A First Step:
Declaration of Montreal
endorsed by Ville-Marie Borough!
Montreal, 2 August 2006 – Last night, Montreal’s Borough of Ville-Marie, under the leadership of Borough Mayor Benoît Labonté, became the first elected political body in the world to endorse the Declaration of Montreal — a statement created during the 1st World Outgames and intended to guarantee the rights of the international LGBT community.
The endorsement took place in the presence of Mark Tewksbury, Co-President and Spokesperson for the Outgames, Louise Roy, CEO of the Outgames, and Joke Swiebel, Co-President of the International Conference on LGBT Human Rights.
Following this first step, the Declaration of Montreal will continue on its journey to become an internationally recognized document.
Outgames a Slam Dunk
Thus far, the 1st World Outgames have been a great success. The Organizing Committee is very pleased that all of the sporting competitions, cultural events, and festivities throughout the different venues have met all expectations.
Many participants have also expressed satisfaction with the Outgames’ organisation:
“My impression of Montreal and the Outgames is excellent,” said Antoine Giannelli, a 36 year-old diver from Paris, France. “The organisers have been extremely delightful and everything is well planned out. Meeting Montrealers has been very gratifying, and it has been an even more rewarding experience to meet thousands of athletes from across the world in a very fraternal environment. Not to mention Montreal’s top level infrastructure—the competition sites are very well equipped and it’s great to compete in a professional and engaging setting.”
David Dawson, a 48 year-old diver from Seattle, USA, added that “the city has been so welcoming and the people are so nice, it’s been a delight to be here. The organisation of the games has been exceptional compared to other events I’ve attended, the scheduling and the numerous events have been timely and well put together. I’ve really enjoyed how international the Outgames have been, since a great number of participants come from outside of North America. This has been a great opportunity to meet people form around the world and a really enjoyable experience.”
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