Speaker: Jarko
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Over de spreker
Jarko is an independent culture maker and passionate human rights activist. He successfully advocated for full adoption equality in the Netherlands for same gender couples. Jarko published the very first childrens picture book featuring a family with two dads in the Dutch language area (the Netherlands and Flanders). Not able to find a publishing firm at the time willing to publish the book, he independently published it. It sold out in a matter of weeks and got high appraisal in national media, both in the Netherlands and Flanders. Jarko is a grassroots activist in his city of residence Dordrecht, aiming to make his local environment a safe and inclusive place to live for all. He is also an activist in raising awareness of church hurt and moving church communities to become (more) safe, accepting and affirming environments for the lgbtqia+ community. Born and raised in Ghent (Belgium), Jarko moved to the Netherlands at the age of 21 to live with his Dutch husband Jos. This year, they celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. They are fathers to 2 children through adoption: a girl, Arwen, meanwhile 21 years old, and a boy, Wolf, 18 years old. Together, they are a happy and much respected multinational, multiracial family.