Annual Conference 2023

Ljubljana, 2023

We are thrilled to be able to bring our movement together in one space again, knowing how important it is for us all at this moment in time, and how much we need to experience connection, solidarity and inspiration, with and from each other. And we are excited to work with our host organisations in Ljubljana, who will welcome us to Slovenia in October for what promises to be a diverse, productive and above all, enjoyable Conference for all.

Theme: Rising to the Moment

We are at a moment in history which is complex and is changing the way LGBTI activism happens. As LGBTI people are repeatedly targeted and instrumentalised as scapegoats by anti-democratic and anti-human rights forces, our communities are made more fragile and the work of the LGBTI movement has become even heavier in too many places. And yet amidst these turbulent times, activists continue to find new and successful ways to make political and social change in their countries and in the region. We are showing that it is possible to rise to the moment. 

Within this context, and building on the work of last year’s annual conference at which we talked about our role in shaping the world to come, this year we will be asking how collectively as a movement we can rise to both the challenges and the opportunities presented by this moment in history, when LGBTI lives, rights and equality are becoming more and more of a focus in Europe and Central Asia.

How do we keep focus on longer term goals and not just emergency responses? How do we stay a strong and allied movement as external challenges seek to undermine our cohesive strength? How do we stay stable and on track when there is pressure to be torn in so many different directions? To address these questions and more the conference programme will be organised under two guiding themes:

Resilience of the movement

We will continue the vital conversation around how we keep our work sustainable, resourced, focused and strategic in an environment marked by crisis and external pulls and pressures.

Solidarity and cohesion within the movement

In the face of external challenges, we will look at the ways in which we can further foster a sense of unity, collective identity and shared purpose as a movement to allow us to work effectively together towards shared goals, leaving no one behind.

Participation

The event is open only to:

• Representatives of ILGA-Europe member organisations
• Representatives of LGBTI organisations working in Europe and Central Asia
• Allies of the LGBTI movement in Europe and Central Asia (institutions, funders, civil society organisations) with whom ILGA-Europe is actively working.

A maximum of two individuals per organisation can attend the Annual Conference, regardless if they are self-paying participants, scholars, or project partners. We found in Sofia last year that a cap on numbers led to overall positive outcomes for the conference and participants. There was more balanced participation from across the movement, giving newer activists a chance to interreact with the more experienced among us. We were able to create a calmer space, which we know is much needed amongst many overworked activists, which facilitated more and deeper interactions and networking.

Alongside this, we are using the scholarships programme to ensure access to participants who would not otherwise have been able to be at the conference, to ensure that the ILGA-Europe Annual Conference is never a ‘closed club’, but is a constantly renewing space where activists from across the spectrum of the LGBTI movement can come together.

Registration

Registration is now closed.

Scholarships

The scholarship applications are now closed.

Approximately 40% of the participants will be covered through ILGA-Europe’s scholarship scheme or another project funding.

While we understand the limited resources many organisations have, we ask that organisations assess their capacities and decide whether they will cover the costs of their delegate, or ask them to apply for a scholarship on behalf of the organisation. With the aim of distributing as many scholarships as possible, we encourage organisations that can partially cover the cost of their delegate (e.g. travel to/from Ljubljana or accommodation costs) to apply only for a partial scholarship. The scholarship process will be competitive and we cannot guarantee that a scholarship will be awarded.

Participation fee

There is a two-tier scheme for participation fees.

To enable access and a diversity of participants, ILGA-Europe will fund a large number of participants to the conference. While some of the resources to cover this come from different strands of our funding, the scholarship scheme and different accessibility elements of the conference are partially funded from donations.

We ask you to evaluate your personal and organisational capacity and see whether you can help our work by choosing the ‘Partner fee’. The additional programmatic contribution in that tier will support the scholarship scheme and other work ILGA-Europe conducts to support the movement in Europe and Central Asia.

For guidance:

• Partner fee: recommended forgrant-makers, policy-makers, institutions NGOs
• Civil society fee: recommended for members, NGOs, LGBTI groups

You may also choose between different options for the type of accommodation.

Options with accommodation

Including opening reception and meals from Thursday to Saturday (breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee breaks)

Tier	Accommodation in single room	Accommodation in twin room
Main conference hotel:
Partner fee	1050€	880€
Civil society fee	900€	630€
Second hotel –  in the same building as the conference venue and connected with a corridor to the main conference hotel:
Partner fee	890€	700€
Civil society fee	740€	550€
Third Hotel –  600m away from the main conference hotel:
Partner fee	850€	680€
Civil society fee	700€	530€

Options without accommodation

Including opening reception and meals from Thursday to Saturday (lunch, dinner, coffee breaks)

Tier	No accommodation
Partner fee	430€
Civil society fee	280€

*Please note: Due to VAT treatment in Slovenia we are able to issue invoices only after the receipt of payment.

Cancellation and refund

If you have to cancel your participation, please let us know as soon as possible. Please note that if the cancellation occurs after 15 September, food and programme costs will not be reimbursed. Accommodation costs will only be reimbursed if we manage to allocate your room to another participant.