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ANGELA EAGLE
BECOMES FIRST PATRON OF LIVERPOOL PRIDE
ANGELA Eagle, Britain's
first 'out' lesbian MP has become the first ever Patron of Liverpool
Pride. On announcing the news, she said:- "I am proud to be
the first official patron of Liverpool Pride. As an organisation
Liverpool Pride does so much to celebrate the diversity in
communities across Merseyside. It also works to tear down barriers,
stand up for rights and insist on equality for LGBT people.
And although only in its early years, the annual Liverpool Pride
festival is already rivalling similar events around the globe. The
festival positively represents the Liverpool city region as the
wonderfully colourful, vibrant and accepting place that it is.
It also serves as a reminder that the world has no place for
discrimination and prejudice; it certainly has no place on
Merseyside."
Eagle will be present at Liverpool Pride festival on Saturday, 4
August 2012. She will give a short speech at the Liverpool Pride March
muster point on William Brown Street before leading the March
through the city towards its waterfront site. Eagle,
recently named as number 11 in the World Pride Power List, was
elected as the first ever Labour MP for Wallasey in 1992 and has
successfully been re-elected four times since.
From 1997 to 2010 she served as a government minister under Prime
Minister Tony Blair and later as Minister of State at the Department
for Work and Pensions for Gordon Brown. She is currently Shadow
Leader of the House of Commons and chair of Labour's National Policy
Forum. Angela has energetically campaigned for LGBT equality
throughout her career and played a leading role in the abolition of
anti-gay laws including Section 28, introduced by the Thatcher
Government, which banned the 'promotion' of homosexuality in
schools.
She was part of the Government that introduced the Civil Partnership
Act which later allowed Angela to have herrelationship long-term
partner, Maria Exall, recognised by law. Her twin sister Maria
Eagle is also an MP and the pair were the first twins to be cabinet
ministers.
Zoran Blackie, Chair of Liverpool Pride said:- 'Liverpool
Pride is honoured that such an inspirational figure within the
campaign for the rights of LGBT people in this country is willing to
stand with us in recognising and supporting the needs of our
community. I am delighted that she will be helping us to lead the
march through Liverpool city centre, as she represents what we are
all about our LGBT community making a difference in our city and
showing us off to the country."
Liverpool Pride is UK's biggest FREE LGBT Pride festival outside of
London. In just 2 years, it has established itself as one of the
major highlights in the city and the wider LGB&T community's summer
calendar. Bursting onto the scene in 2010, the inaugural Liverpool
Pride festival attracted over 20,000 people, which was doubled to
over 44,000 in 2011.
For 2012 Festival organisers are promising the best event yet, a
festival which Liverpool's LGB&T community is proud of, attracting
people from across the country to experience the diverse culture of
one of Europe's most exciting cities.
The festival came about following the launch of the LGB&T Network,
at which the public voted for a Pride festival to engage, empower
and involve the LGB&T communities within the city. This was fully
endorsed by Liverpool City Council in January 2009. Following a
number of high profile attacks in the city, the event was
established in 2010 and now takes place each year to coincide with
the anniversary of murdered gay teenager Michael Causer.
Liverpool Pride 2012 will take place at Liverpool's iconic pier-head
and throughout the Stanley Street Gay Quarter. In addition to this,
there will be a weekend of cultural events taking place at some of
Liverpool's most influential arts and cultural establishments. The
festival's 'Nautical, but Nice' theme, chosen in a ballot by 700
members of the local LGBT community, gives a nod to the city's
commemoration of the 100 year anniversary of the sinking of the
Titanic, whilst at the same time, celebrating the city's rich
maritime history and taking advantage of the main festival site,
which sits on the banks of the River Mersey.
Applications are still open for the Liverpool Pride March.
Individuals, groups and organisations are invited to take part by
registering
online
before 31 July 2012.
Make sure you check out @LiverpoolPride on
Twitter and search Liverpool Pride on Facebook to have your say and
for all of the latest pride news.
Shooting, Orrel
Road, Bootle, Merseyside, Update
MERSEYSIDE Police has
confirm that a 2 man have been arrested in connection with a
shooting in Bootle during which a man was injured. The arrest
relates to an incident on Orrell Road on Friday, 27 July 2012,
during which a 29 year old man sustained gun shot injuries to his
chest and leg. On 31 July 2012, a 21 yearn old man arrested in
connection with this shooting, and he has since been released on
bail, pending further enquiries. The second to be arrested was a a
19 year old man from Bootle, on Wednesday, 1 August 2012. The
investigation into the incident is still ongoing and anyone with any
information is asked to call Matrix on:- 0151 777 5699, or
Crimestoppers, anonymously, on:- 0800 555 111.
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Martin Luther
King III to visit Liverpool
MARTIN Luther King III will visit
Liverpool next month to take part in Slavery Remembrance Day,
Thursday, 23 August 2012.
Mr King is the eldest son of Mrs Coretta Scott King and Dr Martin
Luther King Jr. Dr King was one of the most important figures
of the 20th Century and one of the greatest non-violent leaders in
world history. In particular Dr King is known for his advancement of
civil rights in America and the youngest ever winner of the Nobel
Peace Prize. Dr King's tireless work in the campaign to fight
human injustice ended tragically due to his assassination aged 39 in
Memphis in 1968.
Like his father, Mr King is a human rights campaigner and community
activist. He is a lifetime member of the Board of Directors and
former President and CEO of The King Center in Atlanta Georgia.
Mr King is currently involved in global humanitarian efforts and
voter registration initiatives throughout the United States and
abroad.
Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson will welcome Mr King to the city.
Slavery Remembrance Day has been commemorated in Liverpool every 23
August 2012, since 1999. It is organised by National Museums Liverpool in
partnership with Liverpool City Council. 3 days of free
activity are planned around Slavery Remembrance Day in which Mr King
will play a key role on the Wednesday and Thursday:-
A Family Day at International Slavery Museum on Saturday, 18 August
2012.
The Memorial lecture by Mr King at
St George's Hall 7pm Wednesday, 22 August 2012.
Building dedication of the Dock
Traffic Office at Albert Dock on 12.30am Thursday, 23 August 2012. The
building is to be renamed:- "The Dr Martin Luther King Jr
Building."
A Walk of Remembrance through
Liverpool city centre and libation ceremony on Thursday, 23 August
2012.
Details about all the Slavery
Remembrance Day events:-
liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/slavery.
Details of how to get free tickets for Mr King's lecture:-
stgeorgesliverpool.co.uk.
Mr King's involvement in the 3 day programme has come about
following a chance meeting thousands of miles away. Cheryl
Magowan, Communities Senior Manager at National Museums Liverpool,
was paying her respects at the gravesite of Dr Martin Luther King Jr
and Mrs Coretta Scott-King at the King Center in Atlanta last year,
when she met their eldest son, Mr Martin Luther King III.
Cheryl said:- "It was a powerful moment I'll never forget, I
sat, said a prayer and thought deeply about what the great Dr King
did for black people and all of humanity, I looked up and standing
in front of me was Mr King and his wife.
Then the King Center's security guard Kevin, whom I'd made friends
with earlier said: 'Cheryl you're blessed today, I'd like you to
meet the boss man himself, Mr Martin Luther King III, Dr King's son
and his wife'. I then invited Mr and Mrs King to visit Liverpool,
the International Slavery Museum and to take part in Slavery
Remembrance Day, which they graciously accepted."
Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said:- "The slave trade is a
hugely significant part in Liverpool's history and we have made a
pledge as a city that it will never be forgotten.
Our Slavery Remembrance Day commemorations are an important date in
our calendar, bringing the whole city together to remember those who
suffered as a result of the slave trade and to celebrate the
wonderful cultural diversity which exists in our city.
This year's celebrations are set to be momentous with the arrival of
Martin Luther King III. Mr King and his father are an inspiration to
us all. They are real symbols of how, by working together, we can
achieve equality for people of all races, cultures and backgrounds."
Next month sees the 5th birthday of the International Slavery Museum
which opened in 2007. The Dock Traffic Office at the Albert Dock
will be re-named The Dr Martin Luther King Jr Building in tribute to
the civil rights leader who was one of the driving forces for
tackling racism and inequality in American the 1960s. Dr King is an
iconic and inspirational figure known worldwide for his non-violent
methods and his famous "I Have A Dream" speech in 1963.
The longer term plan for the Dock Traffic Office, dependant on
funding, is to expand the International Slavery Museum into this
building.
Claire Benjamin, Head of Communities at National Museums Liverpool,
said:- "Slavery Remembrance Day grows in strength each year.
We are thrilled to have Mr King attend this year and for him to be
delivering the lecture as well as dedicate the Dock Traffic Office
in memory of his father."
About Mr Martin Luther King III
Martin Luther King III is the oldest son of Dr Martin Luther King Jr
and Mrs Coretta Scott King and is carrying the torch lit by both his
parents into the 21stcentury. Mr King is a lifetime member of the
Board of Directors and former President and CEO of The King Center
in Atlanta Georgia. Mr King is currently involved in global
humanitarian efforts and voter registration initiatives throughout
the United States and abroad. A full biography and photograph of Mr
King is available on request. Additional information is located at:-
thekingcenter.org.
About the International Slavery Museum
The International Slavery Museum opened in August 2007. It is
situated on the third floor of the Merseyside Maritime Museum at the
Albert Dock. This summer it will welcome its two millionth visitor.
It is the only museum of its kind to look at aspects of historical
and contemporary slavery as well as being an international hub for
resources on human rights issues.
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