2022 Special Event

YOUR EUROPRIDE POWER SESSION ON WORKPLACE INCLUSION AND LGBTIQ BUSINESS!

16th September 2022, 14:00 - 17:00

Livestream from Belgrade, Serbia

 
 

About

Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, guests the 2022 EuroPride and will be the place to be for everybody who is engaged in the progress of the European LGBTIQ communities. East meets West is quite happy to support this international event by bringing the needed special attention to LGBTIQ Diversity & Inclusion in a Business Environment. In an afternoon session, we will discuss the 2 main topics: Workplace Inclusion and LGBTIQ entrepreneurship.

East meets West will do, what they are good at: bringing together a variety of specialists on the 2 subjects and offer this way a true picture of Workplace Inclusion and LGBTIQ Business maturity in Serbia and the rest of the CEE countries. But at the same time, we will inform, inspire and activate you with best practice examples, authentic testimonials and know how which has remained ‘hidden’ for many of you. After this afternoon session, you will be motivated to proceed to the next step and boost your successes locally. This East meets West Session will boost networking opportunities and allow you to make new valuable contacts.

 

The Program

The audience will include, next to the participants of the Euro Pride also national or international companies (corporates) with existing or planned operations in Serbia, who are looking for a fitting D/I strategy for their local Serbian branches. We invite their D&I teams, LGBTIQ ERG (Employee Resource Groups) or HR professionals. But the audience will also include LGBTIQ entrepreneurs, diplomats, NGO’s and people interested and involved in the well being of their LGBTIQ Community!

14:00

Official Opening

Welcoming of the participants of the East meets West EuroPride Power Session on Workplace Inclusion and LGBTIQ Business

Meet the East meets West Co-Founders

Ludo Swinnen and Pavel Šubrt, Co-founders of East meets West, introduce the audience to the East meets West World. How did it start? The strategy they follow and their activities, past and future and why they are present on the EuroPride in Belgrade?

  • Pavel Šubrt and Ludo Swinnen, Co-founders of East meets West, Austria

14:15 - 14:45

An East meets West Reality Check on Serbia

With this event, East meets West is guest in Serbia, a country that made it to top world headlines in the last few weeks. And what about the attitude towards their LGBTIQ community? East meets West is happy as guest in Serbia and wants to give our long-year ally the opportunity to offer you a unique reality check on the LGBTIQ status in her country, the existing situation and their big hopes for the future.

  • Jovanka Todorovic, Advocacy Program Coordinator at Geten, The Center for LGBTIQA People's Rights, Serbia

14:45 - 15:45

Diversity and Inclusion, the bigger picture

East meets West invited the German Author and Economist, Jens Schadendorf, to draw the bigger picture, the overall perspective of the Diversity & Inclusion topic. He is the right person to do this, just look at his last published book ‘GaYme Changer' where he offers a unique overview of the rise of LGBTIQ inclusion in global workplaces and beyond. For this one hour key session, we use the format of an interactive Ted type talk, close to a Talk Show! So this mix of a unique view on Diversity & Inclusion and an innovative format will leave no one unaffected! There will of course be ample space for Q&A!

  • Jens Schadendorf, Author and Economist, Germany

16:00 - 17:00

How to start? A practical guide for your business and for the people who should drive it

You decide to start your D&I strategy in your business or in the company you work for but how? You might be the trailblazer in your local environment but you are not the first confronted with this challenge. East meets West has invited a number of people who built up D&I in their business and who can share their experiences with you. It’s an active learning session where you will get the building blocks that will allow you to compose your own the journey, the different steps you have to take to reach your goal. No high level onesize-fits-all, but your tailor made plan! Also here we created enough opportunity for an interactive Q&A session.

  • Nikita Baranov, Head of Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at MessageBird, Germany

  • Martin Mesenhuber, Co-lead EMBRACE LGBTIQ ERG, Raiffeisen Bank International, Austria

  • Richard Fekete, ERG ERSTE COLOURS, Slovenská sporiteľňa, ERSTE GROUP BANK, Slovakia

17:00

Closing Words

East meets West says Thank you and Goodbye

 

In Serbia, from Serbia

This 2022 EuroPride event will livestream from Serbian capital Belgrade. By us being in-person in Belgrade, and streaming the event to the whole world, we want to give a special attention to the Serbian LGBTIQ situation. By doing so, we also aim to create business opportunities for local LGBTIQ owned and operated businesses and their allies.

Belgrade, capital of Serbia, is probably still quite unknown to you so this event offers you a unique opportunity to discover this city and you will not be disappointed. History, tradition, architecture, culture, art, drinks and night-life... just make your pick! Located on the Danube river, Belgrade becomes a vibrant place to hang out.

 

Supporting Partners  

Organising the special East meets West event in Belgrade during the 2022 EuroPride would not be possible without the kind help of many contacts in our network.