To mark the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Free & Equal Campaign, The United Nations and The Embassy of Ireland screened ‘The Queen of Ireland’
Pandora ‘Panti’ Bliss is many things: part glamorous aunt, part Jessica Rabbit; she’s a wittily incisive performer with charisma to burn who is regarded as one of the best drag queens in the world. Created by Rory O’Neill, Panti is also an accidental activist and in her own words ‘a court jester, whose role is to say the unsayable’. Over the last few years Rory has become a figurehead for LGBT rights in Ireland and his fight for equality and against homophobia has become recognised across the world. This is a documentary film that follows Rory’s journey from the small Mayo town of Ballinrobe to striding the world stage. The film takes us behind the scenes with his alter ego Panti in the year she became the symbol of Ireland’s march towards marriage equality.
For more on the film, click here.
The film was followed by a panel discussion with:
- Rory O’Neill, Star of ‘The Queen of Ireland’
- Caroline Mellows, Equality Division, Irish Department of Justice and Equality
- Claude Cahn, UN Human Rights Regional Office for Europe
- Moderated by Carlos Jimenez, UNRIC
The event was introduced by the Irish Ambassador, Helena Nolan.