#HealingAndEquality Mandala Campaign for IDAHOT 2020
By YVC Secretariat – Friday, May 15, 2020
This International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT) 2020, we celebrate through online engagement as the world continues to be under country-wide lockdowns and quarantine measures brought about by COVID-19. Youth Voices Count, in partnership with MYRainbow, is calling for our LGBTI siblings and allies to call for Equality and Healing.
Why Mandalas, you may ask? Mandalas are geometric figures representing the universe in Hindu and Buddhist symbolism. Mandalas have concentric circles that grow outwardly and these represent harmony and fullness of the mind. They are also known to reduce anxiety, tension, and stress as a form of art therapy. A form of healing of the mind, the spirit, and the body. As we call to end anti-LGBTQ stigma, violence, discrimination and oppression, let us break the silence and share messages of hope and unity through our mandalas.
#IDAHOT2020 #HealingAndEquality #BreakingTheSilence
“’And suddenly you know it’s time to start something new and trust the magic of new beginnings’ Heal thyself. Love thyself.”
Nathalie Dadian from Mandalas of the World joins our campaign with her original work entitled, “New Beginnings”. She describes this particular Mandala, with vibrant hues of blue, as having a powerful energy of healing. We have also asked other persons from different parts of the world to share their beautiful Mandalas. Here are their submissions with message of #equality and #healing for LGBTIQ+ folk.
“There is nothing more beautiful than diversity. We need to celebrate diversity every day, but until differences between people are at least respected, there will not be equality. We, the young people, have the power to change the world around us and the world within us. Starting today, by pointing out to our neighbor, mom, dad, cousin the beauty of diversity and the importance of equality.”
Jelena Mitrovic (Serbia)
Youth Action Team, CIVICUS
“Without ending discrimination and stigma against MSM and MSW communities we can not achieve the goal of providing them with friendly health care facilities to lead a healthy lifestyle.”
Aadi Baig (Pakistan)
Project Manager, Wasaib Sanwaro
“We need to end discrimination and phobia against our community, specially by policy makers because policy makers are the one who creates policies either in favor or against the rights of the community.”
Ali Raza Khan (Pakistan)
Coordinator, Wasaib Sanwaro
“Just as the colors of Mandalas represent harmony and the act of making it peace, may this help usher both in our fight for acceptance and diversity.”
Irish Inoceto (Philippines)
Chairperson, Iloilo Pride Team
“May love prevails in the times of darkness.”
Alberto (Malaysia)
MYRainbow
“Listen and trust your inner soul for what it says, it is wiser than your heart.”
Jake (Malaysia)
MYRainbow
“I am beautiful, so are you. Love yourself and find the strength to stand up in spite of the odds and inequalities.”
M.S. (Malaysia)
MYRainbow
“In this time of lockdown it is important and necessary to be around people that support us. But we know there are LGBTQIA+ folks that are not in a safe place even if they are at their “Home”. My mandala is inspired by an ancient symbol for harmony. My interpretation for this is that as each of us are different in many ways we could actually live in harmony. We may not know what other people are or the way they are but as for being human, “you don’t need to understand to give respect”. With all the hard work of different LGBTQIA+ and Human rights organisations to educate, to inform the society of how divers humanity and continue such activities like this, will, one day the world will learn to respect differences.”
AJ Rence Viñas (Philippines)
“I believe each individual has their own rights to live in pride with authenticity and integrity, inner intelligence, courage and positive insight can be a tremendous change to live it proudly.”
Rokonol Rabbi (Bangladesh)
Program Officer, SERAC-Bangladesh
“In these uncertain times, our voices must resonate more loudly than ever. This #IDAHOT2020, let’s break the silence against homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia and call for equality and equity.”
Jeff Acaba (Philippines)
Program Officer, APCASO
“We all are bright with our own color. let’s shine together like Rainbow.”
Sarker Tringsharaj Rishi (Bangladesh)
Member, Bandhu Social Welfare Society
Core Working Group, Youth Voices Count
“#BreakingTheSilence as this years IDAHOT theme reminds us that the discrimination and oppression of LGBTIQ+ persons still persist in many parts of the world. As many of us continue to stand up and fight oppression, let us commemorate this day as a reminder that our human rights are not subject to debate.”
Justin Francis Bionat (Philippines)
Executive Director, Youth Voices Count
“A pandemic like COVID19 does not discriminate so it can affect all of us but we can heal faster as individuals and communities when we are in the fights against pandemic together, and no one is left behind.”
Tebeio Tamton (Kiribati)
Technical Advisor & Co-Founder, Boutokaan Inaomataia ao Mauriia Binabinaine Association (BIMBA)
“Breaking the silence means deliberating ourselves from the past, decolonsing the mind, body and spirit in a sense undoing colonial violence and undoing the violence left behind heteronomativity.”
Kalisto Biaukula (Fiji)
Diversity and Inclusion Group for Networking and Action (DIGNA) Advisory Group, CIVICUS
Watch one of our campaign participants capturing a timelapse of the creation of their beautiful Mandala.
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