Global 2SLGBTQIA+ advocates unite in Montreal to defend rights in French-speaking regions
Posted August 2, 2025 10:27 am.
Last Updated August 2, 2025 11:17 am.
Montréal is hosting the 3rd international conference of Égides, the Francophone Alliance for Equality and Diversity.
More than 350 2SLGBTQIA+ rights advocates from over 30 countries have come together for the event, with 450 more participating online.
Organized in collaboration with the city’s annual Pride Festival, the conference features a range of workshops, panel discussions, and artistic performances — each aiming to spotlight the lived experiences of 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals across French-speaking regions and foster meaningful change on a global scale.
“Globally, only 1 per cent of funding dedicated to LGBTQI communities goes to Francophone countries and territories. This has an impact on the participation of Francophones in international spaces, but also on the knowledge and transmission of the lived realities of our communities,” explains the Director of International Mobilization at Égides and coordinator of the conference, Stéphanie Palancade, in a press release.
The gathering comes at a time when 2SLGBTQIA+ rights are increasingly under pressure. According to Égides Executive Director Michaël Arnaud, in 2024 alone, five French-speaking countries announced plans to criminalize same-sex relationships or tighten current discriminatory laws.
“Our conference will also be a space for Francophone activists to share their stories of struggle and come together in a mobilization that is now more urgent and necessary than ever before,” said Arnaud, in a press release.
