On 28-30 October 2025, the EYF visited the IGLYO International Youth Conference on LGBTQI Inclusion in Sports, which took place in Brussels, Belgium, from 26 to 31 October 2025. This international activity is the final phase of the IGLYO “LGBTQI Youth Inclusion in Sport” work plan 2025.
During the four-day conference, LGBTQI young people from diverse backgrounds, with their experiences shaped by intersecting factors such as gender identity, race, disability, and socioeconomic status, came together to gain an understanding of LGBTQI rights from a European perspective, focusing on the role of the Council of Europe and the European Union. They received practical tools and strategies to advocate for LGBTQI youth rights in their own contexts, focusing on how to make the most of frameworks set by the European institutions. What is more, participants exchanged good practices on advocacy and self-advocacy in sports and were joined by representatives of the independent youth body of ENGSO – ENGSO Youth and the European Organisation for Grassroots Sport and the European Gay & Lesbian Sport Federation - EGLSF in an interactive workshop to explore concrete guidelines for including LGBTQI youth in sports.
On 29 October, the EYF, as well as a representative of the Sports Division of the Council of Europe were present at the Public Launch Event of IGLYO’s recently-published Research Report “From the Sidelines to the Playing Field: LGBTQI Youth Perspectives on Inclusion in School and Community Sport”, which constitutes the main output of this international activity. The launch event was successful and hosted around 60 young leaders and stakeholders.
The EYF received also the opportunity to discuss with participants its funding opportunities, especially in light of the recent reform process to improve grant-making and to nurture trust-based relations with youth organisations, networks and other non-governmental structures involved in areas of youth work that are relevant to the Council of Europe’s youth policy.
The “LGBTQI Youth Inclusion in Sport” project is supported by the EYF through a grant for a work plan. More information for this type of support can be found at the following link: What is an annual work plan? - European Youth Foundation.