBT people in the United Kingdom, much remains still to be done to ensure full equality, such as incitement to hatred protection, as has already been introduced for faith groups, while homophobic prejudice and violence are still present, even in places like Brighton.
"Last year there were 200 homophobic incidents reported to the authorities in this city alone and the true picture is likely to be much higher. We hope the council will endorse our motion and that it will agree to fly the rainbow flag on 17 May as a gesture of solidarity to the LGBT community."
IDAHO is commemorated on 17 May because on that date in 1990 the United Nations World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from its list of 'mental disorders'. This action served to end more than a century of medical homophobia.
The motion also requests that the city three MPs sign Commons Early Day Motion 1958 if they have not already done so which endorses IDAHO.
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