Law and Human Rights experts take to the stage at Colchester Pride

Staff and students from the School of Law and Human Rights Centre will be sharing their thoughts and skills at this year’s Colchester Pride.

Dr Andrew Fagan will be a panellist for The Colchester Pride 2019 Panel Discussion, Katya Alkhateeb and Matteo Bassetti will be appearing at Pride Talks and staff from Essex Law Clinic will be promoting their Essex LGBT+ Rights Clinic.

Dr Fagan said: “The Human Rights Centre are delighted to have been invited to contribute to this year's Colchester Pride event for the very first time. We each have a core fundamental right to our sexual orientation and gender identity. While Pride celebrates the enjoyment of this key human right, it should also never be forgotten that many people across the world continue to be denied the right to be who they truly are.” 

The Colchester Pride 2019 Panel Discussion, at 11.00 on the Mosaic Stage, will take a Question Time-style format, with attendees given the chance to raise issues and quiz the panellists on current LGBT+ topics.

Dr Fagan will focus on human rights in the area of sexual orientation and gender identity. The panel will also feature Councillor Mark Cory, Leader of Colchester Borough Council, Alastair Smith-Weston representing Army LGBT, Pauline Bacon from Unison and Tracy Martinez from Outhouse East, with the discussion chaired by Alice d’Lumiere.

Essex Law Clinic staff will be promoting the Essex LGBT+ Rights Clinic at the Outhouse East stall. The clinic offers initial legal advice in a range of areas relevant to the LGBT+ community, with student volunteers working under the supervision of volunteer lawyers and clinical teaching staff. 

Pride Talks, with contributions from Katya Alkhateeb and Matteo Bassetti, will take place at 16.00 on the main outdoor Berryfield Stage.

Colchester Pride takes place on Saturday 29 June, a day after the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, seen by many as the birth of the modern LGBT rights movement. All events are at Firstsite. Access to individual events is covered as part of the general Colchester Pride Ticket. Appointments at the Essex LGBT+ Rights Clinic can be made by emailing elawclinic@essex.ac.uk.

The University of Essex Human Rights Centre is known around the world. With over 100 scholars from 11 academic disciplines, the Centre provides a place where world-class researchers, policymakers and activists can come together to address pressing issues.

In the past year, members of the Human Rights Centre have contributed to a wide range of debates including on global drug policy, human rights considerations when investing in Occupied Territories and establishing an ethical approach to Artificial Intelligence. Staff and student members of the Essex Digital Verification Unit also received international attention for their work with Amnesty International, challenging the US-led Coalition’s claims regarding the bombing of Raqqa, Syria.