City of Melbourne and Midsumma Festival Inc. came together on the evening of 11 May 2016 to host an exclusive and exciting discussion into the issues affecting the LGBTIQ+ community in St Petersburg and the world, exploring how beliefs in equality and communal activism can be a catalyst for change.

The evening presented a unique opportunity for LGBTIQ+ voices living overseas to share the real impacts of the recent changes to legislation, and for other LGBTIQ+ communities and human rights experts to explore the themes of LGBTIQ+ identity and the role of activism in society.

In this podcast, emcee Tom Ballard welcomed the audience to the evening’s proceedings whilst addresses are made by Midsumma board member Jamal Hakim (treasurer) and City of Melbourne chair of arts and culture Rohan Leppert.