IFED in Antwerp has become a collaboration with the LGBT center Het Roze Huis, the rainbow family organization ‘t Kwadraat, WIJ (for lesbian and bi-women) and the trans association GenderFlux. Lots of families with children gathered around the rainbow flag on the grounds of Park Spoor Noord on a beautiful and sunny Sunday. After an exploratory game, we sat together for the picnic and shared Antwerp - Belgium the food everybody had brought. It was nice to meet other LGBT families. While the adults Berlin - Germany chatted away, the many children played and started exploring the many vintage games that were provided. On May 7, 2017, International Family Equality Day was celebrated in Berlin as well. It was The LGBT Family Coalition, Gender a major event, prepared by the first European Rainbow Family Center (founded in 2013). Creative Kids Canada and PFLAG Director Constanze Körner had invited LGBTIQ* parents and their children to take part in a Montreal celebrated family diversity boat tour on the river Spree. But the crowd was so big that one boat was not enough. In by organizing a community picnic the end, more than 300 happy people on two boats full of rainbow flags cruised through at Parc Lafontaine in Montreal, the capital city. Singer Suli Puschban thrilled young and old with her guitar and songs like Quebec. “We are the family that makes the rainbow!” The tour ended near the Chancellery with a large, sun-drenched picnic. Perhaps Angela Merkel saw the happy crowd and it made her think of marriage equality? Probably not, but still: it was a wonderful party with proud rainbow families – including some NELFA delegates and IFED coordinator Maria von Känel, who participated in a project called “Adequate and equal legal protection for rainbow families,” granted by the Erasmus+ program. By the way: for next year, the boat company already booked four boats for IFED! So great ;-) Montreal - Canada For the fifth time since 2012, about 200 LGBT families from various cities throughout Israel gathered at Meir Park in Tel Aviv. The event was organ- On the first Sunday of May 2017, ized by wonderful volunteers from the Finland celebrated International rainbow families organization Keshet, Family Equality Day with hundreds the Association of Israeli Gay Fathers, of people in six cities; Pori, Turku, the Tel Aviv Municipal LGBT Center, Tampere, Helsinki, Tammela and Helsinki - Finland the Aguda and the Mamadyke forum. Kymenlaakso. These joyous events Our great picnic included a musician included picnicking by the sea, exploring the and dancing, children’s activities like woods in a national park, making pancakes by the dozens, enjoying a beautiful Gymboree and various floor games, rainbow cake (pictured) and many other happenings and workshops. IFED has crafts for kids, storytelling and the been growing every year in Finland, and this sixth celebration was a success traditional family group photo. We and growing every year. all had a great time! Thank you for Tel Aviv - Israel supporting us, and we’ll see you again next year at IFED 2018! 14 15.