The International LGBTQI+ Activism Summit is the annual culmination of the Online Program for LGBTQI+ Advocacy and Leadership. It brings together a selected group of LGBTQI+ leaders from the Changemakers Network at the Harvard Kennedy School for an immersive, in-person convening. Participants present their theories of change and share firsthand accounts of success and setback in the global movement for equality, building relationships with peers working in some of the most challenging contexts for LGBTQI+ rights.
Since its launch in 2023, the summit has convened LGBTQI+ activists advancing equality in countries where rights are limited, contested, or actively under threat. Early summits brought together small cohorts of global leaders for intensive collaboration, reflection, and skills-building grounded in real-world advocacy challenges.
As the summit has grown, it has welcomed increasingly diverse and competitive cohorts selected from a global applicant pool. Over several days, participants exchange proven strategies for catalyzing powerful social movements, confronting stigma, and dismantling harmful myths that endanger their communities. Participants return home strengthened by new networks, shared learning, and practical tools to challenge discrimination and pursue lasting systemic change.