Today, the SOGIESC Unit of the Council of Europe, in partnership with the European Pride Business Network (EPBN), is organising an online workshop, “From European Anti-Discrimination and Workplace Inclusion Standards to Local Action: the Role of European Cities in Advancing LGBTIQ Equality”, focussing on how European cities can translate European anti-discrimination standards into concrete workplace policies and practices that prevent discrimination and foster LGBTIQ inclusion.

Municipal administrations play a crucial role in translating European and national anti-discrimination frameworks into everyday realities. The workshop invites staff from EU municipalities members of the Intercultural Cities Programme and/or the Rainbow Cities Network to collectively explore this responsibility, considering their roles as employers, policy-makers, collaborators in the local economy, and conveners of civil society. Participants will reflect on practical challenges, identify gaps between formal policy and lived workplace experiences, and exchange best practices for promoting LGBTIQ inclusion at the local level.

This workshop is strategically designed as the first step in a broader pathway towards developing concrete initiatives for LGBTIQ workplace inclusion in participating cities and will be followed by a second workshop in October 2026.

This collaboration is part of the EU/CoE joint project “Combating Anti-LGBTIQ Violence and Hate Speech, and Strengthening Awareness and Fact-based Narratives about LGBTIQ People.”