EuroPride | |
---|---|
Status | Active |
Genre | LGBTI pride event |
Date(s) | Midyear |
Frequency | Annual |
Location(s) | Europe |
Inaugurated | 1992 |
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/RainbowFlagPosersEuroprideLondon2006_bordercropped.jpg/220px-RainbowFlagPosersEuroprideLondon2006_bordercropped.jpg)
EuroPride is a pan-European international event dedicated to LGBT pride, hosted by a different European city each year. The host city is usually one with an established pride event or a significant LGBT community.
For up to a month, numerous sporting, artistic and human rights events are staged throughout the host city. EuroPride usually culminates during a weekend with a traditional Mardi Gras-style pride parade, live music, human rights conference, special club nights, and an AIDS memorial vigil.
History
EuroPride was inaugurated in London in 1992, attended by estimated crowds of over 100,000. The following year, Berlin hosted the festivities. When Amsterdam hosted EuroPride in 1994, it turned into a financial disaster, leaving debts of approximately 450,000 euros. In 1996, EuroPride moved to Copenhagen, where it enjoyed strong support from city leaders. The organisers were successful on all fronts but not able to achieve a financial surplus.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/33/Lady_Gaga_EuroPride_2011_04.jpg/230px-Lady_Gaga_EuroPride_2011_04.jpg)
Paris hosted EuroPride in 1997. The festival had numerous commercial sponsors and was widely hailed as a success. During the parade, over 300,000 people marched to the Bastille. Stockholm was the host city in 1998. London was to host EuroPride again in 1999, but the event was canceled when the organisers went bankrupt.
In 2000, WorldPride took place for the first time and, as has happened each time since, when WorldPride is in Europe, no separate EuroPride takes place. The event took place in Rome and was well-attended by LGBT people from all over the world. After initially supporting the event, city leaders pulled their support just days before due to pressure exerted by the Vatican, which was organising its Great Jubilee.
Vienna hosted the 2001 EuroPride, drawing large crowds from Central Europe. In 2002, Köln (Cologne), Germany, held the then-biggest ever EuroPride; officials estimated crowds to number well over one million. EuroPride was hosted by Manchester in 2003, and Hamburg in 2004.[1] Oslo hosted it in 2005, with Ian McKellen as the guest of honour.
London hosted the event in 2006, organising a two-week festival culminating in a parade on the final day (1 July) in which marchers were invited to walk down Oxford Street, one of the city's busiest shopping streets, the first time they had been legally allowed to do so. The parade was attended by Mayor of London Ken Livingstone, Conservative MP Alan Duncan, human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, and the first transgender MEP, Italian Vladimir Luxuria.
Following the parade, events were held in three of the capital's squares: a rally in Trafalgar Square addressed by Ian McKellen, and entertainment in Leicester and Soho Squares. EuroPride 2006 marked the first time that London's main pride rally and entertainment areas were staged within the city itself, rather than in open parks.
In 2007, Madrid hosted EuroPride, which took place in Chueca, the capital's gay village, during the last week in June. Madrid was chosen because of the gay marriage and gender identity laws Spain had passed during the previous two years. More than 1.2 million people attended the final parade as it passed through the downtown streets of Alcalá, and Gran Vía, ending up at Plaza de España. For the first time, Madrid City Hall contributed financing to the MADO (Madrid Orgullo) organisation. In addition, a private event, the Infinitamentegay Party, took place in Casa de Campo Park.
In 2008, the Stockholm Pride organization[2] organised EuroPride for a second time, held from 25 June to 3 August in Stockholm, a decade after hosting EuroPride 1998.
Zurich hosted EuroPride in 2009 with a month-long roster of events from 2 May to 7 June, culminating in a parade through downtown Zurich on 6 June.[3]
The 2010 event was held in Warsaw, Poland.[4] Organisers prepared multifaceted events between July 9 to 18. The Parade took place on July 17. It marked the first time this pan-European LGBT celebration took place in a former communist country. The Warsaw EuroPride formulated, as its main theme, a demand for legalisation of same sex civil partnerships.[5]
In 2011, EuroPride returned to Rome. Hosted by Claudia Gerini, the parade closed with a performance and a speech by Lady Gaga at the Circus Maximus. That year one million people took part.[6]
The 2013 EuroPride was in Marseille, France from July 10–20,[7] focusing on gay marriage in France and celebrated the biggest gay wedding in Europe [8]
The 2016 EuroPride returned to Amsterdam. UK singer/songwriter Tara McDonald sang her single "I Need A Miracle" which was chosen as the EuroPride anthem and was remixed by Gregor Salto. [9] [10] [11]
There was no EuroPride in 2017 as WorldPride took place in Madrid.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0b/Rainbow_flag_%28%22Progress%22_variant_by_Daniel_Quasar%29_at_EuroPride_2019_%28Vienna%29.jpg/220px-Rainbow_flag_%28%22Progress%22_variant_by_Daniel_Quasar%29_at_EuroPride_2019_%28Vienna%29.jpg)
In June 2019, President of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen became the first head of state to address a EuroPride parade.[12][13]
WorldPride
The European Pride Organisers Association, which licences EuroPride and owns the trademark, has decided that a WorldPride event held in Europe also automatically carries the title of EuroPride.
The first WorldPride was held in Rome in 2000 (see above). The second WorldPride was held in Jerusalem in 2005–2006.
London, also hosting the 2012 Summer Olympics, beat out competing candidate, Stockholm, in the fall of 2008 to hold WorldPride 2012, which was held from 23 June to 8 July.
WorldPride 2017 was held in Madrid, and WorldPride 2021 was held in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Madrid success
Madrid's EuroPride 2007 was the most well-attended event at the time, with an estimated 2.5 million visitors. This huge attendance was not only a success for Madrid, but for the whole LGBT Spanish community, due to the celebration of the change of terms in the laws related to gay marriage and adoptions.
Madrid was one of the first Spanish cities celebrating the legalization of gay marriage, with the support of all political parties, even the conservatives in the Government, headed by the ex-mayor of the city, Alberto Ruíz Gallardón from Partido Popular.
Due to these and other advances in same-sex freedom and social progress, Madrid was chosen in 2012 to host WorldPride 2017.
Host cities
Edn | Year | Location | Organization | Theme | Dates | Pax |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | 1992 | ![]() |
— | 100,000[14] | ||
2nd | 1993 | ![]() |
— | |||
3rd | 1994 | ![]() |
— | approx. 120.000 | ||
- | 1995 | Not held | ||||
4th | 1996 | ![]() |
Copenhagen Pride Association | — | approx. 35,000 | |
5th | 1997 | ![]() |
— | |||
6th | 1998 | ![]() |
— | |||
- | 1999 | Not held | ||||
7th | 2000 | ![]() |
Circolo di Cultura Omosessuale Mario Mieli - [15] | In Pride We Trust | 1 July – 8 July | approx. 500,000 |
8th | 2001 | ![]() |
— | |||
9th | 2002 | ![]() |
Kölner Lesben- und Schwulentag e.V. (KLuST) | Cologne celebrates diversity | 15 June – 7 July | approx. 1,200,000 |
10th | 2003 | ![]() |
Marketing Manchester | — | 15 August - 25 August | approx. 37,000 [16] |
11th | 2004 | ![]() |
Hamburg Pride e.V. | Love breaks barriers | 4 June – 13 June | approx. 500,000 |
12th | 2005 | ![]() |
Europride Oslo As | — | 18 June – 27 June | 70–100,000 |
13th | 2006 | ![]() |
— | 600,000[17] | ||
14th | 2007 | ![]() |
Spanish LGBT Collective Organization | Now Europe, Equality is possible | 22 June – 2 July | approx 2,500,000 |
15th | 2008 | ![]() |
Stockholm Pride Agency[18] | Swedish Sin Breaking Borders | 25 July – 3 August | approx 80,000 |
16th | 2009 | ![]() |
EuroPride 09 Organising Association[19] | Celebrating 40 years with Pride | 2 May – 7 June | approx 100,000 |
17th | 2010 | ![]() |
Equality Foundation (Fundacja Równości) | Freedom, equality, tolerance! | 7 July – 17 July | approx 8,000 - 15,000[20][21] |
18th | 2011 | ![]() |
Circolo di Cultura Omosessuale Mario Mieli[22] | Build Your Pride! | 2 June – 12 June | approx. 1,000,000 |
19th | 2012 | ![]() |
Pride London | — | 23 June – 8 July | — |
20th | 2013 | ![]() |
LGP Marseille | L'Europe en marche pour l'égalité - Europe on the move for equality! | 10 July – 20 July | — |
21st | 2014 | ![]() |
Oslo Pride AS | — | 20 June – 29 June[24] | — |
22nd | 2015 | ![]() |
LGBT and their friends association MOZAĪKA | Be the Change! Make History! Changing history is hot! | 15 June – 21 June | approx. 5,000[26] |
23rd | 2016 | ![]() |
Stichting Amsterdam Gay Pride | JOIN our freedom, feel free to join us! | 26 July – 7 August | approx. 560,000[28] |
24th | 2017 | ![]() |
Spanish LGBT Collective Organization | For the LGBT rights over the world | 23 June – 2 July | approx. 3,000,000[30][31] |
25th | 2018 | ![]() |
Stockholm Pride & West Pride (Gothenburg) | Two Cities, One Festival - for a United Europe | 27 July – 19 August | approx. 60,000[32] |
26th | 2019 | ![]() |
HOSI Wien | Visions of Pride | 1 June – 16 June | approx. 500,000[33] |
- | 2020 | ![]() |
Not held due to Covid pandemic[a] | Welcome to the future, where everyone can join | — | |
27th | 2021 | ![]() |
Copenhagen Pride and Copenhagen 2021 | You Are Included | 12 August – 22 August | |
28th | 2022 | ![]() |
Belgrade Pride | It's time | 12 September – 18 September[b] | approx. 10,000[39][40] |
29th | 2023 | ![]() |
Malta Pride | Equality from the Heart | 7 September – 17 September | over 38,000[41] |
30th | 2024 | ![]() |
Thessaloniki Pride | Persevere - Progress - Prosper | 21 June - 29 June | approx. 27,000 |
31st | 2025 | ![]() |
ILGA Portugal, Variações, rede ex aequo, AMPLOS | 14 June – 21 June | ||
32nd | 2026 | ![]() |
Pride Amsterdam | 25 July – 8 August |
European Pride Organisers Association
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Human_Rights_Conference_at_Stockholm_Pride_2018_Closing_Session_04.jpg/220px-Human_Rights_Conference_at_Stockholm_Pride_2018_Closing_Session_04.jpg)
The European Pride Organisers Association (often shortened to EPOA or EuroPride) owns the EuroPride trademark and licenses its use to one Pride organisation each year.
Pride organisers from across Europe discussed the creation of a European network at conferences of InterPride and the International Lesbian & Gay Association (ILGA) in the early 1990s, and the first formal meeting of EPOA was convened in Copenhagen in 1995.
EPOA is a small organisation with eight elected board members, all of whom serve with Pride organisations in Europe. It has no paid staff, and has its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. The board meets several times each year, often holding a meeting in a city holding its Pride event that weekend.
Any Pride organisation can become a member of EPOA upon payment of a membership fee. This gives the organisation voting rights at the Annual General Meeting, including on votes on future EuroPride bids. Membership to EPOA automatically makes a Pride a member of InterPride, its international equivalent. EPOA has more than 130 members across Europe.
The president of EPOA since October 2023 is Ukrainian human rights activist, Lenny Emson.
See also
Footnotes
- ^ The EuroPride 2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- ^ The Government of Serbia initially banned the parade walk,[36] although on 17 September it approved that the parade could take place.[37] Minor incidents during the parade walk happened, orchestrated by opponents of Europride.[38]
References
- ^ "EuroPride Seeks to Break Barriers in EU | Culture | DW.DE | 13.06.2004". Dw-world.de. 27 January 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
- ^ "official Stockholm Pride organization website in English". Stockholmpride.org. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
- ^ "official Zurich Pride organization website in English". Europride09.eu. Archived from the original on 19 December 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
- ^ "Poland hosts landmark European gay pride". BBC. 17 July 2010. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
- ^ "Warschau - Europride 2010". Europride2010.eu. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
- ^ "Un milione all'Europride di Roma Lady Gaga incanta il Circo Massimo "Non siete soli a chiedere amore" - Diretta aggiornata alle 22:05 del 11 giugno 2011". Repubblica.it. Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
- ^ "Default Parallels Plesk Panel Page". Europride2013.com. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
- ^ "2013 Mariage pour tous l Ceremonie Europride 2013". Clubeuropride.com. Archived from the original on 6 July 2013. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
- ^ "Tara McDonald's 'I Need a Miracle' is EuroPride Anthem | News". MN2S. 23 June 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- ^ "Tara McDonald présente l'hymne de l'Europride 2016". Hellocoton.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 3 July 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- ^ Newsdesk (1 July 2016). "Tara McDonald releases gay anthem for pride". THEGAYUK. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- ^ "Twitter". mobile.twitter.com. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- ^ "Halbe Million bei Regenbogenparade". ORF (in German). 15 June 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- ^ Black, Peter; Robert Kuta, Stephen (2019). Jubilee - London Pride 2019. London: Black and Kuta Press. p. 28. ISBN 9781916273900.
- ^ "official website Circolo di Cultura Omosessuale Mario Mieli - Roma World Pride organisation association (in Italian)". Mariomieli.org. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
- ^ "History of Manchester Pride". Manchester Pride. Manchester Pride Limited. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
- ^ Black, Peter; Robert Kuta, Stephen (2019). Jubilee - London Pride 2019. London: Black and Kuta Press. p. 28. ISBN 9781916273900.
- ^ "official website Stockholm Pride organisation (in English and Swedish)". Stockholmpride.org. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
- ^ "official website EuroPride 09 Organising Association (in German, English, and French)". Europride09.eu. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
- ^ "8 tysięcy osób uczestniczyło w warszawskiej EuroPride - WPROST". Wprost.pl. 17 July 2010. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
- ^ "News from Poland". Thenews.pl. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
- ^ "official website Roma Pride organisation (under construction)" (in Italian). Europrideroma.eu. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
- ^ "EuroPride 2014 goes to Oslo, Norway". Europride.info. Archived from the original on 15 February 2013. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
- ^ "EuroPride Oslo 2014 - Oslo, Norway - Community Organization". Facebook. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
- ^ "BREAKING NEWS: RIGA WILL HOST EUROPRIDE 2015". Skapis.eu. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
- ^ "Liveblog: EuroPride 2015 in Riga". lsm.lv. 20 June 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
- ^ "Amsterdam 2016". Europride.com. 19 February 2016. Archived from the original on 23 August 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
- ^ "RTLnieuws: Recorddrukte Canal Parade geëvenaard". 6 August 2016. Archived from the original on 4 August 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
- ^ Littauer, Dan (8 October 2012). "Madrid to host 2017 World Gay Pride". Gaystarnews.com. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2013.
- ^ "WorldPride Madrid 2017: all you need to know - goMadridPride". goMadridPride (in European Spanish). 1 February 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
- ^ "Madrid Welcomed 3 Million for WorldPride | Hotspots! Magazine". Hotspots! Magazine. 12 July 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
- ^ Wong, Curtis M. (22 August 2018). "EuroPride 2018 Is A Colorful (And Inclusive) Tale Of 2 Swedish Cities". Huffington Post. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
- ^ "Politik: "Alles gut gegangen": Halbe Million bei Regenbogenparade". wien.ORF.at (in German). 15 June 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
- ^ "EuroPride 2020 Thessaloniki (CANCELLED) - gay Pride in Greece - Travel Gay". www.travelgay.com. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
- ^ "Belgrade wins EuroPride 2022 in landslide vote". Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ "Vulin poručio da ostaje na snazi zabrana Evroprajd šetnje u Beogradu" (in Serbian). 16 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
- ^ Đurić, Vanja; Đurić, Dimitrije (17 September 2022). "Vlada garantovala bezbednost, organizatori kažu – parada odobrena, ali incidenti" (in Serbian). Retrieved 17 September 2022.
- ^ "Protivnici Prajda gazili LGBT zastavu i pevali pesme" (in Serbian). 17 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
- ^ "Organizatori: Gotovo 10.000 ljudi u šetnji i borbi za ravnopravnost". N1. 17 September 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
- ^ "Arhiv javnih skupova: U šetnji učestvovalo oko 4.000 ljudi, drugi najbrojniji beogradski Prajd". Danas. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
- ^ "EuroPride Valletta 2023 'a success', organisers say". The Malta Independent. 17 September 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
- ^ "Application information". epoa.eu.
- ^ "Στη Θεσσαλονίκη το Europride 2024 (Europride 2024 at Thessaloniki)". Newsbeast (in Greek). 4 October 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2020.