As Türkiye intensifies its crackdown on LGBTQIA2+ communities, the business events industry must confront an uncomfortable question: who gets to belong? From human rights abuses to destination decisions in countries where LGBTQIA2+ people face discrimination, our commitments to inclusion must mean more than words. Welcome without safety is not belonging. It’s time to examine our choices, demand transparency and turn solidarity into action.

Inclusion is one of the most frequently used words in the global meetings industry, yet far less attention is paid to the conditions required to make it real. When events cross borders, laws, and legal systems, participation is not experienced equally. From sexuality and gender identity to race, disability, and socio-economic status, inclusion cannot rely on intent alone. It must be designed, guaranteed, and upheld in practice, especially when it becomes inconvenient.

Inclusion was never meant to be optional. Yet across the global meetings industry, it is increasingly treated as a “nice to have” rather than a non-negotiable. When accessibility, LGBTQ+ visibility, or racial equity are dropped to avoid discomfort or risk, neutrality becomes a choice. Inclusion that only exists when convenient is not inclusion at all.

On June 28, 2025, Budapest witnessed its most striking Pride celebration yet: tens of thousands—by some counts up to 200,000—gathered in...