Empirical Study on Raising the Rainbow Flag by Diplomatic Missions

Many countries are displaying rainbow flags at their diplomatic missions, a practice that began in 2008 and has gained significant attention since then. This article provides a global overview of this trend based on public sources and a questionnaire survey. It explores the emergence, development, and implications of the raising of the rainbow flag by missions abroad as a visible support for LGBTI rights in bilateral diplomacy. The article categorises countries according to their stance on this issue – supportive, opposing, or neutral. Although this practice lacks explicit legal foundations in international law, including the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, it is still governed by the general duties of the sending state when it is performing diplomatic activities in the receiving state. The study reveals that the flying of the rainbow flag by diplomatic missions ref lects the given state’s political position on LGBTI rights and enhances our understanding of the intersection of diplomacy, human rights, and international law in this matter.