Boris Dittrich MPs Jan Logie and Louisa Wall are hosting leading GLBT rights advocate Boris Dittrich while he visits New Zealand this week. The Human Rights Watch Advocacy Director is in the country from Monday till Thursday. One of the first openly gay members of Parliament in the Netherlands, Dittrich is a staunch advocate for human rights. “He will attend a variety of events and be a welcome addition to the debate on marriage equality here in New Zealand,” Labour MP Louisa Wall says. In 2001, Dittrich succeeded with same sex marriage and adoption bills, making the Netherlands the first country in the world to open civil marriage to gay and lesbian people. “Mr Dittrich’s experiences of the reality of the changes that marriage equality actually makes to a society are sure to be extremely insightful,” Green MP Jan Logie says. Boris Dittrich events: Wednesday 21 November 2012, 1PM-2.30PM: Public Lecture at the Stone Lecture Theatre, Law School, University of Auckland, 9 Eden Crescent Auckland Central. The lecture will be hosted by Kris Gledhill, Director of Centre for Human Rights Law Policy and Practice and Chaired by Justice Thomas. Thursday 22 November 2012, 6PM-7.30PM: Public speaking engagement (with Louisa Wall) talking about marriage equality: the Church and State, at St Matthew in the City, 187 Federal Street, Auckland. The event with be hosted by Clay Nelson, Associate Priest.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 19th November 2012 - 11:05am