Cork City Council and the Cork LGBTI+ Inter-Agency Group to host the Global Rainbow Cities Network Policy Conference

17/01/2023

Cork City Council and the Cork LGBTI+ Inter-Agency Group will host the Global Rainbow Cities Network Policy Conference from the 17th to 19th of January 2023, in Cork City Hall. 

The Global Rainbow Cities Network Policy Conference theme is Combatting Hate Crime towards LGBTI+ Communities. The keynote address will be delivered by Luna Lara Liboni, Policy Officer (Equality and Hate Crime) Irish Council of Civil Liberties and Chair of the Coalition Against Hate Crime, Ireland. 

Millions of people across the globe are still subjected to violence and hate on the grounds of their LGBTI identities. Despite some progress, many countries and cities struggle to secure LGBTI rights.  The Rainbow Cities Network and Cork City’s contribution to it, offers a collective and collaborative approach to combatting hate, discrimination, and inequality.

Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Deirdre Forde will formally open the Global Rainbow Cities Network Policy Conference on Wednesday 18th January 2023 at 9.30 a.m.  

Ahead of the conference Lord Mayor Cllr Deirdre Forde said: “I am indeed honoured to open this international conference here in Cork City – the conference will meaningfully address policies to tackle discrimination, hate, and inequality consistently faced by the LGBTI+ community”. 

A special video message will also be sent by Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’ Gorman.

Cork City’s Sister City, San Francisco has become the 1st US City to join the Rainbow Cities Network. 45th Mayor of the City and County of San Francisco, Mayor London Breed will send Cork city and the Rainbow Cities Network her greetings in a video message.   

Cork City supported by the Cork LGBTI+ Inter-Agency Group continues to play a pivotal role in creating a safe and inclusive space for the LGBTI+ community.