Dear TGEU members, friends, and allies,
TGEU’s 10-year anniversary is coming up in
2015, and we want to celebrate it with all of you at the next European
Transgender Council in 2016!
We are therefore looking for activists and
allies to organise and host the European Transgender Council in their city in
the early summer of 2016, with support from TGEU’s Steering Committee and
staff. We will use the occasion to celebrate TGEU’s 10-year anniversary, so it
promises to be a very special 6th edition of the Council.
What is the Council?
The European Transgender Council is the
largest gathering of trans* activists and their friends and allies in Europe.
The last European Transgender Council, which
took place in May this year in Budapest, was held in cooperation with
Transvanilla, the Hungarian trans* organisation, under the tagline “Trans*:
Safe & Equal!” and attracted the attendance of about 200 trans* and LGBTQI
activists and their friends and allies, including high-level officials. More
information about this last Council can be found here: http://www.tgeu.org/resourcescouncil2014
The European Transgender Councils are an
important meeting place for trans* communities and local and European
politicians and decision makers. Hosting the 6th European Transgender Council
will be an excellent opportunity to strengthen dialogue with decision makers
and to engage in advocacy work. Additionally, a lot of work, fun and friendship
awaits the hosts of this amazing event.
Role of the Organising Group
The role of the organising group or
organisation is to handle the logistics and organisation in the host city (such
as finding and booking a conference venue and hotel) and to obtain financing
for the Council (see below).
As the local organising team, you should be
a group or a registered organisation. If you are a group that is not part of a
registered organisation, then you should co-operate with and have the full
support of a registered organisation.
From experience gained from previous
Councils, we know that it is a significant advantage if your organisation has
established links to local authorities and has worked with them before. Good
contacts with the Foreign Ministry, in order to get support for visas for
guests and speakers, are important as well. TGEU has 80 member organisations in
Europe and Central Asia, and therefore many of the delegates will need visas to
travel to your country or the Schengen area.
You will also need the full support of the
local trans* community, especially in order to find dedicated volunteers, whose
support is absolutely necessary for a successful event.
Financing of the Council
TGEU will not be able to cover all the costs
of the Council, which means that you need to come up with a viable plan for obtaining
funding and to be able to plan the anticipated costs of the Council, such as for
food, venue, and logistics. Bear in mind that the registration fee needs to be
kept at an affordable level and that provisions will be needed so that
delegates on a low income can attend.
TGEU will be able to provide technical
assistance to help obtain funding, and TGEU will take the full responsibility
for securing funding for international scholarships.
Support provided by TGEU
TGEU’s Steering Committee will provide support to the organising team throughout the process. The development of the contents of the Council, i.e. publishing calls for workshops and inviting speakers and workshop holders, will be the responsibility of TGEU’s Steering Committee and staff. TGEU will also publicise the event through its networks. In addition, organisers from earlier Councils have offered to share their experience and to assist with advice and information. For questions about the level of support offered, please contact us at the address below.
Selection criteria
– You need to be a group of at least five
people that form the core organising team
– You need the full support of a registered
organisation that is based in your city
– You will need to have experience in
organising bigger events, including securing funding
– You need to be able to host the event in
the second half of May or the first half of June, 2016
How & when to apply
Please hand in your application by e-mail no
later than 18. November 2014 to council@tgeu.org.
The application should include:
– A description of your organisation/group
and its relationship to the local trans* community and officials (including
short CVs of the core organising group and their experience in organising
events)
– A letter of motivation: why you want to
organise the council and which ideas you may have already
– A preliminary budget of the Council,
including ideas on where to apply for further funding
With best wishes and in solidarity,
The Steering Committee of Transgender Europe