Tribute delivered by Wilde to Pant with a public audience of 250 people

The mission of the Monette-Horwitz Trust is to award individuals and organizations for their significant contributions towards the eradication of homophobia. Homophobia is a social disease, like the subjugation of women, which has its roots in patriarchal religiosity and in social ignorance. We know, historically and trans-culturally, that LGBT people are always in the vanguard of revolution, of creating art and beauty, of being the keepers of spiritual traditions, and of advancing cultures in strategically adaptive ways.

It is a great honor this year for those of us at the Monette-Horwitz Trust to recognize and honor Nepal's Sunil Babu Pant for his heroic efforts and his significant achievements towards the eradication of homophobia. Through his activism and diplomacy Sunil has made evident to Nepal, to Asia, and to all of the developing nations in our one world, that dreams can come true, and that there is hope for all transgender and sexual minority people to live meaningful and robust lives.