EGPA Conference 2014 Berlin

EGPA
Conference 2014
Berlin

Welcome to Berlin

e a part of us

Ladies and gentlemen,
Through this brochure we would like to introduce the
2014 EGPA conference.
About 200 policemen and women from all over Europe
and the USA will be taking part in the 2014 conference
in Berlin. We will be looking at Eastern Europe –
particularly Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and
Hungary. Russia is to be given a special signal.
I warmly invite you to take part in the conference or
support our organisation.
Be a part of us should be seen as an invitation to
female and male police officers from throughout
Europe who want to work together with us for equal
rights and against discrimination on account of sexual
orientation.
Thomas Ulmer
Federal Chairman
VelsPol-Deutschland e.V.

Patron
Klaus Wowereit
Governing Mayor of Berlin

Welcoming Speech
by the Governing Mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit,
It is my pleasure to welcome all participants to the
European Gay Police Association Congress in the
German capital.
Through the Berlin Congress, the EGPA is sending out
an important signal condemning homophobic
discrimination and violence and endorsing legal equality
and general social acceptance of different lifestyles.
Above all it offers policemen and women from all over
Europe and the USA a platform for networking and
exchanging experiences. Such a meeting is an
encouragement to all those who strive for a police force
that does not sit back and watch homosexual, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender people being attacked. It is a
police force that provides information on risks and
therefore pursues prevention and, above all, a police
force that is an advocate of equal rights and that
opposes discrimination based on sexual orientation.

In 2013, in all manner of ways, we in Berlin drew
attention to the transfer of power to the Nazis and the
destruction of diversity 80 years ago. This included the
remembrance of homosexuals who were persecuted
during the Nazi era.
Today, almost 25 years since the Berlin Wall came down,
Berlin is connected with its reputation as a cosmopolitan
and tolerant capital. But one must not forget: even here it
took decades until homosexuals were no longer
criminally prosecuted or excluded. And discrimination
and hostility still exist. The road to complete equality is
long and stony. What matters is support for those, no
matter where they are, who fly the flag with selfconfidence
and stand up for a free and tolerant society
as well as state institutions that protect freedom.

Bearing this in mind, I wish the EGPA Congress every
success and an encouraging conference from which an
unmistakable message in support of equality and
acceptance of different lifestyles radiates. I wish all
participants a pleasant stay in Berlin.
Klaus Wowereit
Governing Mayor of Berlin

The European Gay Police Association (EGPA) is an
international police network for LGBTTI (lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transsexual and intersexual) members of the
police force in over 12 different countries.
The network was founded in 2004 in Amsterdam. Since
2005 international conferences have been held in
various European capitals. The EGPA is represented by
the Chairman, Hermann RENES, of the Dutch police
force.
*LGBTTI (Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transsexuell-TransgenderiIntersexuell)

Boardmeeting 2013 Den Haag

In 1994, shortly after Section 175 of the German criminal law code
was retracted, the Berlin journalist Jens DOBLER initiated the first
federal seminar in Göttingen which around 30 police officers attended.
The same year lesbian and homosexual societies, often with different
names, were founded in several federal German states. In order to
protect interests on a national level, all the federal societies adopted
the same name “VelsPol” which stands for “Verein lesbischer und
schwuler Polizeibediensteter” (Society of Lesbian and Homosexual
members of the Police Force) and joined the umbrella organization
“Verband lesbischer und schwuler Polizeibediensteter” (Association
of Lesbian and Homosexual members of the Police Force) in 2002.
This enabled work to start on a national level. In order to represent
German interests on a European level, VelsPol Deutschland
(VelsPol Germany) joined the EGPA.

VelsPol-Deutschland e.V - Board.

The exchange of knowledge, experience and information
concerning the position of LGBTTI police officers in European
police forces is one of the main tasks of the EGPA.
Additional tasks are:
The promotion of international surveys and educational
programmes with regard to the topics that are crucial for the
inclusion and success of LGBTTI police workers in European
police forces.
The promotion of initiatives which help to set up and support
national networks for LGBTTI members of the police force in
their various countries, particularly in Eastern Europe.
Encouraging LGBTTI police workers to support each other.
Compiling training concepts that combat hate crime.
Joining forces with other LGBTTI organisations.

U.S. Embassy Brussels 2013

The EGPA board of directors consists of at least
five natural persons from at least three different
European countries and meets on average two to
three times a year.
The most active representatives in the EGPA are
at present Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the
Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Switzerland whilst
Austria, Denmark, England (GB), Scotland (GB),
Portugal and Sweden support the cause.
Montenegro, Serbia, Poland and Hungary are
interested in a cooperative partnership.
A LGBTI event is usually held simultaneously in
the same town that hosts the EGPA meeting. The
meetings are usually officially opened and
attended by government ministers, high-ranking
police officers and mayors.

U.S. Embassy Brussels 2013

The national member organisations are meanwhile
reliable partners whom national governments and
interior ministers respectively can consult.
In October 2010 the Italian network POLIS
APERTA was founded in Rome.
In March 2011 the network was presented to highranking
Swiss police officers in Zurich.
In September 2011 a Dutch delegation of the
EGPA took part in an international conference
“Towards Europe – Towards Equality” for members
of the police force in Podgorica, Montenegro.
In November 2011 representatives of the EGPA
took part in the international conference “Building a
Queer and Tolerant Neighbourhood” which was
opened by the Governing Mayor of Berlin.

IDAHO-Conference 2013 Den Haag

December 2011 saw the participation in the
international conference “Joining Forces to
Combat Homophobic and Transphobic Violence in
Europe” which was opened by the Dutch Minister
Marja van Bijsterveld and Secretary of State Fred
Teeven.
In March 2013 the European Gay Police
Association (EGPA) assisted at the “International
Day Against Racism and Discrimination.
Rainbow Cops Belgium, the American Embassy
and the US Mission to the EU discussed the topic
“Tackling LGBTTI Discrimination in the
International Policing Context and Promote
Protection of LGBTTI Rights Europe-wide”. Here,
EGPA board members and partners discussed
how collaboration with police associations in
Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Poland and Finland etc.
could work and how LGBTTI networks could be
founded in these countries.

Reception by the Irish President 2012

In May 2013 the EGPA took part in the
international IDAHO Conference “International Day
against Homophobia” in Den Haag. Training
programmes used by various countries in their
fight against hate crime were presented and
improved in workshops. The EGPA delegation was
met by Queen Maxima who acquainted herself
with the work done by networks.

Meeting with the Queen of the Netherlands 2013

2004
Amsterdam
Founding of
the network
2005
Conference
Stockholm
2006
Conference
London
2008
Conference
Barcelona
Support from the
Spanish Minister of
Justice, the town of
Barcelona and the
Catalonian police
2010
Conference
Vienna
Patronage. Minister
of the Interior Maria
Fekter, Presentation
of the hate crime
concept in
cooperation with the
Vienna police
2012
Conference
Dublin
Reception with the Irish
President. Active
support for the
conference from the Irish
police Garda (Irish police
force) which was also
attended by high-ranking
police officers.

The EGPA Conference 2014 will take place from
18.06. – 21.06.2014 in Berlin. Up to 300
participants from throughout Europe and the USA,
including high-ranking government officials and
representatives from the police, are expected to
attend.
Participants will stay at the Hotel Motel One, An
der Urania 12/14, 10787 Berlin. Lectures and
workshops on the topics of hate crime, the
situation of LGBTTI people in Europe and the
world will be held at the nearby conference centre
URANIA in Kleiststrasse 13-14, 10787 Berlin.

Topics planned:
- Handling of homosexuality in Eastern Europe (e.g.
Poland, Czech Republic)
- Hate crime in Eastern Europe
- Hate crime in Germany and problems detecting it
- Homosexuality in the police in five continents
- Racism in Hungary. Homophobic violence in Europe
- Presentation of the help centre for those with samesex
lifestyles to the Public Prosecution Department,
Berlin.
- Homosexuality in the working world.

18.06.2014
Opening
19.06.2014
Conference
20.06.2014
Conference
Closing
ceremony
Registration for the conference will start in January 2014

Die Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmer der EGPA-Konferenz
2014 wohnen im Hotel `Motel One`, am Rande des
Tiergartens. `Motel One´ ist eine der führenden und
modernsten Hotelketten Deutschlands.
Die Organisatoren waren daran interessiert kurze Wege
anzubieten, aus diesem Grund findet die Konferenz auf der
gegenüberliegenden Straßenseite, im Konferenzzentrum
URANIA statt.
In den Pausen und zur Mittagszeit werden die
Konferenzteilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmer, durch einen
vorzüglichen Cateringservice versorgt und mit klassischen
Berliner Spezialitäten verwöhnt.
Die Organisatoren haben verschiedene Konferenzpakete
geschnürt. Somit steht für jede(n) Interessierte und
Interessierten ein entsprechendes Paket zur Verfügung
stehen.

Politische Kontakte sind wichtig. Aus diesem Anlass wird die
Konferenz 2014 durch zwei Empfänge umrahmt.
Die Konferenz wird im Roten Rathaus, durch den
Regierenden Bürgermeister Klaus Wowereit, am Mittwoch
(18.06.2014) eröffnet.
Zu diesem Anlass werden hochrangige Vertreter aus Politik
und Polizei anwesend sein.
In der Landesvertretung von Baden-Württemberg wird die
Konferenz 2014 geschlossen. Innerhalb dieser Veranstaltung
werden wir, als eines der ältesten Mitarbeiternetzwerke
innerhalb der Polizei in Europa, 20 Jahre VelsPol feiern.
Im Rahmen dieser Veranstaltung, wird VelsPol-Deutschland
erstmalig den `VelsPol-Preis` für Diversity und Engagement
für Akzeptanz und gleiche Rechte, in der Polizei und
Gesellschaft verleihen.

Bitte die Tendenzumfrage
für beide Veranstaltungen
im Anmeldeformular
beachten!

Conference package 1 – 352,00 Euro
Conference package 2 – 438,00 Euro
Conference package 3 – 175,00 Euro
Conference package 4 – 90,00 Euro
Conference package 5 – 152,00 Euro
Online Registration http://egpa2014.com/22.html

With regard to sponsoring
possibilities, please turn to us
at: VelsPol-D e.V., Postfach
311543, 10645 Berlin.

If you wish to
advertise on our
website
www.egpa2014.com
with an advertising
banner or your own
logo, please contact
us.
Should you wish to support
the conference by making a
donation, please make
payments to:
VelsPol-Deutschland e.V.,
donation account number
325 32 42, bank sorting
code 100 700 24
(IBAN:
DE58100700240003253242)
BIC: DEUTDEDBBER

News media representatives should please contact
the conference office by telephoning:
+49-152-26055577 or sending an
email to: info@egpa2014.com
For accreditation it is necessary to present a valid
journalist pass.

www.egpa2014.com
Within the framework of the conference we are
celebrating 20 years of VelsPol and 10 years of EGPA.
Furthermore the VelsPol Diversity Prize will be
presented at a celebration.
Legal responsibility for the website:
VelsPol-Deutschland e.V.
Postfach 311543
10645 Berlin
Stand 01.02.2014