Stronger Together… what did this year’s ILGA-Europe conference theme mean to the 600 LGBTI activist participants who came to Prague in October? And if it is true that we are stronger together, how can we make it happen even more? Our conference reporter and former Executive Director of ILGA-Europe, Patricia Prendiville shares her thoughts, while alongside we share some of the wonderful images documenting this year’s gathering. Photography by Catherine Shiflett.

Observing, jotting down notes, hearing conversations, participating in workshops, self-organised spaces, listening to plenaries, asking questions, responding to comments and suggestions – as this year’s conference reporter my days were full of a huge complex of thinking, feeling, strategising, planning and learning.

Looking back through my notes I see a number of threads that interweave… like plaits of a rope, making it stronger!

Openings and continuing

My initial thoughts and feelings on experiencing the beginnings of the gathering of the conference were that this was a place of warmest greetings, with people delighted to see each other. I was welcomed, hugged, greeted with energy, care and thoughtfulness. At the same time, I wondered what it was like for people who were here for the first time. I noticed people on their own, watching for openings to connect, responding to opportunities and being okay with themselves. And this was happening all around the venue, with so many different languages, so many new faces and such energy and buzz.

At first it seemed that everyone was young – but on closer observation over the days, I saw many of us ‘older ones’ too. All of us connecting, re-connecting and finding the people we needed to be talking with, engaging in the conversations that would help us move forward. It was the energy that gave the sense of young-ness/youth – the sense that it is possible; it is ahead of us; it is doable. Read more via ILGA