Face Equality International
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International Face Equality Week

11-15 May 2026

Every year organisations and people from around the world come together in May to campaign for Face Equality.

This is a key moment in the year to celebrate facial difference, raise awareness and drive change for key issues facing our community.

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International Face Equality Week 2026

From 11-15 May 2026 we will be shining a light on the experiences of the facial difference community in hospitality settings; such as restaurants, cafes, bars and retail spaces.

For most people, socialising with friends at a café and bar or going for a meal with loved ones is an enjoyable part of everyday life.

Now imagine how you would feel if a café refused to serve you because of the way you look; or a restaurant asks you to leave because your appearance might upset the other diners. Bars are often a place where the facial difference community face comments and abuse from strangers but often staff too.

Face equality is a human right

Yet people with facial differences encounter discrimination throughout day-to-day life – often being ignored, refused service or mistreated when out and about.

Let’s change that.

We are calling on everyone to get involved with International Face Equality Week, whether you have a facial difference or not. Let’s make sure that people with facial/visible differences are seen and served.

How to take part – for community members and allies

How to take part – for hospitality and retail businesses

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International Face Equality Week 2025

My Face is a Masterpiece, My Body is a Masterpiece, 12-19 May 2025

All faces and all bodies are masterpieces. Each illustrates a unique and important story. Now that’s what we call art.  

The stories of the facial and visible difference community are often portrayed with pity and prejudice. When this is a vibrant and diverse community that should be seen, heard, and celebrated. Especially in art form.  

In 2025 we celebrated what makes you unique and got creative about self-expression, all whilst helping us to champion a world of equity and inclusion. 

Society portrays a narrow perception of beauty and unattainable standards which perpetuate insecurities. These ‘ideals’ aren’t representative of the wonderfully diverse world we live in, that’s why we created space to celebrate all masterpieces.

My face is a masterpiece because it’s unique and it’s something that I’ve had to learn to love and I think that journey is so beautiful. Now that I can see that, it makes me appreciate beauty that I haven’t seen before. – Bo

Light coloured portrait, beauty style photo of model Bo, part of the Sephora UK and FEI My Face is a Masterpiece photoshoot.

Country spotlight: Face equality in Taiwan

We’re proud to have worked so closely with the Sunshine Welfare Foundation, Taiwan, as Founder Members of Face Equality International and one of the first countries in the world to put on their own face equality event! Here, Sunshine share with us some of the challenges facing people with facial differences in Taiwan and how they are working hard to address them.

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    The mission of Face Equality International (FEI) is to mobilise the many groups and organisations, big and small, national and international, which support and represent people with facial differences and disfigurements and thereby to create the critical mass and solidarity needed to gain global attention for the campaign for face equality.

    About FEI

    Country spotlight: Face equality in Taiwan

    We’re proud to have worked so closely with the Sunshine Welfare Foundation, Taiwan, as Founder Members of Face Equality International and one of the first countries in the world to put on their own face equality event! Here, Sunshine share with us some of the challenges facing people with facial differences in Taiwan and how they are working hard to address them.

    Read More

    Facial Recognition Technology: friend or foe of the Facial Difference (FD) community?

    Background We hear from our community that facial recognition tech (‘FRT’) does not always work for them. Our 2024 community survey showed that people with facial differences report a range of difficulties with the technology, and the serious harms which can result. These can include difficulty applying for jobs, trouble accessing money through a banking […]

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    Becoming the Woman in the Portrait

    Melanie shares with us the impact of having her portrait photograph taken, touching on society’s views of difference, and how it feels to be truly seen. Photographer Martina Holmberg wins Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize 2025 with photograph featuring visible difference, a positive move for inclusion and representation in the arts.

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