Study Visit in Latvia
Active Rainbow partners organized the third study visit within the project in March 2025, in Riga.
The 5-days learning experience brought together 18 LGBTQIA+/Queer and allies youth workers, young leaders, activists, ngo staff, including coordinators and participants of the Activate Youth project.
The visit followed an experiential learning approach offering a planned, hands-on educational, personal and professional journey designed to deepen knowledge, foster networking and exchange best practices.
Participants got to learn about youth work and realities of the partner organization as well as of their local partners.
The visit was a powerful journey of connection, learning and collective action of activism. We began by building our safer and braver space, learning about the organization’s work and activities, exploring the city’s queer histories through the Riga Queer Tour, and joining the open mic event “Openly Queer Mic”, one of the most significant local events of Active Rainbow, where stories of resiliences and care brought us closer to the local community.
We got to meet with representatives from other LGBTQIA+ organizations in Latvia, such as Mozaīka, the oldest LGBTQIA+ organization, and Kustība Neons, currently the only Bi+ organization and movement in the Baltics. The conversations with them deepened our understanding of LGBTQIA+ activism in Latvia and the Baltics, legal rights struggles, and the road towards Riga Pride 2025.
Throughout the week, we stood in solidarity at the first Feminist and Intersectional March that was organized in Riga on the 8th of March, and we also visited Resiliences Centrs to learn about youth work with marginalized communities, and engaged in a moving Living Library with local activists from the queer, trans and non-binary communities. Each exchange — from ballroom culture to organizing realities — strengthened our sense of shared purpose.
Between all the sessions and visits, participants got to connect, and network, strengthening the projects’ youth work community. They got to learn more about the project too, how they can get involved in the future project activities and which good practices they could bring back to their organizations and target groups.
Activate Stories
Get a glimpse of the Study Visit and how it all unfolded through the recap video with montage moments and the video testimonials with part of the participants.