NELFA & Famiglie Arcobaleno from Italy International Family Equality Day raising awareness and forging new alliances ILGA-Europe Conference Athen, 31 October 2015 Giuseppina la Delfa & Maria von Känel , info@nelfa.org 1

Network of European LGBT Families Associations NELFA aisbl Network created 1st of May 2009 NELFA was incorporated under Belgian law as an international non-profit association (AISBL) on 12th March 2012. The official NELFA headquarters are located in the Rainbow House in Brussels. NELFA aims at: Ensuring that the children of LGBT families in Europe enjoy the same rights as those of children in families currently recognized by the law; Encouraging European countries to adopt equal opportunity policies in relation to LGBT families with regard to legal, financial, educational, social and other relevant rights. Ensuring that LGBT families can enjoy fully the European Union's right to freedom of movement between Member States. NELFA raises awareness about the situation of LGBT families amongst the public at large. NELFA encourages and promotes initiatives and projects aimed at supporting LGBT families. NELFA works with EU institutions, Member States and other relevant governmental and civil society partners to achieve the aims stated above.

Network of European LGBT Families Associations NELFA aims Raises awareness Initiatives and projects supporting LGBT Families Equal opportunities for all families EU right to « freedom of movement » NELFA aims at: Ensuring that the children of LGBT families in Europe enjoy the same rights as those of children in families currently recognized by the law; Encouraging European countries to adopt equal opportunity policies in relation to LGBT families with regard to legal, financial, educational, social and other relevant rights. Ensuring that LGBT families can enjoy fully the European Union's right to freedom of movement between Member States. NELFA raises awareness about the situation of LGBT families amongst the public at large. NELFA encourages and promotes initiatives and projects aimed at supporting LGBT families. NELFA works with EU institutions, Member States and other relevant governmental and civil society partners to achieve the aims stated above.

Visibility of diversity LGBT-Families are growing, gaining visibility and increasingly enjoying recognition in society as part of the living diversity of family structures. But in terms of legal equality there continues to be gross discrimination. In most of european countries the current legal situation makes it impossible to protect our families, which entails massive gaps in protection as well as financial and legal uncertainty. The situation in several eastern European and most African and Asian countries, where same-sex parents and their children have to live in hiding in order to avoid severe sanctions against life and limb, is even more dire.

MOTTO 2016 FAMILIES WITHOUT BORDERS «People move, as do families» IFED 1. May 2016 In future, there will be various events worldwide on the first Sunday in May of every year. On this day we will invite you to celebrate the rainbow of families in our world! MOTTO 2016 FAMILIES WITHOUT BORDERS «People move, as do families»

USA Canada Israel Germany IFED 3. May 2015 - Italy In future, there will be various events worldwide on the first Sunday in May of every year. On this day we will invite you to celebrate the rainbow of families in our world!

Your Visibility and Activism do Matter! Thank you!

5th European Meeting of LGBT Families Greece, 27th April – 1st May 2016 We look forward to welcoming you at the 5th European meeting of LGBT families in Central Greece, 2015. Details information: www.nelfa.org or www.olke.org