Join us in taking action – here’s how
Why EuropeGoesPurple?
The #EuropeGoesPurple campaign uses purple lighting on buildings and landmarks to raise visibility and show solidarity with intersex people. Illuminating landmarks transforms familiar spaces into symbols of community, unity, and shared values, highlighting human rights and social causes. Inspired by Ireland’s successful #IrelandTurnsPurple initiative, the campaign aims to affirm intersex people, demonstrate that their rights matter, and foster public awareness and discussion across Europe and beyond.
Why You Should Join
By joining #EuropeGoesPurple, you help:
- Raise Awareness: Highlight the challenges and rights of intersex people.
- Promote Visibility: Make intersex lives and stories more visible across communities and online.
- Demonstrate Solidarity: Show support and unity for intersex people across Europe.
- Support Equality: Advocate for recognition and protection of intersex rights.
Your participation sends a clear message: intersex people are seen, their lives are valued, and their rights matter.
How to Participate
The campaign belongs to all of us. Every action counts:
Intersex people
- Share your stories, testimonies, and experiences if you wish, using campaign hashtags.
- Take part in purple-themed actions and community events.
Civil society and NGOs
- Organise events such as workshops, exhibitions, film screenings, or discussions.
- Partner with public authorities to increase visibility and impact.
- Use campaign materials to reach your networks and communities.
Public authorities
- Publicly endorse the forthcoming Recommendation and support its dissemination.
- Light up public buildings in purple and/or display the intersex flag.
- Initiate and support local events in cooperation with intersex-led CSOs.
Journalists and media
- Cover campaign events and share stories highlighting intersex realities and rights.
- Host interviews, discussions, or features with intersex advocates, experts, and allies.
- Use campaign resources, visuals, and hashtags to amplify visibility.
Everyone
- Inspire your friends, workplace, or community to join.
- Learn more about intersex people’s realities and rights – and share what you learn with others.
- Share campaign content online with the campaign hashtags.
- Participate in the “Why I Go Purple for Intersex Rights” challenge by posting a short video or message about why intersex equality matters to you.
- Join the Purple Photo Challenge by sharing images of purple displays, outfits, or campaign symbols with the hashtags.
- Take part in local events or create your own act of solidarity, big or small.
“What I never expected was the profound impact the #IrelandTurnsPurple campaign would have on intersex people. One person created a Twitter account just to reach out. They told us they had always carried their variation of sex characteristics as something hidden and shameful. But that night, after reading the conversations online, they went into Dublin city centre. They walked through the streets, seeing building after building lit in purple. As they walked along the river, they sent us a message — crying, because for the first time in their life, they felt seen, recognised, and that they belonged.”
– From the organiser of the #IrelandTurnsPurple campaign
Our Lighting Guide provides a detailed step-by-step approach how to lighting buildings and landmarks
What to do? Here’s ideas for joining the campaign
Are you a non-profit-organisation (NGO) or an institution? We have prepared campaign toolkits for you!
Where to find the campaign materials and images?
For more help with the campaign graphics and visuals you can check out the Visual Style Guide of the campaign. There you find more information about how to use the graphics and social media assets we provide, and how you can even edit them to adjust or translate messaging to fit in your context.
Already planning something?
If you like us to share your event on our Events Calendar please register your event by filling and submitting the following form:
