Proud Ambassadors Project

Freedom to love. Freedom to be. 🌈

Proud to support the EU’s new LGBTIQ+ Equality Strategy and to help shape a more inclusive future through the Proud Ambassadors project.

Resistance is real — so is our response.

Proud Ambassadors strengthens the support around young LGBTQIA+ people, even when conditions get tougher. 💛🌈

Today — 10 December — we stand for dignity, equality and inclusion. ✊ On this United Nations Human Rights Day, we celebrate the fundamental rights that belong to every person — including the right to be yourself.

At Proud Ambassadors we believe that respect, acceptance and support for LGBTQIA+ youth are essential parts of human rights.

Let’s commit — today and every day — to build communities where everyone feels safe, seen and valued. ❤️

Just completed an inspiring Training of Trainers week in Ljubljana through the “Proud Ambassadors” project—focused on supporting the inclusion, rights, and mental well-being of LGBTQIA+ youth across Europe. 🌈✨

Throughout the week, we dove into key modules on LGBTQIA+ identities, mental health and resilience-building, inclusive communication, anti-bias language, legal frameworks, and tools for creating safer and more supportive spaces for young people. We also visited MC Legebitra and explored Ljubljana through an LGBTQ+ city tour, adding powerful real-world context to the training.

Feeling grateful for the knowledge shared, the open discussions, and the passionate trainers and participants who made this experience truly meaningful. Ready to bring these tools and insights back into our daily work to help foster safer, more inclusive environments for LGBTQIA+ youth. 💛🏳️‍🌈

Thank you Legebitra for the warm hospitality!

International Day for Tolerance – November 16 🕊️

Tolerance is not silence — it is active respect for diversity 🌈 and a commitment to stand against hate, exclusion, and violence ✊.

The UN General Assembly proclaimed this day in 1996, following UNESCO’s Declaration of Principles on Tolerance, which reminds us that “education for tolerance is not a choice, but a necessity.” 📚

Yet today, we are witnessing a worrying rise in intolerance across Europe and beyond — including hate speech, discrimination, and attacks on the dignity of individuals and communities. These are not just words. They harm mental health 💔, fuel fear 😟, and create environments where (young) LGBTIQ+ people feel unsafe, unseen, and unwelcome.

Tolerance is mental health in action. 💛
It means creating schools, workplaces, and communities where every young person can exist without fear — where respect replaces shame, and understanding replaces stigma 🤝.

When we choose dialogue over hatred, we nurture a society that protects dignity, equality, and the well-being of all 🌍.

On this International Day for Tolerance, let’s remember:
Tolerance is not weakness — it’s strength 💪.
It’s not passive — it’s healing 🌿.
And it’s essential for the mental health and empowerment of LGBTIQ+ youth 🌈✨.

🌈 The international training is going to start soon!

🌍Partners identified 15 participants to attend the Train the Trainer in Ljubljana (Slovenia) from 17th to 21st November: youth workers, educators, experts and activists on LGBTQIA+ and youth mental health issues will exchange knowledge, experiences and test training materials.

At the end of the week, the 8 training curricula prepared by partners, will be tested and integrated will participants suggestions.

💜Keep following us for more information on the training!

🌈 The Proud Ambassadors Project initiative has entered an inspiring new phase — the development of the “Proud Ambassadors Training Curriculum”!

This essential resource, will empower youth workers, educators, and professionals across Europe with the knowledge and tools to better support LGBTQIA+ young people.

The Curriculum will feature 8 thematic modules, each addressing key areas in fostering inclusion, well-being, and empowerment:

1️⃣ Understanding LGBTQIA+ Identities and Terminology
2️⃣ Identifying and Supporting Experiences of Non-Acceptance in LGBTQIA+ Youth
3️⃣ Mental Health: Assessment and Resilience-Building Techniques
4️⃣ Inclusive Communication and Anti-Bias Language Skills
5️⃣ Creating Inclusive and LGBTQIA+ Friendly Workplaces
6️⃣ Legal Frameworks and Rights of LGBTQIA+ Youth
7️⃣ Creating Safe and Inclusive Spaces for LGBTQIA+ Youth
8️⃣ Practical Tools and Innovative Training Techniques for Supporting LGBTQIA+ Youth

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue shaping this impactful Curriculum! 🌈

Proud Ambassadors Project – Mid-Term Meeting in Reggio Emilia, Italy 🇮🇹

Our second Transnational Project Meeting took place on 15–16 October 2025 in beautiful Reggio Emilia, hosted by the Municipality of Reggio Emilia.

🌈 During the first day, partners reviewed the project’s progress, discussed key milestones, explored the next steps for the training curriculum and online learning platform, and shared updates on policy recommendations and dissemination efforts.

On the second day, participants had the opportunity to meet with local organizations working on LGBTQIA+ inclusion and support. In particular, we had inspiring discussions with a representative from Arcigay Gioconda Reggio Emilia APS, as well as with other local offices providing housing, counselling, and community support to Rainbow Families. These exchanges offered valuable insights into local good practices that promote equality, visibility, and well-being for LGBTQIA+ youth and families.

A big thank you to all partners and hosts for their active participation, and to our colleagues in Reggio Emilia for their warm hospitality! 💜

🌈 Last week, our partner Sensus Stockholm-Gotland joined the local Pride march in Pécs, Hungary — a courageous act of solidarity at a time when Pride events face bans from Hungarian authorities.

Despite the challenges, over 100 brave people came together to walk for love, equality, and human rights. Their courage is a powerful reminder that visibility and unity matter more than ever.

💪 Step by step, city by city — together we move forward toward a more inclusive and accepting Europe.

We are proud to stand with Sensus and the LGBTQIA+ community in Hungary and beyond. 🌍💜

💭 This year’s World Su***de Prevention Day on 10 September, observed under the theme “Transforming the Understanding of Su***de,” calls us to break the silence and stigma—and to build a culture of openness, empathy, and support.

The reality is clear: LGBTIQ+ people, especially trans and non-binary individuals, face alarmingly high risks of suicidality.

🌈 According to the FRA EU LGBTIQ Survey III (2023), more than one in three LGBTIQ+ respondents reported having suicidal thoughts in the past year. Among trans, non-binary and gender-diverse respondents, this number rose to over half. 24 % of trans women, 28 % of trans men, and 22 % of intersex, non-binary, and gender-diverse individuals said they think about su***de “often” or “always.”

These numbers are human lives—and their voices matter!

🤝 Let’s unite this September to transform the narrative around su***de, especially within LGBTIQ+ communities. Your voice, your support, and your willingness to talk can break down stigma—and save lives.