West Pride

Ambassadors of Pride

Helping LGBTQ+ refugees obtain asylum.

Six silhouetted people are shown against colorful backgrounds, each with their face obscured by two horizontal bars. The backgrounds are orange, yellow, green, red, blue, and purple.

Insight

LGBTQ+ refugees flee from persecution and death simply for being who they are. To stay, they must prove what they’ve always hidden.

In a subjective and legally uncertain interview process, it’s up to the authorities to decide if they are part of the Pride community so West Pride partnered with AKQA Sweden to launch a new initiative.

A silhouette of a person against a green background with two green stripes over their eyes. Text in the center reads, Meet the Ambassadors of Pride.

Idea

LGBTQ+ refugees were given official roles in the organisation of West Pride, to make it harder for the Migration Agency to question their cases.

As the anonymous faces of the Swedish non-governmental organisation, the six refugees tell their life stories with the backing of a legal team and a public petition.

Far too many are wrongly sent back to a lifetime of persecution, imprisonment or death. We need to stop this now.

Emma Gunterberg Sachs, General Manager at West Pride

Impact

All love is equal and should include equality for everyone.

After national coverage around World Refugee Day, Minister Mikael Damberg has agreed to personally receive the list of names that demand a review of the LGBTQ+ asylum process. West Pride is also offering free legal counsel for the Ambassadors as they await decisions from the Swedish Migration Agency.