The Rainbow Forum is an important annual event in Armenia and the country’s largest queer activist gathering, bringing together LGBT+ people and allies, activists and human rights defenders, professionals, and parents.

In 2026, we are once again organizing one of the most significant events of the LGBT+ movement — the 11th Rainbow Forum — under the theme: “Compliance or Resistance”.

As war, repression, and political instability continue to intensify across the world and the region, safe spaces for LGBT+ people are increasingly threatened. Many are forced either to resist or to leave their countries in search of safety, often arriving in Armenia. At the same time, the upcoming elections in Armenia are accompanied by renewed waves of manipulation and growing anti-LGBT+ and anti-gender rhetoric targeting women, trans, non-binary, and other non-heteronormative people, as well as defenders of women’s and LGBT+ rights.

This year’s forum is about our response.

The Rainbow Forum creates a safe and inclusive platform where participants can raise issues that matter, share experiences, support one another, and take part in conversations about meaningful change for the LGBT+ community in Armenia. It is also an opportunity to learn from experienced activists, human rights defenders, and allies who continue contributing to equality, dignity, and justice.