The 'Various Voices Rising' concert, featuring three LGBTQI+ choirs, will take place at the Uccle Cultural Centre on 15 June.
The event, which aims to promote queer rights at the European level, will “challenge norms, change attitudes and awaken consciousness,” organisers say. It will take place a week after European elections that are likely to be marked by the rise of far-right ideologies.
Participating groups will include Voces Gaudii, an LGBTQI+ choir from Poland. Its very existence helps to raise visibility for the queer community of a country currently ranked last in the European Union’s 'Rainbow Index' by the independent umbrella organisation Ilga-Europe.
Joining it will be DynamiQ Voices, a young queer choir from the Netherlands formed in 2022. Despite being from a country at the forefront of LGBTQI+ rights, the choir emphasises that progress still needs to be made.
The third group, Sing Out Brussels!, is a Belgium-based choir that has been singing for six years for “a more inclusive society.” Reflecting Brussels’ international identity, it includes an impressive array of 20 different nationalities and 15 spoken languages. Sing Out Brussels! recently performed under the aegis of the Belgian presidency of the European Union at a ceremony marking the signing of a commitment by 18 EU member States to advance policies enhancing LGBTQI+ rights across Europe.
Supported by Maëlle De Brouwer (Ecolo), Alderwoman for Equal Opportunities in Uccle, the concert will serve as a prelude to the 'Various Voices' European LGBTQI+ choir festival.
Scheduled for Brussels in 2026, this major event will bring together 120 choirs and 4,000 choristers for five days.
