International conference on the rights of sexual minorities entitled “Together against Discrimination” took place in Budva, Montenegro on 19 March 2012. The conference was organised by the Government of Montenegro, under the auspices of Prime Minister Igor Lukšić, and supported by the International Academic Conference Justice in the Balkans: Equality for Sexual Minorities, the Lund University Department of Sociology of Law in Lund, Sweden, the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law and the European Commission on Sexual Orientation Law (ECSOL).

The conference brought together prominent international experts, scholars and human rights advocates from throughout Europe, senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of the European Commission and the Council of Europe.

In his welcome to conference delegates, Prime Minister Igor Lukšić, who also spoke at the conference, wrote, “Exclusion on account of sexual orientation or gender identity may best be overcome by concrete actions…neither cultural, traditional nor religious values, nor the rules of dominant culture can be invoked to justify hate speech or any other form of discrimination, including on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity.”

The Prime Minster further wrote that the conference “confirms the full dedication of the Government of Montenegro to the policy of combating discrimination and promoting human rights, as well as to the implementation of international standards…we are ready to deal with the prejudice both in the state and in the individuals. And we will not do it just for the sake of meeting the obligations that arise from the membership in international organizations, but because of our sincere and true aspiration .. to send the message that we will work together on the promotion of protection and visibility of LGBT persons.”


The Conference goals:

• Implementation of the Council of Europe Committee of Minsiters Recommendation (CM/Rec(2010)5) on measures to combat discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity;

• Commitment to the policy of non-discriminatory treatment and measures for protection from all forms of discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity;

• Achieving greater unity of all stakeholders in the society and countries in the region in designing joint actions to improve human rights of LGBT persons;

• Support to strengthening and visibility of LGBT community in the region.

For more conference info please visit: www.gov.me

Montenegrin Prime Minister Igor Lukšić with Montenegrin ECSOL-member Dr. Jovan Koijicic and the Austrian parliamentarian Marco Schreuder