The LGBTQIA+ summit on Refugees, Borders and Immigration took place in Malmö as part of the Human Rights Forum of Copenhagen 2021, WorldPride and EuroGames.

The goal of the day was to generate discussions that become tools to make change through the allocation of space for the struggle forcibly displaced people within the context of pride and the LGBTQIA+ communities that we are part of.

Our objectives for the day were: 

1. Facilitating a space for in-depth experiential learning through storytelling about these often-sidelined topics. 
2. Creating a deeper awareness among a larger public combined with calls to actions aimed at politicians and government officials regarding intersectional minorities. 
3. Generating an opportunity for politicians and government officials to learn from people with lived experiences moving them to change policy.

To reach these objectives and achieve our goal, the summit took a three tiered approach to this topic with three simultaneous tracks of knowledge running throughout the day. Track 1 was aimed at facilitating a space for in-depth experiential learning through storytelling about the often sidelined topics of different pathways to safety for refugees. Aiming to deepen the knowledge on these often sidelined topics. Track 2 was to rethink the way we work. It aimed at creating a deeper awareness among professionals that in their line of work meet LGBTQIA+ refugees through sharing best practice and successful mechanisms or those that need to be improved. Track 3 was created to generate an opportunity for policy makers and other actors to learn from experts with self-lived experiences and specialists in this field. The aim was advocacy and discussing action to take, with a goal of also influencing future changes in policy.

Maintaining the international focus and targeting transnational situations, there was an emphasis on providing space for people with lived experience throughout the day. The expertise of people over their own lives is fundamental to creating policy and holding discussions concerning them; however it is paramount to acknowledge that their stories belong to them and we need to be respectful about how we deal with these. 

The event was moderated by Ulrika Westerlund, Project manager at the Agency for Youth and Civil Society Affairs and expert on LGBTQI+ issues, and Alice Bahn Kuhnke, Swedish member of European Parliament.

During this event-packed day, four hundred activists, politicians and other interested parties discussed people borders, migration and challenges for refugees in the region and in the world.
The main speakers included Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, who was followed by Michael O’Flaherty – Head of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. The other esteemed panelists and speakers included Kimahli Powell – Director at Rainbow Railroad, Ryan Joseph
Figueiredo – Founder of Equal Asia Foundation, Tina Dixson – ACT Government Office of LGBTIQ+ Affairs, Eirene Chen – UNHCR and Victor Madrigal-Borloz – UN Independent Expert on sexuality and gender identity. An important part of the arrangement was to highlight self-experienced stories. Therefore, many of our speakers were people, who escaped oppression and persecution for their sexual orientation or gender expression.

The closing keynote speaker for the day was Melanie Nathan, director of the African Human
Rights Coalition and Human Rights Mediator and Advocate and Dennis Castillo,
founder and director of the Instituto sobre Migración y Refugio LGBTIQ para Centroamérica,
IRCA CASABIERTA.

THE ISSUE AT THE BORDER
On the day of the summit, one of the buses with scholarship recipients was stopped at the border between Copenhagen and Malmö, and 2 participants were prohibited from crossing into Sweden. Due to the highly problematic handling of this situation by the border police, the other attendees on the bus rightly decided to stay and protest this issue and we held the summit start time in solidarity until everyone could be included.

Malmö Pride sees the incident as an expression of how today’s migration policy has consequences for
people.

On behalf of Malmö Pride, we want to reiterate our support to those directly involved in this situation, celebrate those who stayed in solidarity and also acknowledge the feelings of those who may have experienced trauma and re-traumatisation stemming from this situation.

UPDATE ON THE INCIDENT ISSUED ON 9 OCTOBER 2021

Malmö Pride submitted a report on border incident connected to the Summit on Refugees, Borders And Immigration to the office of the UN SOGIEC Independent Expert. It can be found here.

Due to the delayed start time, we were unable to carry out the full programme as planned and were very sad to have to remove one of the planned break out sessions from the schedule. However, we were so grateful to those who took the time to contribute in the aftermath in another form so that we could still include most of these important perspectives and information on here. The sessions and their facilitators included:

Different Pathways to Safety: Why do we leave our home? Facilitator: Karl Yves
Vallin, Project Manager at RFSL Malmö and President of the Swedish Federation of
LGBTQIA+ students.

Different Pathways to Safety: The search for safe haven – Experiences of LGBTQIA+
asylum seekers in transit countries. Facilitator: Bella Stevens, Communications and
Development Coordinator at ORAM Refugee.

Pathways to Safety – What options need to be available for LGBTQIA +
refugees? Facilitator and moderator: Sharalyn Jordan, Board Chair at
Rainbow Refugee Committee.

The acute needs upon arrival at the destination country: The inapplicable concept of a safe haven for LGBTQIA+ refugees. Facilitator: Karl Yves Vallin

The acute needs upon arrival at the destination country: Where are professionals lacking insight Facilitator: Jasminé, RFSL Newcomers

Roundtable discussion. Topic: Durable solutions – Livelihood support and
assistance to LGBTQIA+ refugees in asylum countries

Facilitator: Devon Matthews, Director of Programs at Rainbow Railroad

The “ safe haven” in the global south – case of prioritization of LGBTQIA+ refugees
in the resettlement process and transit countries. Facilitator: Karl Yves Vallin

How to improve asylum procedures, conditions, and the security along the way to
integration. Facilitator: Bella Stevens

Roundtable discussion. Topic: Accountability – What do we expect from govern-
ments and key stakeholders? Opening remarks presented by Flavia Piovesan: Inter-American Commissioner for Human Rights, Rapporteur for the Rights of People #LGBTI and for
USA Bolivia Panama Jamaica. Facilitator: Kimahli Powell, L.L.D (Hons), Executive
Director of Rainbow Railroad

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS

The summit was built on cooperation between various interest and non/profit organizations that work towards protection of human rights. The conference was produced in close collaboration with Rainbow Railroad, ORAM, UNHCR, the Council of Europe, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Event in Skåne, Equal Asian Foundation, Refugee Coalition East Africa, LGBT Asylum, RFSL Newcomers,
Malmö University, Trans Action, Women’s Shelter Öresund – Youth Shelter Öresund,
IraQueer and RADO Uganda.