Hate crimes take many forms.

Millions of people across the globe are still subjected to violence and hate on the grounds of their LGBTI identities.

As part of the continuing effort to combat hate and help the many countries and cities still struggling to secure LGBTI rights, Cork City Council and the Cork LGBTI+ Inter-Agency Group will host the Global Rainbow Cities Network Policy Conference on Leeside this week.

Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Deirdre Forde will formally open the event this morning, Wednesday, January 18th.

This year’s theme is Combatting Hate Crime towards LGBTI+ Communities and the keynote address will be delivered by Luna Lara Liboni, Policy Officer (Equality and Hate Crime) Irish Council of Civil Liberties and Chair of the Coalition Against Hate Crime, Ireland.

“I am indeed honoured to open this international conference here in Cork City – the conference will meaningfully address policies to tackle discrimination, hate, and inequality consistently faced by the LGBTI+ community,” said Cllr Forde.

A special video message will also be sent by Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’ Gorman.

Cork City’s Sister City, San Francisco has become the first US City to join the Rainbow Cities Network. The 45th Mayor of the City and County of San Francisco, Mayor London Breed will also send Cork city and the Rainbow Cities Network her greetings in a video message.