How the #FlamingStar Social Movement let the world take action against discrimination in sports.

Background
EuroGames is one of the world’s largest LGBTQ events. It was founded to combat discrimination
and support the right to practice sport, regardless of gender or sexuality.

Challenge
Hardly anyone knows about EuroGames. With Stockholm as the host city we needed to raise the
profile of the event and its aims, and, true to the EuroGames ethos, give everyone the chance
to get involved.

Idea
The #FlamingStar initiative used Twitter and the official EuroGames logo to create a empowering
moment which democratises the fight against inequality in sport.

How it works
Twitter users could sign up to ‘Carry the Flame’ and join the movement. Each person received a
notification when they were next in line. Supporters ‘carried’ the flame exclusively for 15 minutes
before passing it to the next person.

Result
The #FlamingStar was carried by thousands, including Sweden’s Minister for Health Care and Sport
Gabriel Wikström, sport stars Nilla Fischer, Thomas Hitzlsperger, Glenn & Anton Hysén and media
outlets like Runner’s World, Women’s Health, Out Magazine, Huff Post and many more.

Both #FlamingStar and #eurogamessthlm trended in many countries during the campaign and
#FlamingStar became the most trending hashtag against discrimination in the world.

Involvement in the EuroGames event surpassed all expectations, with over 5500 participants and
250,000 visitors from 143 countries.

But much more importantly, what started as a single tweet sparked a long chain of worldwide
support and helped place a serious issue firmly on the global agenda.

Link to work
http://flamingstar.eurogamesstockholm.com/

More about EuroGames and the subsequent #flamingstar movement
Swedish Radio interview I Runner’s World I Finest I LGBT football I LBB I Aftonbladet I Huffington Post
Women’s Health I SVT Edit I TV4 I EGLSF