The Commissioner for the Protection of Equality and the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade marked the International Day Against Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Biphobia, Transphobia and Interphobia (IDAHOT+) with a ceremonial event held at the “Svetozar Marković” University Library on 14 May. Under the slogan “Equality at the Heart of Democracy”, the event brought together high-level officials and representatives of international organisations to highlight the position of the LGBTI+ community in Serbia.

Opening remarks were delivered by Equality Commissioner Milan Antonijević, Head of Council of Europe Office in Belgrade Janos Babity, Deputy Head of EU Delegation in Serbia Plamena Halacheva, as well as the ambassadors of Switzerland and the Netherlands.

Commissioner Antonijević stressed that respect for human rights is the common denominator of all societies striving to be progressive and democratic. He emphasised that dialogue is key to addressing social challenges, as it allows individuals to feel accepted and included.

“We must affirm that our values are values of respect for the dignity of every citizen of Serbia and the possibility for every citizen to live with dignity, in line with the Constitution and the guarantees it provides,” said the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality.

Babity noted that for many LGBTIQ+ persons across Europe, hostility, intimidation and discrimination remain part of everyday life- whether in public spaces, online, at work or simply while trying to live openly and safely.

“That is precisely why today’s gathering matters, because it forms part of a much broader and increasingly urgent conversation. The very theme of this day underlines a fundamental truth: equality lies at the very heart of democracy itself. This includes the equality of LGBTIQ+ persons,” Babity said.

Halacheva said that this year’s theme, “At the Heart of Democracy”, is not merely a title, but a challenge.

“Democracy is not measured by laws on paper, speeches or conferences. It is measured by whether those laws work for everyone — not only for the powerful, not only for the majority, but especially for the vulnerable. When LGBTIQ+ persons are denied equality, safety or dignity, democracy itself fails. And a European Union that leaves anyone behind is not the Union we promised to build,” Halacheva stressed.

The conference also presented research findings showing that people in Serbia continue to express the greatest social distance towards the LGBTI community. Although the Commissioner’s institution records a high rate of compliance with its recommendations, this rate remains the lowest in cases involving discrimination against LGBTI persons, who rarely report incidents personally due to fears for their safety.

The programme also featured the exhibition “Trans Balkan” by Aleksandar Crnogorac and the walking tour “Erased Spaces”, which guided participants through historical sites of queer resistance in Belgrade.

A special part of the event was dedicated to presenting the Commissioner’s initiative to the City of Belgrade to redesign the area in front of the institution’s headquarters on King Alexander Boulevard, which is set to be named “Equality Park”. The initiative aims to symbolise the importance of human rights and tolerance for the well-being of society. Work on the park began with the planting of flowers, while city authorities plan to complete the park according to a conceptual design developed by students of the Faculty of Forestry by autumn, when its official opening is expected.

This year’s marking forms part of a three-day programme in Novi Sad and Belgrade aimed at fostering a fairer society through a culture of dialogue. The event was organised within the action “Combating Discrimination and Promoting Diversity in Serbia”, which is part of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”, in partnership with the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality and in co-operation with the Embassies of Germany, Switzerland, France and the United Kingdom, as well as the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).