Scholarships to ILGA-Europe's annual conferences have long been a very important way of supporting the development of LGBT human rights activism, particularly in Eastern and South Eastern Europe and for the transgender community.

Participation in these conferences has enormous benefits for these activists, who are often working with considerable courage in a very hostile environment.

In a wide range of plenary sessions and workshops, running over four days, they obtain know-how in many fields, both around organising and campaigning at the national level (e.g. fundraising, handling the media, political lobbying), and obtaining support at European level, both from activists in other countries, and from the European institutions (EU, Council of Europe and Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe). They are also enabled to make contacts and share experiences more informally, often leading to very productive bilateral cooperation in projects, mutual support etc. And they gain inspiration and strength both from the keynote speeches by prominent politicians and leadership figures, and through the realisation that they are not alone in their struggles, but part of a wider European and global movement.

An important focus for the Sofia conference will be freedom of assembly, and the challenges to Pride organising in Central and Eastern Europe. The summer has seen so many developments in this crucial campaign. The courage and determination of ordinary LGBT people has repeatedly been met with hatred and violence. One bright light has been the overwhelming and outspoken support of the European institutions. Tthe conference will provide an important opportunity for activists to share their experiences, and exchange their ideas for carrying forward the campaign in 2007.

Last year ILGA-Europe set up a "scholarship angels" scheme to enable supporters - both organisations and individuals - to contribute a sum of money each year towards the conference scholarship fund. Information on how to join the scholarship Angel scheme can be found at here.