The First National Meeting of LGBTIQ+ Trade Unionists "León Zuleta and Diana Navarro" was held on November 13 and 14, an unprecedented event in the history of Colombian trade unionism.

Organized by PSI together with the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of Equality and Equity, the CUT, the CTC, the CGT and other allied organizations, the event brought together people from different territories, international delegations, institutional and trade union representatives, and was attended by the person Minister of Equality, Juan Carlos Florián Silva, and representatives of the PSI Inter-American Committee of LGBTQIA+ People.

The more than 115 participants of the meeting opened a new path for inclusion, equality and union transformation. For these people, the event was a deeply meaningful space to recognize themselves, share experiences and affirm the importance of having their own place within trade unionism. As stated in the Political Manifesto, which was drafted and approved during the space, "we are an active part of the labor movement and we have the responsibility to transform labor and union spaces into safe, inclusive and diverse places."

In this sense, PSI also reiterated its commitment to union transformation. Deiby Porras, coordinator of PSI's Inter-American LGBTIQ+ Committee, stressed that "we require real articulation in the trade union movement to transform our organizations and ensure truly inclusive workspaces." This message resonated strongly among the participants, reminding them that historical debts can only be settled with political will, collective organization and sustained advocacy.

The approved Manifesto warns, with a collective voice, that "LGBTIQ+ people face daily, recurrent and systematic challenges to our human and trade union rights."

With this conviction, the Meeting achieved one of its most important milestones: the constitution of the National Network of LGBTIQ+ Trade Unionists, a space that seeks to strengthen leadership, influence public policies and ensure that their demands are present in the trade union agenda. As they point out, "we need to organize ourselves to build the unions we dream of and the societies we want".

"This meeting served to create a platform, the National Network of LGBTIQ+ Workers. An exercise of power, of participatory organization, which is what they seek at a horizontal level with the national government through the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Equality, who have advocated for this meeting to take place, in order to generate public policies that recognize human diversity as part of the working class," said the Minister of Equality and Equity of Colombia, Juan Carlos Florián Silva.

A milestone for trade unionism and for equality.

During the two days, panels were held on inclusive collective bargaining, public policies, implementation of ILO Convention 190, prevention of violence and discrimination, occupational safety and health and other key issues for the guarantee of rights of LGBTIQ+ people in the labor and trade union sphere. It was attended by representatives of various institutions such as the Attorney General's Office, the Ombudsman's Office, Public Function, the Mayor's Office of Bogota and the Minister of the Ministry of Equality and Equity.

The event concluded with two fundamental results:

• the approval of the Political Manifesto of the LGBTIQ+ trade unionists, and

• the creation of the National Network of LGBTIQ+ Trade Unionists of Colombia.

These milestones mark a before and after in the history of Colombian trade unionism: for the first time, an LGBTIQ+ trade union agenda is built and led by those who live these realities within their workplaces and organizations.