Milk is awarded the historic Medal of

Magenta

Stuart Milk with Italy’s President Gian#anco Fini

and the leadership of Parliament

Nephew of US Gay Rights

Icon Lights up Rome, Six other
Italian Cities
with Hope
Saturday May 14, 2011 – Vulpute
Special Report by Andrea Banfi (GayNews24.it)

Photo Credits: GayNews24.it

Stuart Milk and Italy’s Minister of
Nephew of San Francisco Icon Lights up Rome, Six Equal Opportunities, Mara Carfagna
other Italian Cities with Hope

Completing a whirlwind seven city human rights

tour sponsored by Equality Italia, Stuart Milk, the activist nephew of the late US Civil rights leader,
Harvey Milk included high level government conferences, official state visits, student, business and
activist meetings. in this Harvey Milk Foundation Global Outreach. Starting in Genoa the first week
of May and criss crossing the Mediterranean nation, Milk headlined film festivals, dinner receptions,
youth centers as well as the recipient of the prestigious Medal of Turn, the historic Medal of Magenta,
and the Silver Commendation of the Italian Chamber of Deputies from President Gianfranco Fini.
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Equality Italia’s President Aurelio Mancuso, the second week of May in Rome, stated, “Stuart had
more then accomplished our organizations ‘Milk Tour’ mission, he gave both the Italian people and
our leaders a wake up call on inclusiveness and societal equality while sending a message to our youth
that they can be celebrated, not tolerated”.

US political leaders cited by Stuart Milk as “critical to a GLBT inclusive Civil Rights agenda in
America and globally were US. President Obama, Democratic Leader Pelosi, and San Francisco
Mayor Edwin Lee” “These leaders have truly set the bar high in standing by and fighting for our
community, not just in California, not just in the US, but their voices are also directed abroad,” Milk
repeated at nearly every stop including a reminder for the many US ex-pats present to “turn out in
2012 and support our ‘Equality Champions’”.

In Rome, Milk along with US Ambassador Thorne were both awarded Roma’s Cup of Humanity
where the Embassy stated “our great honor and pride in having Stuart Milk speaking in Italy and
Europe about the important issue of LGBT rights and representing the US so very effectively”. The
US Embassy in Italy has been credited for recently leading vocal support to Italian Gays and lesbians
who have been victimized by homophobia in Central Rome this year. Twenty year old Charles
Plummer, an American student living in Rome, came to the award event specifically to hear Milk
stating, “the political and social climate in Italy for gays is bad and my Italian friends deserve better”
adding, “you can see how moved and encouraged they are tonight, this is rare in Italy”.

In addition to state visits at Parliament, Milk had “long, productive, substantive meetings with
National Ministers, Regional Administrators and Mayors including a critical conference with Equal
Opportunities Minister Mara Carfagna” said Equality Italia’s Mancusco adding, “the Carfagna
meeting with Milk was vital in which the Minister reinforced to Milk that she had been wrong in
previous anti-gay remarks and renewed her commitment to working with Equality Italia to end
discrimination in employment, education, and human services”. An exchange of educational
material concluded with Milk giving the Minister the children’s picture book, “The Harvey Milk
Story” with a agreement to discuss a future translation.

In Turin, Milk gave a speech opening the Torino GLBT film festival that visibly moved the audiences
such as Rosa Capolitano, who gave Milk a diary, saying “I have followed you on Facebook, I had
wished for this day I would hear you in person, Harvey comes through every word, this has given me
confidence in who I am”.

In Milan, Milk and Equality Italia headlined events in support of pro-GLBT City Council members
and candidates in the current election cycle to sold out audiences. The historic northern Italian City
of Magenta was the scene of a large out pouring of youth to hear Milk including a youth grouped
named after his uncle, Milk Milano. In Bologna, Milk fielded seemingly non stop questions from
hundreds of youth in the large college town while posing for pictures for hours on end. Milk’s
words, “you are to be celebrated, not tolerated” were met with applause while his closing “you and all
your differences are gifts to world, even when the word does not realize that” was rarely met with a
dry eye.

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 Accompanying Milk on this tour was Harvey Milk Foundation Director Michael Colby who carried
commendations for each equality supportive Mayor and high ranking official issued by Stuart Milk
and the Foundation’s International Council Chair Nicole Rameriz as well as proclamations from San
Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee, who “acknowledges and commends the spirit of San Francisco's former
supervisor Harvey Milk in the LGBT rights work of elected officials in Italy”.

Moderating a debate and panel, leading journalist Donatella Alfonso from the national Italian
newspaper, La Repubblica, commented publicly “how moving and graceful the words of the younger
Milk were” saying that the “historic and elegant Genoa building where we are holding this important
conversation is particularly fitting for these equally historic and eloquent statements by Stuart
Milk”. National and regional press and media followed Milk from City to City but the event that
garnered attention from Italian Business journals was Milk’s meetings, discussions and support of
two major companies that have been out front in backing the GLBT community publicly, Eataly and
Ikea. Both companies have recently used photos of gay and lesbian couples in the media
advertisements to demonstrate a strong interest in diversity including GLBT customers

The last night of the tour was the presentation of the Harvey Milk Foundation Medal to Mancuso
and Equality Italia for years of dedicated service and coalition building while Equality Italia awarded
Milk their Scroll of Authenticity. At this event it was announced that the Rome Community Center,
due to reopen after extensive renovation this summer, will be officially named and dedicated the
Harvey Milk Roma Community Center. Milk’s Rome speech included, “I am energized and
optimistic by all the Italian people I have met this past week, by all the youth including those here
tonight, although is may seem the world does not care about your struggle, we do, my President is a
strong advocate for you, the Milk Foundation is supporting you, locally you have Equality Italia
building bridges with you, you must keep your hope, we are in this movement together, we are
whole, we are not alone” during the standing ovation this received Milk added, “Harvey dreamed of
giving you hope and the Harvey Milk Center in Rome will help full fill his prophecy, thank you!”

Milk in Turin before receiving the

prestigious Medal of Turin

Stuart Milk in Rome at the National Musuem of

Art with US Embassy leadershipt
Addressing the Fu&
Italian Parliament

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