🌈 Let’s act for LGBTIQ Rights | Your [special] PES Group newsletter
With Pride Month 2022 around the corner, many cities and regions around the world are preparing to stand up for the rights of LGBTIQ people through various events and festivities. Yet, too many Europeans are affected by discrimination and violence for being who they are and loving who they want.
It is crucial that progressive regions and cities keep defending and advocating for LGBTIQ rights. Back in April 2021, we launched a campaign to make each progressive region and city across Europe an LGBTIQ Freedom Zone. Since then, four regions and 30 cities have joined our "Love Where I Live" campaign. It’s now your turn to declare your city or region a “LGBTIQ Freedom Zones”! Find out more and download the draft resolution in your language to adopt in your local/regional council.
Looking for more? Scroll down to learn how progressive local and regional leaders are putting concrete solutions forward to defend LGTBIQ rights, strengthen the EU and make their city and region climate-neutral. 👇👇👇
🏳️🌈 🇮🇹 Milan has just declared itself a LGBTIQ Freedom Zone
Milan is the first big city in Italy to join our campaign and stand up for LGBTIQ rights. Michele Albiani, city councillor of Milan, has fought hard to make it happen. A true example to follow! Find out how your city or region can become a LGBTIQ Freedom Zone ➡️ Check out our campaign
❤️🧡💛 #ProgressiveLocalStories 💚💙💜
Last Saturday, our Belgian members Elio Di Rupo, Minister-President of the Wallonia region, Rudi Vervoort, Minister-President of the Brussels Region, Pascal Smet, Secretary of State of the Brussels Region for Urbanism and international relations, joined the Pride in Brussels to embrace diversity and promote LGBTIQ rights.
If you’re based in Brussels, you have certainly noticed: the rainbows are everywhere in the streets! Let's do the same in your city!
🇪🇺 Conclusions of the Conference on the Future of Europe
After a year of debate, the Conference on the Future of Europe showed that citizens are demanding a stronger Europe. Progressive local and regional leaders believe that it should lead to a fundamental change of the EU to make it more democratic, stronger and better able to respond to environmental, social and economic challenges. Our message is clear: we need a revision of the Treaties. ➡️ Learn more about the role of regions and cities in this democratic process.
📺 Listen to our President Christophe Rouillon on the conclusions of #CoFoE ⤵️
🌍🌿 Cities are at the forefront of the fight against the climate crisis
38 progressive cities around Europe have been selected by the European Commission to be part of its 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities scheme. The winning cities will receive multifaceted support to be able to reach the climate-neutrality by 2030 objective without affecting their sustainable growth and social well-being, starting from this year. ➡️ Learn more
What’s coming next?
📢 #ProgressivesSpeakUp | Join our Summer School of young local politicians in Reggio Emilia on 7-9 July 2022
We are proud to announce our next edition of the School for progressive young local politicians. This year, we will focus on an important priority of European progressives: promoting equal access to high-quality early childhood education and care for all children in the European Union. ➡️ Find out more here and apply by 1 June
🇪🇸 Join the S&D Group in Palma de Mallorca today!
Young people are the future! Watch live the conference “Towards a fair Europe shaped by our youth” organised by our S&D partner to discuss ideas and challenges for Europe's younger generations. ➡️ More info
🍏 EU organic awards
On 23 September 2022 the European Committee of the Regions will award prizes for the best organic region, best organic city, and best bio-district on EU Organic Day. The submission of the application forms is possible till 8 June 2022. ➡️ Check it out
🙏 For the header photo, we thank Raphael Renter from Unsplash.