The Human Rights Conference was the most significant LGBTI+ conference in 2021. The conference was open for human rights defenders and activists, elected officials, academics, NGOs, media, Pride organizers and sports leaders in the field of LGBTI+ rights, and anybody else interested in the more in-depth LGBTI+ cause.
Our goal was to include all representations under the LGBTI+-acronym in the program and to be highly aware of intersectionality in our planning. This included representation in relation to geography, racialization, ethnicity, age, gender, disability, gender identity, gender expression, sexuality, religion, and appearance.
The three-day conference took place in a hybrid form with physical elements for participants in person and full online access to content sessions, to facilitate the engagement of as many people as possible. The program consisted of special statements by high-level officials and community members, eight plenaries, over 50 break-out sessions, four Sphere Sessions, networking sessions and meet and greets.
Content was curated in ten topics:
- Politics and Law
- Education, Labor Market and Civil Society
- Intersectionality and Global Trends
- Borders, Decolonization and Racism
- Technology and Online Communities
- Arts, Sports and Culture
- Pride as a global Human Rights Movement
- Breaking the Binary
- Sexual well-being and Health
- Open for the undefined
We believe that partnering with experts from our international community is essential to giving this conference legitimacy and in making sure that the contents of the program is of high quality and our 21 executive partners were crucial in bringing the right content to the program.
Representation from regions where LGBTI+ rights remain under increasing pressure was pivotal, and we encouraged every activist and scholar around the globe to join us for Copenhagen 2021. Additional support was be provided to those calling in from hostile territories and countries.
The conference venue was Øksnehallen in central Copenhagen, a few minutes’ walk from Central Station. The Conference also took place online for those who cannot attend in person.
