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Illustration: Julian Rentzsch
‘We need a seat at the table – not next to it’
Anila Noor is the spokesperson of a network for refugee women and LBTIQ+ individuals. With GIZ support, the network empowers women who have been forcibly displaced to connect with each other and shape political processes directly.
The online exhibition ‘Boundless Love: When Love Crosses Borders’ tells the moving stories of LGBTIQ+ people who have had to leave their home countries. The exhibition explores their journeys and looks at overcoming fear, rejection and violence. People from different countries were looking for a safe place, and found it in Serbia. Here, they were supported by the Rainbow Migration Network (RMN), an alliance of civil society organisations.
Sever Zolak/RMN
The exhibition was initiated by the Rainbow Migration Network. The network is currently being supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) as part of a project to prevent and tackle the smuggling and trafficking of human beings in the Western Balkans. The RMN is an example of Germany’s commitment to LGBTIQ+ rights in international cooperation. Some of the LGBTIQ+ people who have experienced displacement and received support have spoken anonymously.
Sever Zolak/RMN
‘I left my home country to escape persecution, seeking a life where my identity as an LGBTIQ+ person wouldn’t put me in danger. Where I come from, concepts like democracy and human rights are not just distant ideas – they’re completely foreign.’
Sever Zolak/RMN
‘Life in Serbia is not without its challenges, but it is a far brighter place for me than Iran ever was. Here, I have found something I thought I’d lost forever – a sense of belonging.’
Sever Zolak/RMN
‘For years, I was trapped in a cycle of fear and rejection. But through it all, I’ve learned something powerful: love can heal. The love I’ve found in supportive communities, the care I’ve received from organisations, and the hope that one day I will live freely have all given me the strength to keep going.’
Sever Zolak/RMN
‘Love, I’ve come to realise, is what has carried me through all these borders – helping me find a home, not just in a new country, but within myself. Helping me get out of the shadow and find a whole new magical palette of colours.’