The Centre for Monitoring and Research (CeMI) organised a two-day training titled “Advancing LGBTI Rights: Training for Political Engagement and Activism” at Hotel Polar Star in Žabljak.
The training brought together members of the LGBTI community, representatives of non-governmental organisations, activists, political party members, and representatives of local government to strengthen their capacities for political and social engagement.
The training commenced with introductory remarks and participant registration, followed by a lecture delivered by Nenad Koprivica, who spoke about the political system of Montenegro, the role of political parties, and the opportunities for LGBTI community members to engage in political processes. Through practical examples, participants explored various forms of activism, examined the challenges of political participation, and discussed strategies to overcome the fear of discrimination.
During the interactive segment of the programme, participants worked in groups to analyse existing public campaigns available online and on social media platforms. Under the guidance of lecturer Marija Jovanović, they identified key messages, strengths and weaknesses of the campaigns and provided recommendations for their improvement.
On the second day, lecturer Jovan Ulićević delivered a session on identity protection and personal security in activism, offering concrete strategies for safeguarding privacy and ensuring safety in public spaces. Participants shared personal experiences and challenges encountered in the course of their work.
A dedicated segment of the training focused on the development of participants’ own public campaign concepts. With the support of trainers, participants designed advocacy strategies and presented their campaign ideas on the second day of the training. The event concluded with a discussion on participants’ individual plans for political engagement, followed by an evaluation and closing remarks.
The training was held within the framework of the project “A Voice for Diversity and Equality: Political Integration of the LGBTI Community in Montenegro”, implemented by CeMI in partnership with the Montenegrin LGBTI association Queer Montenegro, with financial support from the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights.
