Last weekend, around 200 trans activists gathered in Ljubljana, Slovenia, to take part in the TGEU European and Central Asian Trans Council. An Irish delegation also joined the gathering, a major event for the trans rights movement in Europe and beyond.

Taking place from September 11 to 13, the TGEU Council provided a space for trans activists from Europe and Central Asia to come together to share experiences, assess political changes and develop common strategies for advocacy.

The event is held every two years, with the 2026 theme being ‘Transphoria: collectively resist and celebrate again and again’. The theme was chosen to reflect the urgency of the current political climate, where attacks against the community are rampant, as well as the resilience of trans people amid hostile conditions.

“This year’s Council theme, Transphoria, joins resistance and celebration,” said Isa Nico Borrelli, Chair of the Board of TGEU. “We resist so that we can live, and we live to celebrate. It is not by accident that our communities are the pillars of the fight for human rights.

“There is always a tension between wanting to walk away from what hurts us and choosing, again, to stay. And gathering in this capacity says, ‘We are here to stay’.”

One key session at the TGEU Council focused on combating anti-trans legislation and policy. The discussion featured Yanna Parnin of the Council of Europe’s SOGIESC Unit and Susanne Knöfel of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers (DG JUST).

Another important session, titled EU’s neighbourhood as the new battleground: Trans people on the frontlines of the movement for democracy and European integration, brought together perspectives from Montenegro, Ukraine, Türkiye and Slovenia.

“Trans rights are increasingly being used as a political battleground across our region,” said Executive Director of TGEU Juliane Rosin. “The same forces attacking the human rights of trans people are challenging the rights of all marginalised people, as well as democratic institutions, civil society and the principle that everyone should be able to live with dignity and respect.”

“Governments, institutions and national policymakers have a responsibility to respond to this growing backlash and to ensure that fundamental rights are protected in practice, not only on paper.”

 

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Participants in the TGEU Council also examined strategic litigation before European and international courts, the implementation of the Common European Asylum System and the experiences of trans asylum seekers and refugees, as well as digital rights, online hate and the impact of emerging technologies.

“Bringing trans activists together from across Europe and Central Asia is essential to building the political strategies, alliances and solidarity we need, not only to respond to today’s challenges but to defend and advance trans rights across the region in the years ahead,” Rosin added.

Joining the major event was a delegation of activists from Ireland, including TENI Research and Policy Manager, Luna Liboni, and former chairperson of TENI, Sara Phillips. The pair brought Ireland’s perspective to the Council, building important networking opportunities for campaigners in our country.

Commenting on the importance of the event, Daire Dempsey, Executive Director of TENI, said: “TGEU Council is always an invaluable opportunity to connect and work with other trans activists and organisers from across Europe and Central Asia.

“TENI was represented by our Research and Policy Manager, Luna Liboni, who brings expertise from Ireland to the council, and we’ll benefit immensely from the connections they forged with other activists. It is so important in the current climate that we maintain spaces to meet, strategise, build friendships and community, share tactics and methods of resistance – we’re stronger together, and we’ll win together.”