Just as we have announced, Sarajevo Open Centre has started its first School of LGBTI activism in September 2016.

With around twenty participants of the School, from Sarajevo and some other cities, our aim is to introduce them to our queer history, empower them as activists and citizens for active participation in the society, regarding unequal treatment of minorities and LGBTI people in particular, so that all of us can have same rights and dignity.

The School will combine lectures, and practical workshops, where participants will be able to learn new things, understand the roots of the riots and spark their own creativity and question their own norms and willingness to go out and do direct actions. The first session/lecture was led by Jasmina Čaušević, presenting a comprehensive opening session on our sexuality, identity politics, queer history and queer theory. We have touched upon many important names through the history from Foucault to Judith Butler, but also have discussed our different identities and what makes us who we are.

The School of LGBTI activism aims to emphasise importance of activism and for participants to understand that private is political, as long as our countries regulate our sexuality and our bodies and our way of life. Our sexual identities are part of that fight.

On our next session you will read in a week, and until then stay active because each, even micro activism is important.