National flags representing Commonwealth countries that criminalise consensual same-sex intimacy will fly in central Glasgow during the 2026 Commonwealth Games, each marked with a black mourning ribbon. The exhibition will confront the fact that same-sex relationships remain criminalised in half of the Commonwealth’s 56 member states, with many of the laws rooted in British colonial rule.
Opening in Candleriggs on Thursday 23 July, the installation will form the centrepiece of Pride House Glasgow 2026 as athletes and supporters gather in the city. Glasgow 2026 Chief Executive Phil Batty, a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, said: “To every athlete and spectator arriving in Glasgow, our message is simple: you are welcome here. You belong here.”
Many of these laws were imposed or shaped during British colonial rule, and the Zero Flags Commonwealth installation will bring that history – and its enduring present-day impact – into public view by flying national flags in Candleriggs representing Commonwealth countries that retain criminalising laws.
Each flag will carry a black mourning ribbon – a signature feature of the Zero Flags Project – while information panels and QR codes will explain the legal and human rights situation facing LGBTIQ+ people in each country.
Launching this Thursday (23 July) the exhibition will be the centrepiece of a reimagined Pride House Glasgow 2026 – the official LGBTIQ+ community space of the Games – and will remain in place throughout the Games, which run until Sunday 2 August.
Pride House will also offer information, advice and one-to-one support to athletes and their delegations Hugh Torrance, Executive Director of Pride House organisers LEAP Sports Scotland, said: “This is an exhibition that should ultimately cease to exist. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if, at a future Commonwealth Games, there were no flags left to display?”
“Zero Flags Commonwealth shines a light on the uncomfortable reality that many Commonwealth nations still criminalise consensual same-sex intimacy. It also asks us to confront how we got here and where we go next.
“Many of these laws have their roots in Britain’s colonial past, and this is a moment to acknowledge that shared history, recognise the consequences people continue to face today and work together towards meaningful progress.
“The Commonwealth has committed itself to equality and human rights for all, without discrimination. Yet there is still a great deal of work to do before that promise becomes a reality for LGBTIQ+ people.”
The Commonwealth Charter commits its members to equality and the protection and promotion of human rights for all, without discrimination on any grounds.
Glasgow played a historic role in the international Pride House movement when it hosted the first Pride House in Commonwealth Games history in 2014.
Following consultation with LGBTIQ+ communities, sporting organisations and partners, organisers have moved away from the traditional single temporary venue to create a campus of spaces, exhibitions and installations across Glasgow’s Merchant City.
The approach will take Pride House beyond four walls, bringing sport, culture, celebration and conversations about equality, inclusion and human rights directly into public spaces.
Phil Batty, CEO of Glasgow 2026 said: “There are moments when sport goes beyond the medals.
“For me, Pride House at Glasgow 2026 and the Zero Flags Commonwealth installation represent one of those moments.
“As a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, I know what it means to feel welcomed to this city; to be accepted and to be able to be your true self. For far too many people across the world, those freedoms cannot be taken for granted. That is why we are so proud that Glasgow 2026 has helped create a space and a platform for this conversation, and why I am grateful to all those who have made this powerful installation possible.
“The Commonwealth Games have always believed that sport is just the beginning. It brings together people from every corner of the Commonwealth, united by friendship, respect and shared humanity. They remind us that while we celebrate our differences, we should never accept inequality or injustice.
“Glasgow is a city that has never been afraid to stand up and speak out. It is a city that campaigns for equality and believes everyone deserves to live openly, safely and with dignity.
“To every athlete and spectator arriving into Glasgow, our message is simple, you are welcome here. You belong here. We hope you make lifelong memories and experience the warmth of a city that celebrates everyone.
“I believe a legacy of these Games is that sport can give people courage, create understanding and remind us all that everyone deserves the freedom to be themselves with pride, dignity and hope.”
Alex Johnston, Legacy Manager at Glasgow 2026, added: “Pride House 2026 will be a welcoming, vibrant and enjoyable space for LGBTIQ+ people and their allies to come together in Glasgow and celebrate the Games.
“It will provide a collective platform to influence and drive positive change for LGBTIQ+ acceptance and equality across sport and the Commonwealth.
“It will also educate, inform and showcase the best of LGBTIQ+ talent and creativity in Scotland.
“Pride House 2026 will be made in Glasgow and reaffirm the city’s reputation as an inclusive and accepting place. The campus reflects Glasgow 2026’s ambition to make use of existing venues and community assets.”
Pride House Glasgow 2026 will connect to existing Merchant City venues, including the Pride House Lounge at Woody’s, formerly Speakeasy; the Pride House Reading Room at Bigglestones Books; and the Pride House Events Room at The Boardwalk.
The Lounge will open daily from 10am until late during the Games, offering a place to watch live sport, meet others, find information and take part in events. The wider programme will include panel discussions, workshops, film screenings, live performances, exhibitions, sports activities and community gatherings.
Other public elements will include an exhibition across 12 windows at Wheatley House on Ingram Street, which highlights participation and inclusion of LGBTIQ+ people from across Scotland in sport and physical activity, and the unveiling of a community-created cyanotype Saltire by artist Alixandra Prybyla.
As part of the wider Glasgow 2026 Festival, the public Pride House Glasgow 2026 programme will run across ten weeks, creating a city-wide invitation to gather through new artworks, cultural events, sport and physical activity sessions, and community workshops celebrating the return of the Commonwealth Games to Glasgow this summer.
