CONNECT — QUEER NEWCOMERS PROGRAM 16 June 2026 Q Factory (second floor), Amsterdam

How do we create spaces where we can connect, reflect, and act together?

As part of Refugee Welcome Week 2026, this gathering brings together queer (LGBTQIA+) newcomers, community members, allies, and organisations for an afternoon of dialogue, reflection, and collective exchange. Through presentations, dialogue, and community exchange, we come together to strengthen networks, share knowledge, and imagine futures rooted in solidarity, safety, and belonging.

What to expect:

13:00 – Welcome & Arrival: A moment to settle in, meet others, and enter the space together.

15:30 – 17:00 Community Dialogue & Exchange: Conversations exploring the realities, needs, and aspirations of queer newcomers in the Netherlands.

17:30 – 18:15  Stories, Knowledge & Collective Reflection :Presentations and shared experiences creating space for learning, visibility, and mutual support.

Keynote by Prof. Dr Halleh Ghorashi from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam/ Refugee Academy.

18:30 – 19:30 Networking & Community Building: An opportunity to connect with organisations, activists, and community members working toward more inclusive futures.

19:30 | Community Dinner: Shared dinner and informal networking with participants, organisers, and speakers.

Hosted by Queer Work, Trans United Europe, ARQ, and Refugee Academy (Vrije Universiteit).

This gathering asks how we move beyond isolation and toward community. How can connection become a form of care, solidarity, and collective action?

About Refugee Welcome Week

Refugee Welcome Week NL 2026 is a refugee-led programme bringing together young refugees and newcomers across four Dutch cities. Over two weeks, participants take the lead as performers, curators, hosts, producers, and storytellers, creating spaces of connection through art, discussion, film, music, food, and community action. Refugee Welcome Week NL is part of the wider international Refugee Week movement and is organised in close partnership with Refugee Week UK. Explore the full programme at refugeewelcomeweek.nl.