A GLOBAL conference drafting LGBTI+ policy guidelines for local governments that can be used in Europe takes place in Cork this week.

Cork City Council and the Cork LGBTI+ Inter-Agency Group are hosting the Global Rainbow Cities Network Policy Conference this week in City Hall.

The Global Rainbow Cities Network Policy Conference theme is ‘Combatting Hate Crime towards LGBTI+ Communities’.

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 today, Wednesday at 9.30am.

“I am 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,” Ms Forde said, speaking ahead of the conference.

The keynote address at the conference this week will be delivered by Luna Lara Liboni, equality and hate crime policy officer at the Irish Council of Civil Liberties and chair of the Coalition Against Hate Crime, Ireland.

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

Cork City has been a member of the Rainbow Cities Network since 2020 while its Sister City, San Francisco, has become the first US city to join the Rainbow Cities Network.

The 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.