Lambda Warszawa Association is the oldest running Polish LGBT organisation. Lambda Warszawa is a public interestorganisation founded in October 1997 by activists of Rainbow Centre, which worked from 1995 until 1997. The aim of the association is to create a positive gay and lesbian identity, and build social tolerance toward sexual minorities. In 2004, the association acquired the status of a public interest organisation, and has been a part of Mazowia Federation since then.
Fields of activity
Psychological help and support for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transsexual people: setting up a helpline ; office duty of psychiatrists, therapists, and lawyers; Gadu-Gadu Messenger duty; Internet chat duty; support and meeting groups.
HIV/AIDS and addictions prevention: Safer Relationships programme, street- and partyworkers’ actions in LGBT clubs; office duty at Lambda Warszawa HQ; Internet chat duty; addictions prevention projects; internet portal www.bezpytan.pl.
Cultural and social actions addressed to LGBT people: The Film Club; library and reading room; organising discussions and meetings about LGBT literature; active students’ group
Anti-discrimination actions: Report on Sexual Discrimination in Poland ; social actions: Global Village ; Living Library project; anti-discrimination trainings. Along with Campaign Against Homophobia and other LGBT organisations from across the Europe, Lambda Warszawa annually gives Tolerance Award for sexual orientation-based anti-exclusion policy. Polish Tolerance Award laureates are Kazimierz Kutz, Piotr Pacewicz, Marzanna Pogorzelska, and Zbigniew Holda. Thanks to Lambda Warszawa presidents, Yga Kostrzewa and Krzysztof Kliszczynski, along with activists from other Polish LGBT organisations, the European Court of Human Rights pronounced illegal the ban put by the president of Warsaw, Lech Kaczynski, on the Equality Parade in 2005.
Lambda Warszawa is the first and only LGBT organisation in Poland that provides microgrants to other organisations that help homosexual persons: as part of Stonewall Fund, Lambda Warszawa Microgrant Fund, the first fund competition was launched on May 28, 2009.
Projects
Helpline and Legal and Psychological Help Programme: started in Rainbow Centre in 1995, running since then
Safer Relationships programme: HIV/AIDS prevention since 2000
Report on Sexual Discrimination in Poland: 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2005–2006
Sunday with Lambda project from 2002 until 2004: monthly movie and discussion meetings in Bastylia, a pancake shop in Warsaw
I Choose Tolerance project : an action connected to self-government elections in 2006
Season for Rubber project : all-Poland informational action about the usage of condoms
Co-creation of Polish National Campaign Committee : committee coordinating Polish campaign All Different-All Equal by Council of Europe
Global Village project: anti-homophobia action
Academy of Anti-Discrimination project: trainings for self-government officials and non-governmental activists as part of European Year of Equal Chances for All
Living Library Project: Let’s Talk About Diversity
Counselling service: www.bezpytan.pl
Stonewall Fund: Lambda Warszawa Microgrant Fund
Counteract discrimination - it is not difficult! project : project against discrimination based on gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion or age.
Authorities
Authorities of the association are elected by its members during general election meetings. Term in office of the management lasts two years, and, as chairpersons, there have been:
Michal Pawlega
Yga Kostrzewa
Krzysztof Kliszczynski
Dorota Bregin
Publications
Report on Sexual Discrimination in Poland
Against Discrimination. Education Pack for Trainers
Let’s Talk About Diversity. Living Library. A Book of Good Practice
A Legal Guide for Lesbians, Gays, and Transsexuals
