kviri runa
Newspaper for the LGBTQIA+/Queer Community in Latvia
Kvīri Runā is a Solidarity Project that was organised between June 2022 – May 2023 by members and volunteers of our organization.
After being at an Erasmus+ project called “YOUth in ACTivism: The Camp” five young people from Latvia got together and carried on with an idea of a project in their own country – an LGBTQ+ newsppaer called “Kvīri Runā!”. The idea of the project came up because there are currently almost no printed materials on the LGBTQ+ topics in Latvia, no newspapers, no magazines, and it was very important, as there is a huge amount of misinformation, prejudice and stereotypes created in Latvia.
We created an educational and informal platform for LGBTQ+ artists, young people, activists – to become more visible, share their stories, as well as to answer a lot of questions related to the LGBTQ+ community.
And we didn’t stop there yet. We offered our community peer support and self-development opportunities such as a series of free yoga lessons “Queerdom of Movement” and crocheting events which resulted in creation of a 2,4 m long and 1,5 m wide progressive pride flag.
DISSEMINATION
Digital Versions of the Newspaper Editions. In total 6 new editions of the newspapers were produced, that were both printed and digitalized. One of the editions includes also the values poster for safer spaces that has been spread in LGBTQIA+ friendly spaces around Riga.
Follow the link below to find the digital versions.
An instagram page was created for the project, the activities, promotion of Latvian queer related news and the newspaper editions. The page is in Latvian.
Follow the link below to follow the page and the news!
Activities
Among the activities we have implemented, we also worked on creating a map of queer friendly places in Latvia which agree with and support our values and would display the posters, stickers and postcards we made promoting Dignity and Respect, Responsibility, Learning and Open-mindness, Teamwork, Solidarity, Equality and Intersectionality.
For this initiative, we also have a video that was produced during another Erasmus+ training course “Film Forward” organized by Active Rainbow.
The project Kvīri Runā was co-funded with the support of the European Commission’s European Solidarity Corps program, which is administered in Latvia by the Jaunatnes starptautisko programmu aģentūra.
Disclaimer: The information and views set out in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the European Union. Neither the European Union institutions and bodies nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein.