WorldPride Conference

8:30 AM

Welcome and registration

Registration, coffee and tea

Stands

Information market, stand up talks, poster wall

9:30 AM

Grand opening (1/2)

Plenary opening - Hosted by Envy Peru, Lady Phyll and Camiel Welling Inspiring contributions by Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema, Tamara Adrián (Venezuela), Nayyab Ali (Pakistan) and Michael O’Flaherty (Ireland, Commissioner for Human Rights, Council of Europe). Prominent roles for LGBTQIA+ athletes, and youth delegates from...

Plenary opening - Hosted by Envy Peru, Lady Phyll and Camiel Welling

Inspiring contributions by Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema, Tamara Adrián (Venezuela), Nayyab Ali (Pakistan) and Michael O’Flaherty (Ireland, Commissioner for Human Rights, Council of Europe).

Prominent roles for LGBTQIA+ athletes, and youth delegates from Model United Nations, who will present their priorities to a panel of leading international figures, including representatives from the UN (Graeme Reid), Council of Europe (Kate Osborne), International Criminal Court (Osvaldo Zavala Giler), ILGA World (Julia Ehrt) and the South African government (Steve Letsike).

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11:00 AM

Break

Coffee and tea break

11:30 AM

Grand opening (2/2)

Plenary opening - Hosted by Envy Peru, Lady Phyll and Camiel Welling

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1:00 PM

Lunch

Networking lunch

2:15 PM

Guided Exhibition Tour 1: visting the expo's at the conference

Atlas of Queer Anatomy

The Hands That Heal

Natural Hero Foundation

San and Kofa Exhibition

Join a guided tour to explore the four major exhibitions at the WorldPride Human Rights Conference. During this walk through the venue, you will visit: The Hands That Heal (a photo & story exhibition about trans-led clinics from around the world -...

Join a guided tour to explore the four major exhibitions at the WorldPride Human Rights Conference. During this walk through the venue, you will visit:

The Hands That Heal (a photo & story exhibition about trans-led clinics from around the world - Bangkok - Amsterdam - Johannesburg - San Francisco - Mexico City - Kuala Lumpur)
San & Kofa - Restoring Africa’s Queer History (archival display of African LGBTQIA+ stories, narratives and protests from the past)
The Atlas of Queer Anatomy (challenging binary narratives in medical drawings)
Natural Hero Foundation’s exhibition (displays on how the vast and rich diversity of nature and the animal kingdom can show youth that diversity has always been part of life in all its forms)

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Diplomacy in Action: Advancing Equal Rights in Times of Pushback

Mmapaseka Steve Letsike

International coalitions and multilateral mechanisms—such as the Equal Rights Coalition, the UN Human Rights Council, treaty bodies, the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), and regional human rights systems—have become important arenas to promote equal rights and counter backlash. States, independent experts and civil society are drawing on a range of diplomatic tools to this end, including cross‑regional joint statements, SOGIESC‑inclusive language in resolutions, LGBTQIA+ focal points and groups of friends, inclusive development cooperation and financial support, human‑rights provisions in trade agreements, and quiet diplomacy alongside public advocacy.

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Branding LGBTQIA+ Change - A Pride Case Study

Wanjiru Gathanga

In a perfect world, solutions for social justice and LGBTQI+ equal rights would be embraced purely on their merit. But this isn’t a perfect world. We have to be smart about how we help people embrace change. ‘Brand the Change’ is a proven, powerful mechanism to build close, long-term relationships with people. It is also notoriously complex and overwhelming. But we believe brand thinking can be taught. We democratize brand knowledge, so it can be used to address the greatest challenges of our time: climate change and social justice.

In this session, African Brand Strategist Wanjiru Gathanga of ‘Brand the Change’ explores the possibilties to brand Pride movements across geographic and economic lines, based on her case study of Pride branding.

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Care for our Veterans – LGBTQIA+ Aging in Safety

Ramses Underhill Smith

LGBTQI+ elders across continents face critical, often overlooked challenges as they age. What happens when the veterans who fought for our rights are required to go back in the closet once they require elderly care? From social isolation to discrimination in...

From social isolation to discrimination in healthcare, senior housing, and a lack of culturally competent services: this session brings together speakers from the UK, Venezuela, USA, and the Netherlands to address these global issues. The panel will highlight innovative senior housing initiatives, 'Pink Passkey Certification for Elderly Care Facilities', and needs for policy changes to ensure that dignity, safety, and full inclusion for LGBTQI+ seniors worldwide does not get lost in ageing homes, senior housing, and elderly care.

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InterPride & EPOA Human Rights Committee Meeting & Troy Perry Awards

Shishani - Performing Artist
Samaa Golderlyne

Mr Alex Storer

dante alencastre

This special recognition ceremony honors outstanding individuals and organizationsadvancing LGBTQIA+ equality, human rights, and community service. Awards will bepresented to leaders making a meaningful impact, including a Pride organization whosework strengthens communities and inspires change. The session will also recognize...

This special recognition ceremony honors outstanding individuals and organizations
advancing LGBTQIA+ equality, human rights, and community service. Awards will be
presented to leaders making a meaningful impact, including a Pride organization whose
work strengthens communities and inspires change. The session will also recognize a
distinguished honoree from the previous year’s awards.

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The Missing Piece: Building Stronger LGBTQIA+ Movements with Intersex Voices

What do LGBTQ+ movements miss when intersex voices are absent? More than most realize. This dynamic session brings together intersex activists from 6 continents to challenge assumptions, share lived realities and reveal why intersex issues are central to human rights,...

What do LGBTQ+ movements miss when intersex voices are absent? More than most realize.

This dynamic session brings together intersex activists from 6 continents to challenge assumptions, share lived realities and reveal why intersex issues are central to human rights, bodily autonomy, and inclusion. Through powerful storytelling, myth-busting and live polling, participants will confront common misconceptions and gain practical insight for stronger advocacy. The Missing Piece is not just a title—it’s a truth: intersex voices strengthen the entire LGBTQ+ community, making it more accurate, inclusive, and effective. Come curious, leave transformed and better equipped to act.

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The Invisible '+': where do Asexual, Polyamorous, and Fetish Communities see themselves represented?

JayJay Potter-Peachey

Stanley Starreveld Doesburg

Astrid Oosenbrug

Identities, relationships, and sexual lives are far more diverse and complex than the LGBTQIA+ acronym can ever fully capture. Yet in reality, if your community’s letter isn’t among the visible ones, what does this mean for the protection of your rights, your history, and your place in society? Three often-marginalized communities that are frequently forgotten, erased, or excluded from mainstream LGBTQIA+ narratives come together to share the unique challenges they face in their daily lives. Each presents their specific struggles with rights, representation, and historical recognition, offering insights into their experiences and the systemic barriers they encounter.

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Marriage Equality - the Steps Ahead

This session explores global strategies for advancing LGBTQIA+ rights. The session opens with a keynote on strategic litigation that secured marriage equality across the Kingdom of the Netherlands, including Curaçao and Aruba. After this, speaker Masuma Shahid analyzes European and American court cases. Lastly, a panel of activists from China, South Korea and Mongolia share their regional strategies and achievements in a panel. The session concludes with all activists responding, synthesizing how advocacy, litigation, and cross-regional collaboration can drive the global movement for marriage equality forward

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3:15 PM

Break

Coffee and tea break

3:45 PM

International Pride Awards

Across the world, courageous individuals are working – often in hostile circumstances – to create freedom and safe spaces for LGBTIQ+ people. Hosted by Amrou Al-Khadi, the International Pride Awards on 5 August is a global celebration of the heroes...

A joint initiative by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and ILGA World, the International Pride Awards shines a light on the stories of those working towards a world where people can thrive in all their diversity. Come meet your LGBTIQ+ equality heroes, hear and share their incredible stories, and be inspired to make a more inclusive world.

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5:00 PM

Closing opening day

Plenary closing

5:05 PM

Drinks

Networking drinks

8:30 AM

Stands

Information market, stand up talks, poster wall

Welcome and registration

Registration, coffee and tea

9:00 AM

Full Day Programme on Christian Inclusivity with European Religious Speakers

Prof. dr. Mariecke van den Berg

Mr. Haroon Ali
Mr. Michael Brinkschröder

Ines-Paul Baumann

This session is hosted at Bushuis, 8 minutes walk from Beurs van Berlage. Address: Kloveniersburgwal 48 Religious Pride: A day of interfaith dialogue on LGBTQIA+ inclusivity, exploring themes of representation, visibility, and acceptance across Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, and Islamic traditions. The programme...

This session is hosted at Bushuis, 8 minutes walk from Beurs van Berlage.

Address: Kloveniersburgwal 48

Religious Pride: A day of interfaith dialogue on LGBTQIA+ inclusivity, exploring themes of representation, visibility, and acceptance across Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, and Islamic traditions. The programme opens with welcome remarks and an academic keynote, setting the stage for panels on structural barriers and inclusion. Following sessions delve into LGBTQIA+ inclusivity across four faiths, while the Rainbow Index presentation benchmarks progress. Through dialogue, it fosters understanding, shares best practices, and strengthens efforts to advance rights, recognition, and belonging in religious contexts globally.

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9:30 AM

LGBTQIA+ Heritage and Culture under Attack: Countering Gender Panic and Authoritarian Erasure

This Outright International workshop frames the global rise of anti-trans laws and policies, such as bans on gender-affirming care and efforts to enshrine sex/gender binaries into national law and UN language, as direct attacks on trans, intersex, and queer identity, culture, and visibility. These policies reflect an authoritarian playbook seeking to erase diverse gender expressions from public life and collective memory. Following a panel featuring activists who are working to document threats and promote gender liberation, interactive breakout groups will explore protecting heritage, analyzing authoritarian threats, and practicing counter-narratives to defend trans, intersex, and queer people’s rights and cultural legacies.

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Tech-facilitated Violence; the influence of AI and digitalisation on LGBTQIA+ rights

Diogo Vieira da Silva

Dragana Todorovic

Masuma Shahid

Astrid Oosenbrug

As LGBTQIA+ communities, we face growing digital hostility, misinformation, disinformation and other harmful forms of manipulated content. This session explores technology's complex impact on LGBTQIA+ communities through three expert presentations. The first expert analyzes how AI reinforces biases, creates discrimination, and leads to harm, while proposing ethics frameworks to empower LGBTQIA+ individuals. The second presentation exposes tech-facilitated violence against LBTQ+ women, revealing how misogyny and LBTQ-phobia drive online harassment, surveillance, doxxing, and coordinated abuse campaigns. The last part provides a framework for responding to digital hostility, exploring how manipulated content circulates and can be countered.

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Political Leadership at the International Level: mechanisms and programmes of international institutions to advance equal rights for LGBTQIA+ persons

Javier Fernandez Gonzalez

This panel will look at the instruments available to international institutions, such as the UN, EU, Council of Europe and OAS, to help set an inclusive agenda and promote human rights. Speakers will highlight the institutional role in standard setting, monitoring and technical assistance, as well as major policy documents such as the European Commission’s LGBTQIA+ Equality Strategy 2026-2030.

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Trade Unions: LGBTQIA+ Rights & Global Solidarity

Kimberly Frost

Phyll Opoku-Gyimah

Gurchaten Nanoo Sandhu

Mmapaseka Steve Letsike

Imasha Perera

A high-level discussion on the historical and contemporary role of trade unions in advancing LGBTQIA+ and human rights globally. As the Rainbow Network of the Dutch Trade Union (FNV) marks its 40th anniversary this year, the panel will reflect on the long-standing connection between labour movements and LGBTQIA+ organising, highlighting the unions' role in advancing inclusion and rights. At the same time the discussion examines how labour movements can evolve to meet today's realities, including protecting rights in times of democratic backsliding, strengthening broader social justice coalitions, and building solidarity across movements. The panel also explores how trade unions can contribute to progress on equality and human rights.

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Negotiating Pinkwashing

This session brings together three critical examinations of the complex dynamics between LGBTQIA+ movements and corporate/institutional support. It explores how international funding structures can unintentionally weaken civil society by creating dependency, competition, and mission drift. Also evaluated is whether Asian workplace LGBTQIA+ policies offer genuine support or merely performative allyship. Lastly, research is presented that investigates Pride organizers' tensions between protest legitimacy and corporate sponsorship, and the shift from pinkwashing to pinkhushing, where corporations scale back LGBTQIA+ support to avoid backlash. Together, this session aims to explore how to navigate complex financial necesities.

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Traditional Spirituality & Healing: gender roles and expressions in African, Caribbean and Pacific traditional spirituality

Sithembiso Gongqa

Ms. Joey Joleen Mataele

Janice Tjon Sien Kie

African, Caribbean, and Pacific spiritual traditions have long understood gender and expressions beyond binaries. This session explores how pre-colonial spiritual practices affirmed diverse roles and expressions, and how contemporary healing ceremonies continue this legacy. Through dialogue, and shared wisdom, we’ll examine the beauty of the sacred, and the power of rituals. Oral legends that can offer frameworks for inclusion, resilience, and community well-being.

Participants will leave informed and empowered on how reclaiming spiritual heritage can show a path for all religious forms worldwide—from divine androgyny to third-gender deities—and include queerness as tool for spiritual healing, wholeness, and collective liberation.

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Advancing Health & Wellbeing: lessons from Aidsfonds & COC Netherlands

John Mathenge Mukaburu

Mr Samuel Matsikure

Mx. Sahil Choudhary

Julia Lukomnik

Miss Alma Aguilar Betancurt

Marcela Morales

LGBTQIA+ rights advocacy directly enhances community health and wellbeing. This session highlights concrete, community-driven examples of successful strategies linking community wellbeing to the need to improve LGBTQIA+ rights. With experts from the field we discuss how to call on decision-makers to invest in inclusive, rights-based health programs, how to advocate effectively for health rights, and how to protect our own health and wellbeing.

Aidsfonds is one of the largest HIV-specific funders in the world, directly supporting communities with long-term, flexible, and core funding and funding for advocacy. COC Netherlands is a Dutch LGBTQIA+ rights group founded in 1946, and the oldest still operating LGBTQIA+ organisation in the world.

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Global Majority Prides - showcase through personal stories

Kevin Wessels

Patrick Reissner

What does Pride look like beyond the dominant narratives of North America and Europe?
This session brings together activists and organizers from the Global Majority to share
personal stories of building Pride movements in complex social, political, and economic
contexts. From grassroots marches and community gatherings to acts of resistance under
hostile legal environments. Speakers will explore how Pride has been reimagined and
reclaimed to reflect local realities, histories, and struggles for liberation. The discussion will
examine the histories of Pride movements in the Global South, the politics of visibility and
safety, the role of Pride in advancing human rights, and the tensions created by
commercialization and homocapitalism.

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Diversity in Nature: How the Animal Kingdom helps Youth understand that Diversity is Natural

Natural Hero Foundation

Pim Blom

Youth education can be a cornerstone for acceptance of diversity, but often receives backlash. By using examples from nature and the animal kingdom, the workshop explores why this educational approach is easily adaptable across cultures and countries: the stories are rooted...

Youth education can be a cornerstone for acceptance of diversity, but often receives backlash.

By using examples from nature and the animal kingdom, the workshop explores why this educational approach is easily adaptable across cultures and countries: the stories are rooted in science, universally recognizable, and invite curiosity rather than debate.

The Natural Hero Foundation collaborates with partners such as the Dutch Royal Zoo 'ARTIS', publishers, and museums. Through this approach, the foundation has reached over 40% of Dutch primary schools and 80% of secondary schools through books, educational games, lesson materials, events, and animation.

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10:45 AM

Break

Coffee and tea break

11:15 AM

Workshop 1 - Atlas of Queer Anatomy

Tzu-Yen Chen

Henry de Vries

Kuang-Yi Ku

Atlas of Queer Anatomy

The Atlas of Queer Anatomy is an interdisciplinary art–science project that reimagines human anatomy through queer, interspecies, and posthuman perspectives. Departing from the dominant legacy of classical anatomical textbooks, it challenges the patriarchal, heteronormative, and Western-centric frameworks that continue to define body visualization categorization and medicine. The Atlas of Queer Anatomy workshop proposes an alternative anatomical language, one that embraces fluidity, multiplicity, and relationality, and aims to foster more inclusive healthcare imaginaries and to address structural inequalities embedded in biomedical systems.

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1946 and the Power of Narrative: Christian Faith and LGBTQIA+ Rights

drs Rev. Alexander Noordijk

Reverend Jide Macaulay

Josie Peres

Ms Sharon "Rocky" Roggio

Stories shape belief. Belief shapes culture. Culture shapes people’s lives. This panel explores how faith, sexuality, and identity narratives influence LGBTQIA+ rights and can be reclaimed. Drawing from 1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture, Sharon “Rocky” Roggio and Josie Peres convene Rev....

Stories shape belief. Belief shapes culture. Culture shapes people’s lives.

This panel explores how faith, sexuality, and identity narratives influence LGBTQIA+ rights and can be reclaimed. Drawing from 1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture, Sharon “Rocky” Roggio and Josie Peres convene Rev. Jide Macaulay and Alexander Noordijk to examine who shapes these narratives, their impact, and what becomes possible when challenged toward dignity, inclusion, and human rights for activists, faith leaders, and communities worldwide.

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Storyteller Defenders: Making Censored Voices Visible

Across the Global South, queer storytellers create under censorship. Thanks to smartphones, queer activists now have unprecedented film-production access through devices they already own. No longer limited by expensive equipment, refugees, migrants, and diaspora filmmakers transform written texts and lived experiences into compelling short films. 75 SHOTS Pocket Cinema will showcase footage from a workshop they organized earlier that week through a Pride Empowerment Fund. Their co-created stories unite often unseen queer communities, proving storytelling power now fits in your palm—ready to challenge censorship and demand global visibility.

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LGBTQIA+ Entrepreneurship: building queer economic power

Queer economic power is movement power. In a world where philanthropic funding leaves LGBTQI+ organizations vulnerable to political shifts, this session explores queer entrepreneurship, and LGBTQI+ economic incubators as the path to independence. How do we turn economic contribution into unshakable power? Featuring founders of Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ social enterprise (Sofia) and a trans-led incubator (Lisbon), alongside StartOut (USA), PLUS Network (South Africa), and Dutch New Narrative Lab (Netherlands), we’ll use live polling to surface challenges and strategies for building economic power that sustains our movement beyond grants.

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Conversion Therapy: the Gap Between Legal Protection and Lived Rejection

Yasmin Benoit

Craig Konnoth

Amber Witsenburg

Gurchaten Nanoo Sandhu

This session delves into the challenges of banning conversion therapy and explores actionable steps to move forward. It examines the issue through both a legal and advocacy lens in achieving implementation that protects all. Additionally, the asexual community reveals through presentation how current legal frameworks often fail to protect asexual individuals, leaving them vulnerable. Together, the speakers aim to clarify the barriers to comprehensive legislation, exposing the gaps and obstacles that currently prevent effective protection. Ultimately, they unite around a shared goal: establishing a functional and legally robust ban that safeguards all individuals at risk of exposure to harmful conversion practices.

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The Digital World – Protecting our Health & Wellbeing through Apps and Digital Platforms

Alberto Inzulza Galdames

Digital platforms can improve LGBTQIA+ health and wellbeing, from algorithmic influence to community-led innovation. This session features PlaySafe, TestXXX, RITA (Report IT Always), and Grindr for Equality, exploring how digital spaces can restore informed consent, drive HIV prevention and rights monitoring through frameworks like CODE Strategies, make unsafety visible via the Report IT Always campaign, and build trusted sexual health tools. Speakers share insights on e-prevention, community co-designed solutions for PrEP and testing, performance-based reporting, and user-centered design based on 18,000 community members’ needs to create safer digital environments.

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Trade Union Activism Across Borders

This panel brings together LGBTQIA+ trade union activists and organisers from Argentina, the
Philippines, Sri Lanka, Saint Lucia, and Zimbabwe to share their experiences of advancing
inclusion in workplaces, trade unions, and wider society across different cultural, political, and
social contexts. Through personal stories, practical examples, and lessons learned, the
discussion will offer insight into both the opportunities and challenges of LGBTQIA+ organising,
while recognising that the role and position of trade unions differs significantly across regions.
The session highlights the importance of mutual learning, cross-border solidarity, and supporting those working to create safer and more LGBTQIA+inclusive workplace environments.

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A Different Pride Origin Story: strategic litigation as the spark that led to the creation of Pride in Trinidad & Tobago

Jason Jones

Most Pride movements begin with a march. In Trinidad and Tobago, it began with a courtroom. When Jason Jones won his landmark 2018 High Court victory decriminalising same-sex intimacy, he didn't just change the law — he cracked open a door that a community stepped through. In this session, Jason shares the inside story of how a single legal battle became the unlikely spark for Pride in T&T: the organising that followed, the risks people took to show up, and what it means to build a movement in a country where visibility itself is an act of defiance. A reminder that Pride was never just a party — it was always, first, a fight.

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11:30 AM

Political Leadership in Parliament: legislative strategies to stop the global pushback against LGBTQIA+ rights

Congressman Mark Takano

Hon Bernard Georges

Mmapaseka Steve Letsike

Janelle Chanona

Karen Makishima

Nick Herbert

This panel will look at the global pushback against LGBTQIA+ rights and inclusion, identifying the causes of this political tide, and what political leaders need to do to protect LGBTQIA+ people from further persecution. Legislators will share political strategies to advance inclusive policies, examining the power of coalition-building and cross-party consensus, identify the most urgent political priorities to safeguard hard-won rights, and offer thoughts on the best path forward to stop the pushback and secure lasting equality.

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12:30 PM

Lunch

Networking lunch

1:45 PM

Beyond Grants: Building the Infrastructure that Sustains LGBTQIA+ Movements

Laura Hernandez Merlano

At a moment when anti-gender movements are reshaping democratic institutions, civic space, and the rules governing public life worldwide, the global funding landscape for LGBTI communities is entering a period of acute contraction and strategic uncertainty. After more than a decade of growth, global LGBTI funding declined for the first time in over ten years, representing a 5% decline overall. Despite modest increases in some regions, LGBTI communities still receive less than $0.33 of every $100 in global foundation giving. Meanwhile, anti-gender actors mobilize resources at unprecedented scale. This session brings together senior philanthropic leaders, intermediaries, and movement partners, to examine how donors respond or fail to respond.

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Political Leadership at the Subnational Level: All Politics are Local, inclusiveness through local leadership

Helen Belcher

Mr Alex Greenwich

Mx Adrian Hyyrylainen-Trett

Natasha Steinberg

Mr. Kevin Maas

Ms Charlotte Spurkeland

LGBTQIA+ equality is often discussed at the national level, but many of the decisions that affect our daily lives are made much closer to home. Across countries around the world, mayors, city councils and regional leaders create more inclusive communities,...

Elected representatives discuss how local and regional political leadership can drive meaningful change for LGBTQIA+ people. Through examples, practical experiences and policy insights, the participants will share what can be achieved at the local and/or regional level and how successful initiatives can inspire elsewhere.

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Queer Museums & Memorials - turning Persecution into Preservation

Enes Dedeić

Juan Carlos Alonso Reguero

Birga Meyer

Ann Marie Gothard

Valentin Rion

Carmina Gustrán Loscos

Mario Colamarino

Diana Rodriguez

LGBTQIA+ communities transform historical oppression into lasting heritage. The session features: Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center co-founders on preserving the rebellion's legacy Examines 20th-century fascist persecution in Spain, Italy, Germany, and Argentina, and current efforts to memorialize victims And convenes global queer museum...

LGBTQIA+ communities transform historical oppression into lasting heritage. The session features:

Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center co-founders on preserving the rebellion's legacy
Examines 20th-century fascist persecution in Spain, Italy, Germany, and Argentina, and current efforts to memorialize victims
And convenes global queer museum leaders to discuss how institutions protect intersectional stories and create social impact.

Through presentation and dialogue, we ask: Who tells queer history? What must be preserved? How can museums and memorials turn sites of persecution into spaces of education, empowerment, and remembrance for future generations?

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Dismantling the Hate Agenda: Strategies to Counter Far-Right Anti-LGBTIQ+ Narratives

Maria Giralt

Andoni Ibáñez

The rise of extremist and populist movements across different regions of the world has been accompanied by an increase in hate speech and narratives targeting LGBTIQ+ people. Through misinformation, fear-based messaging, or the alleged defense of traditional values, these narratives undermine advances in equality, diversity, and human rights. This workshop provides practical tools to challenge these narratives, using real-life case studies and international examples. Participants will explore the common anti-LGBTIQ+ narratives promoted by far-right movements, understand their social and political impact, and develop effective strategies to respond to them through advocacy, institutional action, and civil society engagement.

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Prides in the USA: Under Attack — How This Affects Global Pride

Mr. Raymond Phang
Andrea Covarrubias

Gert Claassen-Smit
Michelle Meow
Michele Irimia

After a brief introduction and presentation of our panel, Prides in the USA: Under Attack — How This Affects Global Pride will be split into three sections, beginning with a review some of the challenges USA Prides large and small, rural...

After a brief introduction and presentation of our panel, Prides in the USA: Under Attack — How This Affects Global Pride will be split into three sections, beginning with a review some of the challenges USA Prides large and small, rural and urban are facing with our economy and under the Trump Administration. Then in the second section, we will invite our global associates to reflect on how this wave of struggle has effected Prides all over the world. Leaders from Europe to Asia to Mexico/Central America/South America, and Africa. Finally, in the third segment, we'll open up discussion with those present and touch on what we can or what we should do collectively and collaboratively.

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The Diplomats Toolkit for Equal Rights; from Commitment to Practice

Morillio Williams

Enkhmaa Enkhbold

Mr. Robert Akoto Amoafo

Wim Geerts

Doug A. Graffeo
Andrea Rivas

Symeon Keletzis

Nout van Woudenberg

Diplomacy plays a crucial role in turning commitments on LGBTQIA+ rights into action. The Equal Rights Coalition, a partnership of 44 governments and civil society organizations, works internationally to advance LGBTQIA+ rights. COC developed the ERC Toolkit for Diplomats, a comprehensive resource offering practical, actionable guidance for engaging safely and effectively with LGBTQIA+ communities.

The toolkit is available in English, French, and Spanish, and is complemented by seven mini e-courses for broader uptake among ERC diplomats. This session explores how such tools can be applied in practice through real examples, lessons learned, and strategies to strengthen collaboration, trust, and impact in diverse political contexts.

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Pride under Attack, stories from Kyiv and Berlin

Maik Brueckner
Anna Sharyhina

Carolina Phillips
Johannes Grüss

Thomas Hoffmann

In this session, MP Mike Brueckner of the German Bundestag will first interview Anna Sharyhina of Kyiv Pride about the situation in Ukraine and the adverse circumstances and pressures with which she and her colleagues have to deal daily in...

After that, Johannes Gruess, Carolina Phillips and Thomas Hoffmann of Berlin Pride will join to speak about the horrific attack on the Pride in Berlin on 25 July, that left one person dead and many others severely injured, and the aftermath of that. There will also be time for questions from the audience.

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LGBTQIA+ Mental Health Solutions – Lightening Rounds

Kami Chouhdry

Sanaya Bal

Alex Hernandez

Midnight Poonkasetwattana

Alberto Inzulza Galdames

From Nepal to Peru, LGBTQI+ communities face unique mental health challenges, from stigma and criminalization to lack of support. This session brings together activists from different parts of the world to share community-driven initiatives: Nepal’s resilience strategies, Peru’s affirmative care ecosystem serving 2,000 people with 500 trained professionals, Southeast Asia’s landmark CBO capacity report, and Pakistan’s safe spaces like Mehfooz Daira. They explore how evidence-based, culturally grounded approaches can shift systems, scale sustainably, and foster global solidarity in hostile contexts. Each presenter will share the situation in their setting, followed by a interactive panel discussion.

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Faith in Progress: The Role of LGBTQIA+ Faith Leaders in Advancing Rights

Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed

Rabbi Reuben Zellman

Reverend Jide Macaulay

Jaymes Black

For centuries, religious communities have been a source of support, yet LGBTQI+ people can face exclusion from spiritual care and community. Faith leaders—especially those who are LGBTQI+ themselves—hold unique power to drive change, fighting for inclusion of the very communities...

In this session, Imam Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed, Rabbi Reuben Zellman, and Reverend Jide Macauley will discuss their work advancing LGBTQI+ rights within their faiths. They will share how they navigate tradition and progress, challenge norms, and foster acceptance, while addressing their personal challenges, the impact of their advocacy, and their ongoing efforts to ensure no one is left behind.

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Guided Exhibition Tour 2: visting the expo's at the conference

Atlas of Queer Anatomy

San and Kofa Exhibition

The Hands That Heal

Natural Hero Foundation

Join a guided tour to explore the four major exhibitions at the WorldPride Human Rights Conference. During this walk through the venue, you will visit:

The Hands That Heal (a photo & story exhibition about trans-led clinics from around the world - Bangkok - Amsterdam - Johannesburg - San Francisco - Mexico City - Kuala Lumpur)
San & Kofa - Restoring Africa’s Queer History (archival display of African LGBTQIA+ stories, narratives and protests from the past)
The Atlas of Queer Anatomy (challenging binary narratives in medical drawings)
Natural Hero Foundation’s exhibition (displays on how the vast and rich diversity of nature and the animal kingdom can show youth that diversity has always been part of life in all its forms)

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3:00 PM

Break

Coffee and tea break

3:30 PM

Political Leadership to Secure the Future: sustainability in development programming and policy to achieve equity for LGBTQIA+ people globally

Scott Boule

Jeffrey O’Malley

Hon Daniel Molokele

Hon. Ts’epang Ts’ita-Mosena

Mr Micha Ramakers

Jessica Stern

This panel will assess the current development landscape and the impact of scaled-back aid commitments on LGBTQIA+ programming, particularly in key areas such as education and public health. Experts will look at how shortfalls in funding can exacerbate inequalities, and...

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LGBTQIA+ Sex Workers: empowerment workshop at the Amsterdam Center for Sex Workers

Anna Paula Lima Botelho

Jeroen Eijkemans

Mir Tonnaer

Ronald Purmer

The Amsterdam Center for Sex Workers is organizing an interactive masterclass centering on LGBTQI+ sex workers. It will be held at their Center: Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 292 The session brings together sex workers, policymakers, and care professionals and focuses on themes such...

The Amsterdam Center for Sex Workers is organizing an interactive masterclass centering on LGBTQI+ sex workers. It will be held at their Center: Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 292

The session brings together sex workers, policymakers, and care professionals and focuses on themes such as rights, care, stigma, and expertise by experience.

Through dialogue, storytelling, and knowledge sharing, the aim is to work towards empowerment, visibility, and more inclusive policies and services. The masterclass promotes international knowledge exchange and strengthens collaboration between the community and institutions.

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Faith, Law, and Liberation: LGBTQIA+ Pathways in Muslim-majority Communities

Doumit Azzi

Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed

Ms. Nayyab Ali

Sandy Mteirek

Join Nayyab Ali (Harvard Global LGBTQI+ Human Rights Fellow), Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed (founder of Europe’s first LGBT-inclusive mosque and the CALEM Institute), and Helem Lebanon’s Doumit and Sandy as they explore LGBTQI+ rights in Muslim-majority contexts. This session examines how faith, progressive theology, legal frameworks, and grassroots activism intersect to create innovative pathways for justice, inclusion, and liberation for 1.2 billion Muslims globally. Bringing perspectives from different settings and communities, new pathways for LGBTQI+ inclusion can be investigated.

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Making Prides International UNESCO Heritage

This year we have a historical chance for Pride to be nominated as worldwide intangible heritage at UNESCO! For now, there is no recognised UNESCO cultural heritage related to the LGBTQIA+ community, but together we can change that. Heritage status will give Pride recognition as cultural practice of the LGBTQIA+ community, and will help protect Prides in hostile political contexts. If we gain heritage status, other Prides in the world can join too and be better protected for the future. To achieve this worldwide status, we need to collect testimony of what Pride means to you. In this session, we will tell you all about the process and how you can contribute.

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Who Gets a Seat at the Table? Reimagining LGBTQIA+ Political Power Across the Global Majority

Mateo de la Torre

Mr Gilbert Mitullah

Godfred Aboagye Kuttin

Damien Kwadjo

How are LGBTQI+ communities building power in contexts shaped by vastly different political realities? Through multimedia storytelling, facilitated dialogue, and peer exchange, participants will explore how LGBTQI+ people engage in civic life, movement-building, cultural organizing, advocacy, and political participation across the Global Majority. Participants will exchange strategies, reflect on power imbalances, and identify practical ways to strengthen LGBTQI+ participation and collective action across diverse contexts.

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Making Inclusion the Norm in Sport. Why Good Intentions aren't enough to Change Behaviour

Mrs Irma Duim
Mirjam Preusterink

Marieke Riemslag
Floris van de Ruit

Sport Pride Foundation has helped bring LGBTQI+ inclusion in sport into view and onto the agenda. But how does visibility lead to lasting change? In this session, we examine Sport Pride’s achievements through the lens of behavioural science. We explore how social norms, group identity and everyday behaviour can help turn good intentions into inclusion as the norm across sport. The session concludes with a panel discussion with representatives from the Dutch Swimming Federation and the Director of Watersportscentre moderated by Mirjam Preusterink, on what it takes to make inclusion a norm in sport.

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Fighting Erasure - Restoring African Queer History

African queer histories have been erased by colonialism and conservatism, labeling queer identities and expressions as 'unafrican'. Through storytelling, film, archives, and cultural memory, rolemodels from across the continent and diaspora challenge narratives of erasure, restore ancestral identity, and celebrate resilience. From queer royalty in royal households to fictional memory filling archival gaps, this session explores how reclaiming heritage fosters unity through collective dialogue. Together, history can be transformed towards a foundation for cultural pride, collective healing, and admiration for queer diversity from the Mother Continent.

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Rainbow Cities Network - Turning rights into Local Action

Jose Manuel Rosas Vazquez

Across the globe, cities are on the frontlines of protecting and advancing LGBTQIA+ rights. While (inter)national frameworks provide essential structure, municipalities translate these commitments into tangible, lived realities through inclusive public services, anti-discrimination protections, safety measures, community funding, and visible...

This panel brings together five member cities from the Rainbow Cities Network to showcase concrete municipal policy innovations that have measurably improved LGBTQIA+ lives, demonstrate the strategic role of local governments in navigating political polarization, and reinforce WorldPride as a unique space for policy leadership and peer learning.

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The Minority Stress Toolkit: Our Stress Has A Name

Many LGBTQIA+ people carry an exhaustion that is hard to name: the cumulative weight of concealment, rejection, and navigating a world not built for them. For those from migrant or minority backgrounds, this weight is often doubled. This session introduces minority...

This session introduces minority stress and a psychoeducational toolkit designed for LGBTQIA+ people from diverse cultural backgrounds. Through a panel discussion, people from different parts of the world join as co-reflectors, exploring together whether these tools translate across cultures and what truly inclusive mental health support can look like.

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Workshop 2 - Atlas of Queer Anatomy

Tzu-Yen Chen

Kuang-Yi Ku

Henry de Vries

Atlas of Queer Anatomy

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Sydney Pride: marking a history milestone

Kathy Pavlich
Ms Diane Minnis

Jesse Matheson

50 Years of Sydney Mardi Gras: From the defiant 1978 protests to a global phenomenon, we
look back at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras as it marches towards its Golden Jubilee
in 2028.

4:45 PM

Drinks

Networking drinks

8:00 AM

Stands

Information market, stand up talks, poster wall

Welcome and registration

Registration, coffee and tea

9:00 AM

A full day additional conference program of WorkPlace Pride on the theme “Leading with Inclusion.”

This program explores how inclusive leadership drives cultural transformation, strengthens organisational resilience, and unlocks the full potential of diverse talent—particularly during times of economic uncertainty, political pressure, and rapid societal change. The conference programme features a diverse array of keynote conversations, panels,...

The conference programme features a diverse array of keynote conversations, panels, Global Town Halls, and 10 breakout sessions designed to explore a wide range of topics, perspectives, and real-world challenges facing organisations today. These sessions create space for meaningful dialogue, practical learning, and the exchange of ideas that participants can bring directly back into their workplaces and communities.

The three Global Town Halls provide a platform for international perspectives and open exchange between regions, industries, and communities. They spotlight the realities of inclusion across different cultural and political landscapes, while encouraging collective learning and shared accountability.

At the centre of the programme is Voices of Inclusion—a powerful series of lived experiences and personal stories that bring authenticity and human connection into the conversation. These voices challenge assumptions, inspire reflection, and reinforce the importance of creating workplaces where everyone feels seen, valued, and empowered to thrive.

Several breakout sessions will focus specifically on tangible outcomes for businesses navigating challenging times. Participants will gain practical strategies, measurable approaches, and actionable insights to help organisations strengthen inclusive leadership, sustain employee engagement, and build resilient workplace cultures.

Throughout the conference, participants will explore:
• How inclusive leadership shapes decision-making at the highest levels
• Practical strategies to embed LGBTIQ+ inclusion across global workplaces
• The role of allyship, accountability, and intersectionality in leadership
• Real-world case studies

Workplace inclusion is no longer optional—it defines how organisations lead, innovate, and grow. As Workplace Pride marks its 20th anniversary, this international conference brings together global leaders, changemakers, and professionals to explore what it truly means to lead with inclusion in today’s complex and fast-changing world.

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9:30 AM

Beyond Colonial Frameworks: New Paradigms of Justice Through a Kaleidoscope of Global South and Diasporic Lenses

Ms. Nayyab Ali
Njeri Damali Sojourner-Campbell

Christian Paula

Joël Letang

What happens when we stop assuming there is only one path to LGBTQIA+ liberation — or one place to imagine it from? This session brings three perspectives that challenge dominant human rights narratives, reimagining justice from the Global South and its diasporas: decolonial Maricx-Cuir approaches to transitional justice and memory; Afrofuturism as a framework for legal systems beyond today's institutions; and a reclaiming of constitutional and religious traditions within Sharia-influenced systems beyond simplistic narratives about Muslim-majority states. Together, these perspectives invite participants to rethink justice, leadership, and liberation through diverse cultural, historical, geographic, and political lenses.

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Unheard No More - Amplifying Asian Voices & Cultural Representation in Pride

This session spotlights the widening gap between visibility and vulnerability across Asia, where Pride movements navigate censorship, surveillance, or bans. From Hong Kong’s resilient IDAHOBIT+ spirit and PrideLab’s creative formats like rainbow picnics and artivism walks, to Indonesia’s rich yet suppressed history of gender diversity and postcolonial amnesia. Voices from organizations across Southeast Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and the diaspora share how they reclaim public spaces, shape narratives through stories, comics, podcasts, and film, and demand equitable representation on global stages.

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Champions of Change: in conversation with the awardees of the International Pride Awards about their Journeys in Advocacy

Few of us dreamed as children of being recognized by UN bodies or international LGBTQIA+ movements. Yet life’s curveballs often lead us into advocacy. This dialogue explores the personal journeys of UN Pride Award winners, delving into the challenges they’ve overcome,...

Few of us dreamed as children of being recognized by UN bodies or international LGBTQIA+ movements. Yet life’s curveballs often lead us into advocacy.

This dialogue explores the personal journeys of UN Pride Award winners, delving into the challenges they’ve overcome, the innovative strategies they’ve employed, and the transformative impact of their work on LGBTQIA+ rights and governance globally. From grassroots movements to international policy influence, the winners will share experiences, lessons, and vision—offering unique insights into the power of recognition, strategies for systemic change, and practical ways to turn inspiration into action for a more inclusive, equitable, and just world.

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The Right to Family: Social Acceptance and Legal Rights as Crucial Pillars of Rainbow Families across the Globe

Dominique Boren

Niels Back

Jirim Kim
Andrea Rivas
Jo-an van der Tol

Organised by Meer dan Gewenst and NELFA (Dutch and European rainbow families associations), this session explores how rainbow family emancipation drives broader LGBTQ+ rights. By combining political and legal developments in The Netherlands with European and global perspectives, we examine...

Through lived experiences and expert insights from legal, activist and organisational voices, we dive into family building, effective lobbying, and social inclusion. We will explore how local best practices intersect with international progress, offering concrete strategies to advance rainbow family rights worldwide. Join us to connect and turn practical insights into meaningful change!

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How Pride organisers can best engage with the media: working with journalists to promote LGBTQIA+ rights

Gregory Rodrigues Roque de Souza

This lecture explores the vital role of journalism and the media in advancing human rights, strengthening democratic institutions, and increasing the visibility of LGBTQIA+ issues. Drawing on practical experience in advocacy and strategic communications, the presentation will examine how Pride organizers can build effective partnerships with journalists and media outlets to amplify community voices and foster meaningful public engagement. It will also highlight how responsible and inclusive media coverage can help combat misinformation, challenge stigma and discrimination, and contribute to more equitable, diverse, and democratic societies.

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Artivism – Using Art to make Rights visible

Jarko De Witte van Leeuwen

Serkan Kasapoglu

Henry de Vries

Papa Oyeyemi

Artivism—where art meets activism—is a powerful tool for LGBTQIA+ advocacy, resistance, liberation, and visibility. Explore how artivism—the fusion of art and activism—fuels LGBTQIA+ resistance, liberation, and visibility. This session delves into creative expressions that challenge norms, amplify marginalized voices, and drive...

Artivism—where art meets activism—is a powerful tool for LGBTQIA+ advocacy, resistance, liberation, and visibility.

Explore how artivism—the fusion of art and activism—fuels LGBTQIA+ resistance, liberation, and visibility. This session delves into creative expressions that challenge norms, amplify marginalized voices, and drive social change, showcasing art as a bold and transformative force for advocacy.

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Bodily Autonomy: Resisting Patriarchal Gender-Monitoring of LGBTQIA+ Bodies

Jean Chong

Miss Alma Aguilar Betancurt

Daniel Benitez-Posada

How do patriarchal systems impact LGBTQI+ bodies? For many LGBTQI+ people, bodily integrity remains a distant reality. Forced childhood surgeries, conversion therapy, 'corrective' rape, forced medication, and honor-based violence are just some of the violences they endure. Systemic denial also takes...

How do patriarchal systems impact LGBTQI+ bodies?

For many LGBTQI+ people, bodily integrity remains a distant reality. Forced childhood surgeries, conversion therapy, 'corrective' rape, forced medication, and honor-based violence are just some of the violences they endure. Systemic denial also takes the form of inaccessible gender-affirming care, exclusion from sports, or reproductive services withheld without male consent.

This session exposes these enormous barriers and explores powerful, community-driven solutions to reclaim bodily autonomy and resist systemic attacks. With speakers representing intersex, transgender, and LBQ+ Activists from around the world, they unite in their fight to secure bodily autonomy for all.

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10:45 AM

Break

Coffee and tea break

11:15 AM

Platforming Equal Love: the role of Prides on the road to Marriage Equality

Lucia Zachariášová

How have Prides worldwide amplified the fight for marriage equality? This session explores the pivotal role of Pride movements in platforming equal love—from visibility to policy change. Join to discuss strategies, successes, and the ongoing global journey toward inclusive marriage...

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Moving ERGs from Nice to Have to Business Critical

The Era of AI in Inclusion

Artificial Intelligence is on the top of everyone’s mind now, but the impact for the LGBTQIA+ community goes beyond just potentially discriminatory algorithms. This highly interactive session explores how AI can be used to promote greater inclusion of the LGBTQIA+ community so that both they and the organisations that employ them can have the upper hand with one of the most important developments of our time.

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Bridge the Gap: Engaging Operational & Frontline Teams

This session explores how middle managers translate LGBTQIA+ inclusion from policy into daily practice on the frontline. Building on 2025 insights, it uses real examples to show how managers shape team culture, respond to real situations, and foster psychological safety...

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The Multiplier Effect: Creating Impact Through Partnerships

Filled with practical, lived examples, this session explores how partnering with other organisations can strengthen the impact of LGBTQIA+ inclusion in the workplace. APG and other organisations showcase how external initiatives can have a knock-on effect that resonates in many,...

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Female Leadership against Pinkwashing

Pinkwashing can be found in many places; for example, a glossy campaign during Pride Month without underlying policy, serving merely as a marketing tool to profit from the LGBTQIA+ community. There are also more complex forms. For instance, what does workplace inclusivity mean when a company simultaneously invests in or profits from activities that harm people and nature—or even violate human rights? Preventing and breaking through pinkwashing requires leadership that focuses on structural change, building bridges with a priority on intersectionality.

In this panel discussion, four female leaders with diverse backgrounds provide insight into how they shape this leadership and what they believe is needed.

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The Path Out of Poverty: from individual support to G7 Advocacy

Mr. Lucas Paoli Itaborahy

LGBTQIA+ communities are impacted economically worldwide. This session start with a focus on poverty alleviation and human rights advocacy by presenting Micro Rainbow’s economic empowerment models from Brazil, the UK, and Cambodia—microenterprise support, tailored financial inclusion, and innovative safe housing—through success stories and data. Then, Pride7 discusses how their advocacy at G7 and G20 level can drive global economic wellbeing and poverty reduction through international policy coordination, financial commitments, and development initiatives. Together, these segments reveal the intersection of economic empowerment and policy advocacy in advancing LGBTQIA+ justice.

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The Hands that Heal - Community-led Shelters & Care

Ms. Alexandra Rodriguez

Camiel Welling

This session explores how community-driven shelters and support services—rooted in lived experience—offer culturally attuned, accessible care, building trust, cultural relevance, and adaptability—often missing in institutional services. Institutional services often fail to connect due to bureaucratic structures, lack of cultural competency, and distance from lived realities, resulting in gaps in responsiveness, dignity, and tailored support. We’ll highlight models centering autonomy, collective decision-making, solidarity, addressing these gaps. Join to share and learn from grassroots initiatives prioritizing sustainability, self-determination, community empowerment.

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Nowhere to Turn: Queer Forced Displacement in an Era of Global Backlash

Mr Thomars Shamuyarira

Ryan Joseph Figuereido

Across the world, rising anti-LGBTQIA+ criminalization, violence, and persecution are forcing more people to flee their homes. At the same time, access to asylum and protection is becoming more restricted, leaving many LGBTQIA+ people with fewer pathways to safety. This session asks: What is changing? What are policymakers, advocates, and humanitarian protection actors missing? And what solutions are working? Join Rainbow Railroad alongside global partners for a timely discussion on the realities driving queer forced displacement and the growing movement for queer-led protection. The session will also spotlight the recently launched Queer Forced Displacement Network and its emerging vision for collective advocacy and durable solutions.

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Open for Business: Economic Empowerment

Take a deep dive into the economic imperative for LGBTQIA+ inclusion across countries, cities, and all employers around the world. In this statistics-focused session, Open for Business presents its extensive research demonstrating that LGBTQIA+ inclusive organisations perform better and are...

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Moving Employee Resource Groups from Nice-to-Have to Business Critical

LGBTQIA+ Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) have long driven visibility and community but in today’s changing landscape, that’s no longer enough. Expectations are shifting, support is not always guaranteed, and the pressure to demonstrate value is increasing. This session explores how ERGs can move from “nice to have” to truly business-critical. Together with ERG leads, executives, and HR, we’ll focus on what works today: clear positioning, leadership alignment, and tangible impact.

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12:30 PM

Lunch

Networking lunch

1:45 PM

Global Advocacy: how Prides can advocate effectively at regional, national and international levels

Jordan Braxton

Pride organizations can effectively advocate for Trans and Intersex rights at the national, regional, and international levels through Narrative Advocacy. By centering and uplifting Trans and Intersex people’s stories we drive policy change by transforming data into compelling personal stories that create empathy, shift public perception, and influence decision-makers. By connecting with audiences on an emotional level rather than just presenting facts, it turns abstract issues into relatable, human-centered stories that move people to action.

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Pride under Surveillance

What does Pride mean when governments monitor, intimidate or silence those who march? Activists from Hungary, China and Israel explore resistance under surveillance. From Hungary, hear how a government Pride ban sparked the largest international Pride turnout in the country's history. A Chinese activist shares experiences of digital surveillance and shrinking civic space. From Israel, a trans-led NGO shares on operating at an intersection: fighting for gender self-determination during an increased local an global hostility while standing in radical solidarity with Palestine. The session concludes with researchers from Belgium presenting an AI-resistant Pride shirt designed to reduce facial recognition during Pride marches.

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Breaking the Rainbow Ceiling: Leadership Lessons from LGBTQIA+ Heads of Government and State

Experience a historic session where Leo Varadkar, former Taoiseach (Prime Minister) of Ireland, Paolo Rondelli, former Head of State of San Marino, reflect on shattering barriers in global leadership with Diego Garcia Blum, Director Global LGBTQI+ Human Rights Program, Havard University, and Ying Xin, Program Manager, Global LGBTQI+ Human Rights Program Harvard University. Their political journeys of perseverance reveal how their representation redefined possibility, inspired change, and created pathways for a more inclusive LGBTQIA+ futures in politics and society.

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Why This Is Everyone’s Fight: Protecting Sport From the Ground Up

The rules written for elite sport never stay in the stadium. As the IOC moves toward genetic testing and eligibility bans, the effects travel downward into school gyms, local clubs, and the changing rooms where people first learn that sport is a place they belong. Genetic policing at the top gives permission to gatekeeping at the bottom: the harm lands hardest on those with the least protection. Representing a unified front, the Pride and Sports Foundation (P&S) convenes the following organizations for this session:

Humans of Sport

Sport & Rights Alliance

John Blankenstein Foundation(JBF)

Drenthe Sport 'Safe Locker Room'

European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation (EGLSF)

Federation of Gay Games (FGG)

Valencia Gay Games XII (VGG)

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Intergenerational Grace and Care in LGBTQIA+ Movements

Gift Trapence

Essy Adhiambo

Lodewijk Wigersma

Godfred Aboagye Kuttin

Mars Planting

Vidda Guzzo

Mani Bruce Mitchell

Transitions in activism are inevitable, but why do older activists feel pushed out while younger ones feel stuck—sometimes because elders aren’t leaving? This session explores intergenerational grace, arguing both generations can coexist, learn, and build powerful movements without choosing either/or. We...

We discuss extending grace to founders transitioning out: how to support them, plan for succession, acknowledge burnout, and recognize older activists may lack time or compensation to mentor. The session opens with a 20-min presentation on Intergenerational Grace, followed by conversations with three intergenerational duos.

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2:15 PM

Safe Spaces, Brave Business: Navigating the Global Pushback

Civil society and business organisations play complementary roles in advancing LGBTQIA+ inclusion globally. Aligned with “Leading with Inclusion,” this collaboration combines lived experience and advocacy with business reach and resources. Together, they drive meaningful change through partnerships, shared learning, and a focus on...

Civil society and business organisations play complementary roles in advancing LGBTQIA+ inclusion globally. Aligned with “Leading with Inclusion,” this collaboration combines lived
experience and advocacy with business reach and resources. Together, they drive meaningful change through partnerships, shared learning, and a focus on dignity, belonging, and inclusive workplaces worldwide.

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I am not participating in an afternoon session

EPBN: Business impact of EU LGBTIQ+ Legislation

Voices of Inclusion / Stories from the Heart

EPBN: Business Impact of EU LGBTQIA+ Legislation

This breakout session, organised by European Pride Business Network and LGL from Lithuania and with special input from Professor Emeritus Kees Waaldijk, will explore the tangible business impact of European Union policies and legislation on LGBTQIA+ workplace and business inclusion.

Defining Success in a Challenging Landscape

In an increasingly polarised environment, leaders are expected to navigate complex social issues while maintaining trust and team cohesion. This session explores practical strategies for leading difficult conversations, fostering psychological safety, and driving meaningful inclusion through confident, authentic leadership.

Leading with Voices of Inclusion

“Voices of Inclusion” amplifies perspectives that are often underrepresented within the LGBTQIA+ community. This session explores lived experiences, fosters empathy and dialogue, and highlights how inclusive leadership can create environments where everyone feels valued, respected, and able to thrive. This interactive session goes...

This interactive session goes beyond listening. Participants will have the opportunity to engage, ask questions, and contribute their own perspectives, creating a dynamic dialogue on what it truly means to lead with inclusion in today’s workplace.

Join us to gain new insights, challenge assumptions, and explore practical ways to create cultures where inclusion is not just celebrated, but actively lived every day.

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The Intersectionality of Communities: Driving Workplace Inclusion

This breakout session brings together Workplace Pride communities, including Academia, PoC, Tech, Trans+, Women, and Young, to explore how intersectional collaboration strengthens LGBTQIA+ workplace inclusion. It highlights key insights, deliverables, and initiatives while creating an interactive space for authentic engagement...

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3:00 PM

Break

Coffee and tea break

3:15 PM

Final Day Spark & Reflection

Featuring a keynote speech by Mpho Tutu-Van Furth, fashion performance and Surinamese Choir!

4:00 PM

Closing Ceremony

Grand Final Closing - join this formal and festive closing of the WorkPlace Pride and the Human Rights Conference!