With delegates coming from Kyrgyzstan, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, and from all over the UK, as well as speakers beaming in from Nigeria, Pakistan and Bangladesh, the event saw over 20+ nation states represented during the first Safer To Be Me Symposium, organised by human rights charity ReportOUT in partnership with the University of Sunderland.
An iconic dress made of 68 flags of nations where homosexuality is illegal has arrived in the UK for the very first time, unveiled in Sunderland as part of an international LGBTQ+ conference being hosted in the city.
The Amsterdam Rainbow Dress is a living work of art, made of all the national flags from countries where being LGBTQ+ is illegal, on penalty of imprisonment, torture or capital punishment. When a country adopts LGBTQ+ inclusive legislation, the respective flag is replaced with a rainbow flag.
A stellar line up of music stars will be celebrating key workers at a special festival in Sunderland later this month
