Climate, Migration, and Belonging: Rights and Resilience
As climate change accelerates displacement, the world faces urgent questions about migration, belonging, and rights. How can global diplomacy respond to climate-driven movement in ways that protect dignity, build welcoming communities, and create pathways to new economies? At the same time, the lived realities of queer people and other marginalized groups highlight how identity intersects with displacement — compounding risks and deepening exclusion.
This session will explore the intersection of climate, migration, and identity. Together, we’ll ask: how do we reimagine refugee and immigration systems to meet the needs of people on the move, while ensuring safety, equity, and belonging for all?
Speakers
Gretchen Ehle — Impact Officer and Vice President with 20+ years in foreign policy, diplomacy, program management, and nonprofit leadership.
Hrishabh Sandilya — Co-Director of the European Philanthropic Initiative for Migration and Co-Founder of ReImagined Futures, working at the intersections of narratives, systems, and imagination.
Kelly Gramp — EVP of External Relations at IRAP, advancing fundraising and strategic communications to support safe pathways for displaced people worldwide.
Melissa Pierce — Partnerships & Foundations Officer and nonprofit leader advancing work on forced displacement, LGBTIQ+ rights, and sustainable livelihoods.
Steve Roth — Executive Director of ORAM, leading protection and empowerment initiatives for vulnerable LGBTIQ refugees and asylum seekers.
What to Expect
Unpack climate displacement – Discuss how environmental change is reshaping migration patterns and humanitarian needs.
Address belonging and rights – Explore how communities and systems can welcome and integrate displaced people with dignity.
Surface intersectional vulnerabilities – Examine how sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression shape displacement experiences.
Reimagine global diplomacy – Consider what new international frameworks are needed to meet the scale of climate-driven migration.
Why Join?
Gain insights into the realities of climate-related migration and displacement.
Learn from queer and marginalized voices at the intersection of identity and forced migration.
Contribute ideas for reimagining migration systems that prioritize rights, dignity, and belonging.
Walk away with strategies for connecting diplomacy, advocacy, and community action.
Who Should Attend?
Refugee and migration advocates, including LGBTQI+ leaders.
Funders and policymakers shaping climate, migration, and human rights agendas.
Practitioners and NGOs supporting displaced communities worldwide.
Anyone committed to building systems of belonging in an era of climate displacement.