May 4, 2016

Dear attendees,

“During the National Commemoration, we all commemorate – civilians and soldiers – who have been killed or murdered in the Kingdom of the Netherlands or anywhere in the world since the outbreak of the Second World War, and thereafter in war situations and during peace operations.”

Here, at the International Gay Monument, which has been in this beautiful visible and accessible location for over a year now, we want to broaden this commemoration today. In addition to all LGBTI people who died during the occupation years 40-45, we also commemorate international LGBTI fellow citizens who are persecuted and murdered worldwide on the basis of their sexual orientation. Together, here at the International Gay Monument as a visible sign of the struggle for recognition of equal rights and against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

For the year 2016, the National Committee has adopted 4 and 5 May as the motto for this commemoration: Pass on freedom.

Many of us stand here knowing that we grew up in freedom. In a free country, with a constitution that protects us and prohibits any form of discrimination on any ground. Be allowed to be who you are in freedom and be protected in experiencing this freedom.

Growing up in a country without this elementary basis to be free is unfortunately not for everyone. However, we can offer friends from war zones here with us the security and freedom that they lack in their homeland.

We also do this in various ways, for example by offering a safe harbor and assistance, varying from offering buddies (think of the COC Cocktail Project) to providing information in refugee shelters. COC Haaglanden, the expertise center for LGBT emancipation in the Haaglanden region, works closely with the local authorities and COA.

In rejecting hate and in a rock-solid commitment to the inclusive principles of our democratic constitutional state lies the preservation of our freedom. Freedom we pass on today. Freedom that we have all fought hard for and still have to fight for. It cannot be true that refugees in the hope of a safe haven are confronted with feelings and thoughts of fellow refugees that are at odds with our norms and values?

Together we pass on our freedom in freedom. Today we commemorate everyone who fought for our freedom. We have fought hard for our freedom and it has been and has taken, possibly for some of us too, a lot of struggle and sacrifice to stand up for freedom. Only with this great realization do you know that freedom cannot be taken for granted as it is intended in freedom.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to everyone who makes this commemoration possible: the presence of all of you, the International Homomonument The Hague foundation, the choirs De Heksenketel, Vox Rosa and Men fever, the uniformed LGBT people from the police (Pink in Blue) and fire brigade (Pink Red), as well as cadets from the Police Academy and the facility support of the Royal Academy of Art, etc. etc.

On behalf of the board of COC Haaglanden,
Arnout JO van Kooij

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