Chaber provides the overall leadership and strategic direction for the organisation and leads management..

Background

Chaber joined ILGA-Europe in 2018. Before becoming our Executive Director, they were our Finance Director – managing ILGA-Europe’s financial resources, implementing all financial aspects of strategic and operational planning, monitoring and reporting.

Prior to joining ILGA-Europe, Chaber worked as the Executive Director of Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH), a Polish LGBTQI organisation. Additionally, they’ve served on the ILGA-Europe Executive Board as Treasurer, and the International Trans Fund Board as Treasurer and Co-Chair.

As Finance Director, Ana Cecilia plans, implements, manages and controls the organisation’s finances and all financial and administrative activities and operations, including developing plans and strategies to ensure the financial health and sustainability of ILGA-Europe.

Ana Cecilia worked for five years in the public finance sector in Mexico and then spent 14 years in the private sector in Brazil, either in multinational companies or as a consultant and entrepreneur. She brings her wide experiences from these sectors to ILGA-Europe, including developing social projects in Mexico, pulling them together to oversee our budgets, sourced from nearly 20 public and private donors, and continuously growing, of which two million is currently re-granted to LGBTI activist organisations across Europe and Central Asia.

“It means so much for me to work for ILGA-Europe. My son will always be the child of two mothers, and in the decision of having a child, I feel I am responsible to help make a better world for him and for all people in the community to which my family belongs. That’s why I want to work for human rights, and if possible LGBTI human rights for the rest of my life.”

– Ana Cecilia

Brian leads ILGA-Europe’s communications. This includes communications strategy and development – and managing ILGA-Europe’s communications channels, including media relations, publications and digital and social media.

Background 

Before joining ILGA-Europe, Brian was the Managing Editor of GCN, Ireland’s LGBTI community magazine – which is published by an ILGA-Europe member organisation, the National LGBT Federation.

He led GCN during a period of significant change for LGBTI people in Ireland; at the time, he was a media spokesperson on LGBTI issues and wrote extensively for national and international press. He is also ex-Director of the GAZE, Dublin’s International LGBT Film Festival; he served on the festival’s board for five years. He is the author of two novels, both of which deal with LGBT issues among others.

“Since I became politicised in my 20s, I have had an innate belief that communication is at the core of change. It was illegal to be gay in my home country at the time and I made it my personal mission in life to communicate about LGBTI issues – so that people outside our community would learn about the truth of our lives and the impact of inequality, oppression and isolation. Working with ILGA-Europe and our members allows me to build on my original mission by striving to contribute to cohesion, inclusivity and positive change for LGBTI people and communities. It allows me to work alongside a great and innovative team in Brussels and brilliant, passionate activists across the regions to help make a real difference. It’s a dream job for me in every respect.”

— Brian

Katrin is in charge of the overall coordination of the policy, advocacy  and strategic litigation work of ILGA-Europe. This includes leading the advocacy work of ILGA-Europe towards the EU institutions, EU Presidencies, the Council of Europe, OSCE and UN. In close cooperation with member organisations, Katrin also oversees our advocacy support at national level and ensures strong links between ILGA-Europe’s advocacy and strategic litigation work.

Background

Katrin has over 15 years of experience in policy, research and advocacy in the fields of gender and feminist theory and politics, anti-discrimination and fundamental rights. She worked as political advisor to a member of the European Parliament, as well as with several NGO networks on EU level and in Uganda. Katrin has a master degree in political science and English language and literature.

“I have a real passion for equality, justice and politics, for negotiations and strategising, and I thrive on the thought that my experience and knowledge of political processes can support others – in my team as well as the amazing community of LGBTI activists across Europe and Central Asia. It is them who know the realities on the ground, the needs as well as what can work. And I continue to learn from them and do my part to make sure that their voices are fully heard and integrated into European policy-making. It makes me proud to think that through my  work, I can help people grow and reach even higher.”

— Katrin

Anastasia is leading ILGA-Europe’s work on supporting the LGBTI movement in Europe and Central Asia. She is in charge of the overall direction and management of ILGA-Europe’s programmes that bring funding, learning and networking support to LGBTI organisations and groups across our region to uplift their work. She also works with our member and partner LGBTI organisations, funders, and international partners to ensure that the movement has access to better and more resources beyond ILGA-Europe.

Background

Anastasia joined ILGA-Europe in 2014. Before becoming our Programmes Director, she was a Senior Programmes and Policy Officer and developed and implemented a range of funding and learning programmes to support and propel the work of LGBTI organisations and their organisational development.

Anastasia’s experience prior to ILGA-Europe is rooted in the LGBTI movement. She led a coalition of Russian LGBTI organisations to amplify their international campaigning, advocacy and fundraising work, contributed her expertise as a consultant and advisor to foundations and international human rights organisations funding LGBTI equality work, and was a fundraiser and programme manager for the Russian LGBT Network. Anastasia came to LGBTI activism and human rights work from teaching and programme management roles she held in academia in Russia and the United States. She has an MA in Sociology and an MA in Linguistics and Cross-cultural Communication.

Anna manages ILGA-Europe’s corporate partnerships and collaborations, leads private sector engagement and develops our non-institutional fundraising. She also coordinates the annual European Equality Gala — the biggest fundraiser for the European LGBTI movement.

Background

Before joining ILGA-Europe in 2017, Anna held fundraising and events roles in London at the Kaleidoscope Trust and Sarcoma UK. She also worked with LGL, the national LGBTI rights organisation in Lithuania. Anna holds a Master’s degree and worked as a translator, editor and technical writer for several years before entering the non-profit sector.

“It’s motivating to help raise funds for ILGA-Europe to ensure that our team can continue to work for LGBTI rights and equality across the region. I’m inspired by each and every person who makes a donation, organises a community fundraising event, attends the European Equality Gala, sets up a birthday fundraiser… And the companies big and small that take a stand for LGBTI equality and support our work. Even when times are trying for the LGBTI movement, I’m often reminded there is solidarity for our cause and that people care.”

— Anna

Mehmet is responsible for ILGA-Europe’s communications across online channels, including social media, websites and newsletters. He also coordinates our Rainbow Europe project.

Background

Mehmet joined ILGA-Europe in March 2018 from Istanbul, Turkey where he had worked for human rights organisations as well as for alternative media. Before his role at ILGA-Europe, he was a project assistant at Human Rights Foundation of Turkey, an NGO that provides treatment and rehabilitation to torture survivors.

He also worked at SPoD, a national LGBTI organisation — first as international relations coordinator and later as general coordinator between 2014 and 2017.

Prior to his human rights work, he acted as a journalist and editor on a volunteer basis at Aç?k Radyo, Agos Newspaper and KaosGL.org.

He holds a BA in Communications from Galatasaray University, Istanbul and pursued MA classes in Sociology at Bo?aziçi University, Istanbul.

“Since graduating from college, my life has been surrounded by activism; I laughed the most at an activist friend’s house gathering, I had my best parties at fundraising events for LGBTI organisations, I had my best trip for a conference. ILGA-Europe has always been at the core of my activism. Through ILGA-Europe I advocated for LGBTI rights in Turkey, attended their trainings, and was one of the country experts for the Rainbow Map. Being a staff member is such a privilege for me because it brings together two precious elements of my life: queer rights and communications. With this job, I can use my comms geekiness for LGBTI communities.”

— Mehmet

As Finance Officer, Zoé is responsible for ensuring seamless financial, book-keeping, and administrative operations. From managing transactions and assisting with audits to supporting event logistics, they bring precision and care to every task. In addition to finance, Zoé supports the well-being and development of our team by managing key HR functions.

Zoé joined ILGA-Europe in 2024. Before, they were CEO at Flowchase, a tech company they co-founded and managed for four years following a research project in signal processing and linguistics at UCLouvain. As an entrepreneur, Zoé built a well-rounded skillset in HR, finance and management. She is now proud to apply this experience to support ILGA-Europe’s mission, bringing her back to the roots of her training as an International Studies graduate.

“As queer people, our very livelihoods are increasingly used as political bargaining tools, making it more crucial than ever to stand up for our rights and safety. Joining ILGA-Europe’s finance team has let me support the amazing work of activists and organisations from behind the scenes by ensuring our team has the resources and well-being to stay strong, and it has scratched my strong urge to act. With our rights on the line, it’s inspiring to work alongside people who give everything to push for equality and safety for us all. Witnessing their courage and passion is a constant inspiration.”

– Zoé

Antonella is responsible for ensuring smooth and effective financial management of our regranting mechanisms and managing part of the awarded grants. She also assists with the internal financial operations and bookkeeping processes, as well as ILGA-Europe’s office administration.

Antonella joined the team as Grants and Finance Office in November 2022. Prior to that, she has been working for ESD Global, first as Programme Officer and then as Operations Manager, supporting anti-violence projects and promoting empowerment.

Before that, she worked as Research Assistant at Tampere Peace Research Institute and she conducted different fieldwork activities first in North Macedonia and in Tunisia supporting LGBTI activism in these countries, by advocating for human rights advancement and assessing the risk and potential coping strategies of the LGBTI movement in these contexts.

She came to know ILGA-Europe thanks to the work she has been doing, and indeed she participated in the 2019 ILGA-Europe Conference in Prague where she presented the results of the fieldwork research conducted in Tunisia.

“I have always dreamed about working at ILGA-Europe and having joined the finance team is giving in me a unique perspective on the impact of the work we do. I am enthusiastic and honoured about collaborating with different organisations and supporting them to strive in their projects, making sure that activists can access the resources and support they need to continue their everyday work. They are my inspiration to keep learning, improving, and tireless work for LGBTI equality”.

— Antonella

Belinda develops and implements advocacy strategies and policy initiatives to bring about legal, political and social change for LGBTI people. She focuses on Enlargement countries, family policy and rule of law processes.

Her responsibilities include advocacy with European institutions, national governments and other stakeholders; strengthening the capacities of policymakers, civil society and practitioners to transform political commitments into concrete action; and building relationships with relevant stakeholders.

Background

Prior to joining ILGA-Europe, Belinda worked for the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education and Culture and for the Party of European Socialists.

She holds an MA in Gender Studies from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands and a BA in French and Spanish from Durham University in the United Kingdom.

She previously volunteered for LGBTI causes in Durham, Brussels and Amsterdam — and her MA thesis focused on the impact of anti-gender movements on LGBTI activism in Hungary.

“Since I started being involved in LGBTI activism, I’ve been driven by the urgent feeling of wanting to help change circumstances for the better for LGBTI people around me – especially youth. Alongside my activism, I ended up on a career path that gave me considerable insight into the policy-making and political world at the EU level. It was my dream to be able to apply this insight to improve LGBTI people’s lives. Working with people who have so much drive and passion, both at ILGA-Europe but also within the membership and our communities across Europe and Central Asia, is really extraordinary to witness and a privilege to be a part of.” 

— Belinda

As part of ILGA-Europe’s Policy and Advocacy team, Sinéad works on strategic litigation for the rights of LGBTI people across the EU. She collaborates with ILGA-Europe members and partners, lawyers, activists and EU Member States to bring key cases on the fundamental rights of LGBTI persons before the Court of Justice of the EU.

Sinéad holds a Master’s degree in Public International Law from Queen Mary University in London, and a Master’s in Human Rights and Democratisation from the Global Campus of Human Rights in Venice. Before joining ILGA-Europe in 2024, Sinéad worked in different human-rights organisations, including the European Council of Refugees (ECRE), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

“Being a part of an umbrella organisation such as ILGA-Europe gives me an opportunity to work at the institutional level whilst being informed by grassroots knowledge. Collaborating with such a diverse community of LGBTI activists is incredibly valuable and allows for our activities to be anchored in the reality of what LGBTI persons face across Europe and beyond.”

– Sinéad

Nadzeya is responsible for assessing the movement’s needs and developing ways to strengthen it through capacity-building and re-granting.

Thematically, they focus on counteracting rising anti-LGBTI forces, addressing LGBTI homelessness and developing and implementing intersectional approaches and practices.

Background

Nadzeya has 15 years of experience as an educator, researcher and project coordinator. Their work has centred on trans and intersex lived experiences, LGBTI movement-building, gender-based and domestic violence, migration and displacement, globalisation and local interpretations of gender- and LGBTI-related concepts and practices.

Nadzeya lived in different geopolitical settings and worked for various human rights and educational organisations. These include the International Organisation for Migration in Belarus, the African Centre for Migration and Society in Johannesburg and the Centre for Women’s and Gender Research in Bergen.

Before joining ILGA-Europe, Nadzeya worked at Amnesty International in London. As a regional researcher there, Nadzeya led investigative work around gender-based violence against women in conflict-affected Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine.

Nadzeya holds an MA in Cultural and Gender Studies from the European Humanities University (2003) and an MA in Migration and Intercultural Relations from Oldenburg University (2013). In 2019, they defended their PhD in Interdisciplinary Gender Studies at Bergen University.

“When I think about the different jobs I’ve had, I keep coming back to the moments that brought the most joy, profound meaning and lasting impact – for myself and others. It always boiled down to talking to people and being amongst them while working behind the scenes to help make some societal changes possible. ILGA-Europe provides this drive and meaning for me. It’s about being part of a well-coordinated, inspiring team of people with shared values; keeping in touch with activists; and translating stories we hear into action that contributes to change in the LGBTI movement.”

— Nadzeya 

As part of ILGA-Europe’s policy and advocacy team, Marie works on strategic litigation for the rights of LGBTI people. She works with ILGA-Europe members and partners to initiate and support strategic litigation cases before the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights to advance the human rights of LGBTI people across Europe.

Marie has a Master’s degree in International and European Law from the University of Paris X and was admitted to the Paris Bar in 2013. Before joining ILGA-Europe in 2023, she worked as an international law and arbitration lawyer for 10 years with law firms Teynier Pic and Dentons and Jus Mundi, a mission-driven legal tech start-up. Currently she provides pro bono assistance to LGBTI asylum seekers and a climate justice NGO.

“My career as an international lawyer gave me significant insight into developing litigation strategies at the international level. I am thrilled to now be able to use the powerful tool that is strategic litigation to protect and improve LGBTI people’s rights and to achieve systemic change on the legal, social and political levels. Working alongside like-minded colleagues and partners to change people’s lives through law is a true privilege.”

— Marie

Alejandro’s main responsibilities are organising ILGA-Europe’s Annual Conference, implementing and ensuring compliance to the re-granting processes, and office administration.

Background

Alejandro became our Event and Finance Support Officer in June 2019. Prior to that, he was involved in LGBTI activism in Barcelona with ACATHI – an organisation supporting LGBTI asylum seekers.

After moving to Belgium in 2016, he was a Programme intern at ILGA-Europe. Back then, he helped organise the Annual Conferences in 2016 and 2017 and supported both the Programmes and Finance teams throughout project cycles.

Alejandro also worked as Membership Engagement Officer in IGLYO, where he kicked-off the development of their long-term membership strategy and helped organise their Annual Members’ Conference.

He was also part of the Equal Opportunities Office of the General Secretariat of the Council of the EU in 2017. There, he took a key role organising their IDAHOBIT event and was responsible for revamping the trainee-led organisation Queer Stagiaires.

Alejandro holds a BA in Political Science from Universitat Pompeu Fabra and an MA in International Security from Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals.

“Working in ILGA-Europe’s financial team is a great source of motivation. In my daily work, I support activists in the financial management of their grants and their participation at ILGA-Europe Annual Conference. It’s inspiring to contribute to supporting the great work that so many activists do across the region.”

— Ale

As part of our policy and advocacy team, Aisling works on socio-economic justice and alliance building, to strengthen the LGBTI movement by creating resilient and meaningful partnerships with other social justice movements at the European, national and regional levels.

Aisling has a B.A. in Sociology and Political Science from Trinity College Dublin and a Masters in European Policy from KU Leuven. Before joining ILGA-Europe in 2023, she worked in homelessness advocacy and policy research in Ireland.

“None of us alone can solve every problem, but as a group we’re pretty amazing at getting there. I’m always in awe of the power of simply bringing passionate people together, and working at ILGA-Europe I get to see that all the time. It’s a joy and a privilege to be a part of that.”

— Aisling

Cianán works on intersex rights, education, health, trans rights and the anti-gender backlash in Europe and Central Asia. They also monitor and engage with the Council of Europe and United Nations institutions.

Background

Cianán joined ILGA-Europe in 2019. They began LGBTI activism in the US in 1996 and previously worked with the Indiana Transgender Rights Advocacy Alliance (USA), the Asia Pacific Transgender Network and Transgender Europe.

They have a Ph.D. in chemistry from Purdue University and served on the teaching faculty at Georgia Institute of Technology from 2008-2013. Personally, they run a support space for transmasculine and nonbinary survivors of sexual assault and rape and serve on a Chapter Working Group with the WPATH Standards of Care version 8.

“Working on advocacy and policy development provides me an opportunity to bring a trans and non-binary voice into spaces where it’s lacking. I am able to ensure that trans, non-binary and LGBTI voices are ‘in the room’ – knowing what policymakers and civil servants can do for us and working to find creative solutions to our unique challenges. I feel immensely privileged to be in these spaces and take my role as ears and eyes for our movements very seriously. Since I joined ILGA-Europe, we have seen many steps forward in the policy sphere (many of them very small in text but huge in potential). I hope to be part of many more.”

— Cianán

Alexa is responsible for governance and the organisations all events, from the ILGA-Europe Annual Conference to meetings with activists from member organisations both in Brussels and across Europe and Central Asia, and much more.

Before joining ILGA-Europe, Alexa was on the board of the EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community for four years and also of the only lesbian* focused organisation in Portugal, Clube Safo where she organised events. She is a social worker and has developed different programs in the youth sector as well as community organising with grass roots anti-racist and feminist organisations in Portugal and internationally.

Alexa holds a BA on Social Work form the Portuguese Catholic University and an MA on Gender, Sexuality and Queer Theory from Leeds University.

“Being an agent of social change are is the core of who I am. I am a people person and I believe all my years planning and making a lesbian revolution have given me the skills to support the mission and vision of ILGA-Europe. I am happy to put my multitasking, openheartedness and organisational skills to use, to make sure anyone who comes to ILGA-Europe’s events feels safe, welcomed and ready to change the world!”

– Alexa

Katja oversees ILGA-Europe’s communication strategies, cultivating relationships with key journalists, coordinating press releases, and managing content development to ensure the organisation’s advocacy priorities resonate across European and national media platforms. She also coordinates the publication of our ILGA-Europe Annual Review.

Before coming to ILGA-Europe, Katja gained experience in communications, LGBTI activism, and NGO work from her time at Ljubljana Pride Association, where she represented the organisation, implemented PR strategies, coordinated media engagement, and managed online communication platforms. Additionally, her background in event coordination, volunteer management, and designing non-formal education trainings on human rights topics further prepared her for the role at ILGA-Europe. In 2019, she became and still is a board member of Ljubljana Pride Association.

“I am committed to activism regardless of my career path. The fact that I can pursue it at such a high-level reach organisation makes me feel incredibly empowered and joyful. I see my role at ILGA-Europe as a combination of what the world needs and what I am good at. On a personal level, it is just a privilege to be in such an energetic, diverse, and capable team.”

Seka is responsible for strengthening the capacities of LGBTI organisations in Europe and Central Asia, namely for translating ILGA-Europe movement-support programmes into activity plans and implementing them in a needs-based and context-informed way.

Seka has been in trans activism for over a decade. They were in leadership roles in 2 organizations for trans, intersex, and gender diverse people in the Balkans: kolekTIRV since 2012 when it was founded, where they started as a volunteer and worked as the Executive Coordinator for 7 years; and as a volunteer in TMB (Trans Mreža Balkan) since 2014, joining the Coordination Team in 2020.

“If someone told me ten years ago I’d be a human rights activist, I probably wouldn’t have believed them. Today, I wouldn’t believe them if they told me my role in this world is anything but, because within the LBGTIQ+ movement I found a purpose and a family which is priceless and irreplaceable. Working at ILGA-Europe enables me to expand on that family and gives me the privilege of learning about and supporting the amazing work our communities do across Europe and Central Asia.”

— Seka

In her role, Svetlana works closely with LGBTI movements in Europe and Central Asia to assess and address its needs trough capacity-building and re-granting.

Since the beginning of 2022, Svetlana has been coordinating ILGA-Europe Strategic Communications Programme to foster stronger and more strategic communications across the European and Central Asian LGBTI movement and to contribute to collective thinking on shaping public conversations and changing public attitudes. The programme includes various components such as financial support and consultancy to build strong communication abilities, grants to support targeted communication initiatives, learning and peer learning spaces, and a growing network of communications practitioners and experts.

Svetlana holds MA in International Relations from the St. Petersburg State University and MA in Gender Studies from the Central European University. Before joining ILGA-Europe, she worked with the Russian LGBT Network and Legal and Social Support Charitable Foundation Sphere as a communications specialist and at the managerial level.

“I believe that every human is born equal in their dignity and rights, and these beliefs define who I am and what I do with my life. I am happy to be part of the ILGA-Europe team, and I hope that my knowledge and my work here can make a difference towards transforming this world into a better place.”

— Svetlana

For security reasons, these ILGA-Europe team members’ photos cannot be displayed.

Nuriko (she/her)

Senior Programmes Officer

Nuriko’s main area of work is to provide programmatic support to the LGBTI movement in Central Asia. In her role as a Senior Programmes Officer, Nuriko dedicates her efforts to providing capacity strengthening support to member organisations and partners. Her responsibilities encompass conducting trainings, facilitating networking and peer-learning opportunities, and delivering technical assistance to assist organisations, groups, and activists in project development and implementation.

Additionally, Nuriko manages re-granting support for LGBTI organisations and initiative groups in Central Asia. Her work is motivated by a strong commitment to advancing LGBTI rights and equality in the region.

“To me, this work is a transformative journey, striving to build a world that celebrates diversity, acceptance, and equal opportunities for everyone.”

— Nuriko

As the Advocacy Program Manager at RFSL (Sweden), she currently works on coordinating advocacy efforts of a Coalition of organisations from Eastern Europe.

Additionally, Natia has more than ten years of leadership experience in the Georgian LGBT movement, where she actively engaged in community mobilization, research, advocacy and increasing positive visibility of SOGI issues in the society.  Natia holds two MA degrees in Gender Studies and Global Politics.

“It is important for me to serve on the Executive Board of ILGA-Europe because I believe that the organisation’s mandate is crucial for sustainability of the LGBT/QI+ movements in Europe and Central Asia, and I want to contribute my knowledge and experience to further developing this mandate and learn more in the process.”

— Natia

Penny Smith is her second term on the Board. Penny has been involved with LGBTI work in UNISON for 15 years now but has been active in the movement for 40 years. For the past four years she has co-chaired the International sub-committee of UNISON’s National LGBT+ Committee.

Penny is an asexual activist and has formed the first Ace/Aro Network of any Trade Union in the UK. Penny travels the UK promoting awareness of the asexuality umbrella.

I’m so proud to continue my work on the Board. I’m proud to promote ace voices and the older person’s voice too. The work of ILGA-Europe is amazing and I’m so proud to be a part of that work.

— Penny

Mamikon is an LGBTI activist and human rights defender living and working in Armenia. He began his activism in 2002 and founded Pink Armenia in 2007, where he works now as a communications director.

Mamikon is coordinating the fundraising working group of the Eastern European Coalition for LGBT+ Equality and he is a board member at Human Rights House Yerevan. He is also involved in several national working groups focused on HIV/AIDS responses and was elected as the Community Engagement, Human Rights and Gender Equality working group president.

Mamikon holds a degree in sociology and an MA in Human Rights and Democratisation.

“Working alongside a dedicated team of individuals who share common values is inspiring and I am thrilled to continue this journey with fellow board members and the committed staff. Together, we can work tirelessly to make a difference, and to create a world where every individual can live openly and without fear of discrimination.”

— Mamikon

Simona Muršec is the President of Ljubljana Pride Association since 2015 and a devoted Human Rights Education trainer and facilitator of youth policy processes for over 20 years. She gained extensive experience working intercontinentally, with the focus on Africa-Europe and Euro-Arab Youth Cooperation and spaces of Global Education. She is a certified LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® facilitator and supports organisations and teams with inclusive organisational strategic development.

In the past she served as vice-president of IUSY (International Union of Socialist Youth), as member of the Advisory Council on Youth of the Council of Europe and held several positions within the youth of the Social Democrat Party of Slovenia.

Rosario Coco is a D&I expert with experience in project design, media, and communication. His academic background includes Philosophy of Language, Bioethics, and Sport Management. From 2017 to 2019, he coordinated the Outsport project, the first EU-wide research and training initiative on LGBTI people in sports. He is currently the President of Gaynet, the Italian association focused on media education, and coordinator of the Outsport network, the internal unit of AiCS (Associazione Italiana Cultura Sport) dedicated to international projects on Education Through Sport. He has recently collaborated with the Sport Unit of the Council of Europe as an international expert on hate speech in sports, and is committed to advocating against conversion practices in Italy and Europe

I play football, and sport was one of the first places I heard the harmful notion that “maybe gays can change.” Encouragingly, several European countries have recently enacted laws banning so-called conversion therapy. As an ILGA-Europe Board member, I’m committed to advancing advocacy against these practices and leveraging sport as a powerful tool for education and social change.

– Rosario

As Executive Director of ÜniKuir, Özgür Gür has dedicated his career to advancing LGBTI rights and building resilient queer youth communities across Turkey. Since co-founding ÜniKuir, he has focused on advocacy, community building, and high-level strategy, helping to expand LGBTI+ student groups from 12 to over 35 across the country.

Özgür’s journey in activism began in 2014 with METU LGBTİ+ Solidarity, where he organised pride events, defended academic independence as head of the student council, and worked on mobilising resources for campus LGBTI+ rights.

In addition to his national work, Özgür has contributed to international LGBTI advocacy, collaborating with the European Union, Council of Europe, and United Nations to bring awareness to LGBTI rights issues in Turkey. The organisations he has been part of have received international recognition, including awards like the Roosevelt Foundation’s Four Freedoms Award and the International Student Peace Prize.

As a young LGBTI+ activist facing direct government threats, I am honored to join an organisation of people who stand in solidarity from hundreds of miles away. I look forward to supporting this network of activists across Europe and Central Asia and carrying that solidarity back to those who need it most.

– Özgür

Joy is a young feminist activist and a Biotechnology student from Greece. They started their activism at Bi Sparkle, an informal bi/pan group in Athens. Today they are a proud member of Colour Youth – Athens LGBTQ Youth Community, an organisation by and for queer youth which focuses on community building, community support and advocacy. They were elected as Advocacy Officer at Colour Youth in 2019 and 2020 and Manager in 2022 and 2023. For several years, they have been advocating for the rights of LGBTQI+ youth in Greece, especially for inclusive education and healthcare.

“I am immensely grateful for this opportunity to advance my skills and learn from experienced leaders in the movement. ILGA-Europe has been a source of constant inspiration for me. I am eager to contribute to its mission by helping identify new trends in activism and amplifying the voices of the younger generation.”

– Joy

Danijel has spent over 15 years championing LGBTIQ and HIV/AIDS rights in Montenegro and beyond. In 2010 he co-founded of Queer Brigade, the first community-driven effort for LGBTIQ rights in Montenegro. This paved the way for Queer Montenegro, the largest grassroots LGBTIQ organisation in Montenegro, where Danijel served as president for a decade.

As a member of Montenegro Pride since 2013, Danijel spearheaded the campaign for the landmark Registered Partnership Law and actively contributed to the ongoing development of the Legal Gender Recognition Law in Montenegro. He has also shaped national LGBTIQ and HIV/AIDS strategies adopted by the government. Danijel supported the establishment of Spectra (trans-led) and Stana (LBTQ women’s) NGOs in Montenegro, ensuring broader inclusion and support.

Since July 2022, Danijel has embarked on a new chapter as Executive Co-Director of ERA – LGBTI Equal Rights Association for Western Balkans and Turkey, uniting 81 LGBTIQ organisations from nine countries in a collective voice.

“My deep understanding of the unique challenges and obstacles facing LGBTIQ+ communities in the Western Balkans and Turkey, coupled with my extensive experience driving positive change at the national and regional levels,  I hope will be invaluable assets to the ILGA-Europe Steering Board and staff. I am eager to share this rich perspective, forge crucial connections, and work alongside staff to contribute to amplifying the collective voice of our communities for an inclusive and equitable Europe.”

– Danijel

Rachael is an LGBTQIA+ activist based in Brussels, Belgium, with a background in community-led activism, mental health advocacy, and years of experience in bi+ spaces. Her experience at the European Parliament has deepened her understanding of discrimination faced by Black people and people of colour. In 2018, she co-founded Rainbow Nation Brussels, which advocates for the visibility and wellbeing of queer, trans, Black, and brown individuals, promoting diversity and inclusivity beyond whiteness and white supremacy. The organisation takes a “Nothing about Us without Us” approach to address racism, transphobia, and xenophobia within the LGBTQIA+ community. Rainbow Nation offers tools for QTBPOC and organises activities for those facing intersectional oppression.

Being on the board of ILGA-Europe means having the responsibility to ensure that marginalised voices, particularly those at the intersections of race, migration status, and sexual orientation, are not just heard but actively centred in European LGBTQI+ advocacy work. I want to contribute by leveraging my experience from Rainbow Nation Brussels and the ILGA World Bisexual Committee to strengthen intersectional approaches in our movement, while bringing strategic planning skills and a commitment to transparency that ensures we’re building sustainable, inclusive frameworks for change.

– Rachael

Umut is the Fundraising and International Advocacy Coordinator at Kaos GL, one of Turkey’s oldest LGBTI+ rights organisations. With an academic background in political science and gender studies, she has extensive experience in advocating for LGBTI+ rights at local and international levels, supporting grassroots initiatives, and fostering strategic collaborations.

Being on the ILGA-Europe Board means having the opportunity to amplify regional voices and bridge critical gaps in LGBTI+ rights advocacy. I aim to contribute by fostering stronger networks, pushing for intersectional and inclusive policies, and occasionally embracing the role of a “queer feminist killjoy” when necessary.

– Umut