Around the world we’re witnessing a rollback of hard won gains made by the LGBTQ+ community, but the fightback against this oppression is starting right here in the north-east with the UK’s first week-long global LGBTQ+ summit.

The last few years has seen a plethora of authoritarian governments, religious fundamentalists and populist leaders all trying to weaponise LGBTQ+ human rights; and it’s against this backdrop that the first #SaferToBeMe summit is to be held in the north-east. The week-long event is going under the theme ‘local to global’ as hundreds of people (and many more online) come together in solidarity against these attacks. The rich and diverse programme has been put together by three of the region’s most visible LGBTQ+ organisations: Pride Action North, OUT North East and ReportOUT, with the centrepiece being the #SaferToBeMe Conference on Thursday 23 & Friday 24 October at Gateshead College’s Academy of Sport. Here you can be one of the 500 people in attendance to watch 42+ talks, panels and workshops, all focusing on some of the most pressing issues facing both us here in the UK, but also around the world. Over 40+ countries will be represented as we think about how we can tackle the global rollback of LGBTQ+ human rights – with solutions for change being proposed at both micro and macro levels. Other events planned for the rest of the summit, which begins on Monday 20 October, include a launch event at Maldron Hotel (listen to speakers and start the week with a bang); Trans and Non-Binary Awareness Training Course (free workshop); Guided Walking Tour Of Newcastle’s Queer History (free and designed to enlighten and make you smile); Global LGBTQ+ Health Inequalities Online Conference; Business Networking Reception; Security Training; Meet the Speakers Dinner (at Blackfriars Restaurant); Candlelit Vigil; Signing of the Newcastle-Gateshead Declaration (the first ever international LGBTQ+ solidarity declaration); and Saturday Social (a trip to Beamish Living Museum of the North). Be sure to visit the website below for full details on all the above – including ticketing information.

#SaferToBeMe Summit, Monday 20-Saturday 25 October, reportout.org/safertobemeoverview