Rainbow University
Educational platform

This is an educational platform that was created as part of the Polish-Bulgarian regional initiative for non-heteronormative people financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway from the EEA Funds under the Active Citizens Program - Regional Fund. The implementation of the initiative is based on the establishment of a strategic partnership between two organizations: the Institute for Counteracting Exclusions (Poland) and the Bilitis Foundation (Bulgaria); and taking joint actions to support the LGBTQIA+ community in both countries.

Study visit in Sofia

As part of the implementation of the "Rainbow University" initiative, a study visit to Sofia was organized at the end of September 2023, during which part of our foundation team met with the team of the Bilitis Foundation - the oldest Bulgarian organization working for the LGBTI community. During the meeting in Sofia, we discussed the situation of non-heteronormative people in Poland and Bulgaria and learned about and discussed our initiatives, including the creation of an educational platform and forum; thanks to which we contribute to change in our societies everyday. In Sofia, we also talked about our organizations, thus sharing good practices, the knowledge and application of which will allow us to take even more effective action.

During the penultimate day of the visit, we jointly organized workshops for the community around the Bilitis Foundation, the aim of which was to find a common ground for understanding, called "EMPATHICARE" by the participants, and to understand the impact of stereotypes on the perception of the world and the need to overcome them. The workshops allowed us to look at many commonly discussed issues, topics and issues from previously unknown perspectives, which contributed to the emergence of interesting thoughts and considerations related to the world around us and equality.

It was a very inspiring time, thanks to which we once again realized that our actions matter, contributing to the creation of an inclusive society.

Materials

Educational materials include various content regarding non-heteronormativity and non-heteronormative people in Polish, Bulgarian

and English. The materials include articles

and brochures containing information on, among others: safe coming out, possible ways

and forms of support for the LGBTQIA+ community or non-heteronormative people who have entered the history of the world.

The materials are a source of knowledge that can be used during lessons, lectures and workshops on equality and anti-discrimination conducted both as part of formal, non-formal and informal education.

Forum

The forum is the so-called a bridge between non-heteronormative people from Poland and Bulgaria. It is a space enabling the Polish and Bulgarian LGBTQIA+ communities to establish contact and start a dialogue that becomes an impulse to undertake joint initiatives for equality. It is also a place conducive to the exchange of one's own experiences by creating entries and commenting on them, or in other words, asking questions and obtaining answers from other users.

The discussion on the forum is moderated by the Institute for Exclusion Prevention Foundation.