NEVER SILENT AGAIN x WE ARE THE VILLAGE
In the lead up to Capital Pride 2025 in Ottawa, two voices from different spheres — German Ambassador Matthias Lüttenberg and Canadian activist Fae Johnstone — came together to discuss the shared challenges and commitments in advancing 2SLGBTQIA+ rights.
Their exchange underscored the resonance of this year’s respective Pride mottos: Germany’s Christopher Street Day theme, “Never Silent Again”, and Capital Pride’s “We Are the Village”.
Together, they reflect both the enduring duty to speak out and the power of community in the face of adversity.
“We Are the Village” — Grounding in Community
Speaking to the Ottawa Pride theme, Johnstone highlighted the importance of collective resilience:
“Pride doesn’t just happen. Progress doesn’t just happen,” she said. “We come together across our communities — in churches, community centres, and spaces of all kinds — and that’s what makes a community possible. In a climate where fear and hostility are on the rise, grounding ourselves in the village we’ve built is a powerful message.”
As Executive Director of Momentum Canada, one of Canada’s 2SLGBTQIA+ advocacy organizations, Johnstone’s work focuses on mobilizing against misinformation, defending trans rights, and building cross-community solidarity.
“Never Silent Again” — Remembering and Speaking Out
Ambassador Lüttenberg reflected on Germany’s 2025 Christopher Street Day motto, “Never Silent Again”, framing it as both remembrance and call to action.
“We have come a long way,” he said, recalling the persecution of thousands of 2SLGBTQIA+ people under the Nazi regime and the long battle to repeal discriminatory laws such as Paragraph 175. “Germany and Canada share many values and have taken many steps together — from marriage equality to self-determination rights. But with progress comes responsibility: to remember where we come from, to educate, and to speak out against discrimination everywhere.”
He noted that Germany’s advocacy extends internationally through partnerships like the Equal Rights Coalition, which works to counter hate speech, repeal anti-2SLGBTQIA+ laws, and support human rights defenders.
From Local Activism to Global Diplomacy
Both speakers addressed the importance of engaging with those who disagree. Johnstone described travelling to small towns where audiences often have never met a trans person:
“They may be scared before I even get on stage, but they’re usually open to conversation. Activists can be provocative when needed, but embassies can create spaces for dialogue rooted in shared values like freedom and human rights.”
Ambassador Lüttenberg emphasized that dialogue matters even in countries with restrictive laws, noting that diversity and safety influence economic and political relationships.
Joy, Resistance, and Shared Responsibility
For both, Pride is as much about joy and solidarity as it is about protest.
“One of the strategies of those who oppose our rights is to make us fearful and silent,” Johnstone said. “We must hold the line, speak up, and find joy in the freedoms our elders fought for.”
Lüttenberg closed with a clear commitment:
“Defending rights and protecting those under pressure is what we stand for — as a nation and as a mission here in Canada. We are committed to this work, at home and abroad.”
Listen to the full conversation between German Ambassador Matthias Lüttenberg and Fae Johnstone below to hear how Germany and Canada are working together to uphold 2SLGBTQIA+ rights — and why “Never Silent Again” and “We Are the Village” are actually shared pledges.
