Picture taken during the panel discussion on "EU Policies vs. Sexual Minorities". From left to right: Hein Verkerk, Joke Swiebel, Monica Macovei, Kursad Kahramanoglu, and Boris Dittrich.

The Conference “ACCEPTing Diversity” was honoured by the presence of several important international politicians, such as: Joke Swiebel, member of the European Parliament, Boris Dittrich, member of the Dutch Parliament, Hein Verkerk, member of the Green Party, Kursad Kahramanoglu, Secretary General of ILGA, Monica Macovei, vice-president of the Romanian Helsinki Human Rights Committee, Giampi Alhadeff, President of the EU Platform of the Social NGOs, a.s.o.

Equally important was the presence of the US Ambassador, His Excellency Mr. James Rosapepe, at the reception offered by ACCEPT and COC Netherlands at Continental Hotel on the 5th of October. Mr. Rosapepe declared himself a supporter of lesbian and gay rights adding, during a speech he delivered on that occasion, "In the same way that President Clinton stated that each American is important for America, each Romanian should be considered important for Romania." In this photo, taken during the reception, we have, from left to right, Emily Martinez, General Grant Manager at Open Society Institute, Vera Cîmpeanu, vice-president of ACCEPT, and James Rosapepe, the US Ambassador to Bucharest.

Even if the Romanian politicians did not answer the invitation addressed to them by ACCEPT and did not attend the Conference debates, the presence of the politicians mentioned above undoubtedly compensated the silence of the Romanian side. The feedback of the participants, who sent messages of congratulation and thanks for an excellently-organised conference and their standing ovations for ACCEPT's volunteer team at the end of the Conference, as well as the ILGA-Europe press release, calling on the Romanian Senate to repeal article 200, reminded us that we are not alone in this fight for equality and dignity.