PINK Embassy introduces LGBT friendly businesses

7 April 2014 – PINK Embassy / LGBT Pro Albania for several weeks now, has launched the newest LGBT themed webpage in the country, www.lgbtravelalbania.com. Supported by the LGBT Project of the Council of Europe, with the participation of LGBT organizations in the country and endorsed by the National Tourism Agency, the page aims to become one of the main resources for foreign and Albanian LGBT travellers.

Designed to be as user-friendly as possible the page has two main target audiences: first are the businesses, different private and public enterprises which are LGBT friendly and the second ones are the beneficiaries, LGBT people, Albanian and foreign, who want to travel to safe destinations and use services which are friendly and non-discriminatory.

Even though Albania is far from being a favourite destination for LGBT people, for reasons such as weak infrastructure and lack of traditional LGBT friendly destinations and while we believe that any country, city or village in the world should be safe and friendly for LGBT people, PINK has thought the creation of this page as a new terrain from where to make possible the advancement of LGBT rights in the country.

LGBT friendly services are related to feeling accepted and free to express oneself together with the loved ones. Employment also is another significant field which can be better explored through this page.

www.lgbtravelalbania.com does not aim to give the impression that LGBT rights are fully respected and that the LGBT community is fully integrated in Albanian society. Despite different success stories and significant achievements of the movement, the community continues to remain in hiding behind the heteronormative status quo and their visibility is still very low.

PINK invites all businesses, legal offices, clinics and other private or public enterprises to register their activity on this page and become an open door for LGBT people. PINK invites the Ministries of Tourism and Social Welfare, Chambers of Commerce and Municipalities to promote and endorse this portal as a further step towards guaranteeing equal, dignified and respectful treatment of Albanian and foreign LGBT people. Also, PINK invites the international community present in Albania to promote this portal with foreign businesses and activities present in the country.

The fundamental concept of this page is the belief that all citizens, Albanian or not, LGBT or not, should be treated with respect, in a non-judgmental away and in accordance with the norms and rules of a civilised society. Even though the gay-friendly concept is mainly American rather than Albanian, it is in full accordance with what can be known as basic needs of LGBT people not to feel discriminated or excluded because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

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