Prague Celebrates the Biggest Pride in Its Existence
Prague Pride has celebrated its fifth edition with the biggest parade in the history of the festival. Around 35,000 people, almost double the amount of last year, attended the parade, while several thousands more were enjoying the spectacle along the streets of the historical city centre of Prague.
The parade was opened and led by an actual unicorn, who was followed by several representatives, including the mayor of Prague, Adriana Krn�cov�. This was the first time that a Prague mayor supported and joined Prague Pride. Other special guests included Roman Catholic nun Jeannine Gramick and several Czech actresses, television hosts, politicians and other celebrities.
The parade ended at Letna Park, where an outdoor music festival with three stages was held, including a live stage with Romani music from the Roma LGBT organisation ARA ART. This was accompanied by an information market with stands of various Czech and international organisations and businesses. People could get their pictures taken, have themselves tested for HIV or get symbolically married for just one day.
Prague Pride had more organized events than ever throughout the week, over 120. The festival was spectacularly opened in Pride Village on Strelecky Island in the Vltava River. Almost 3,000 people attended the opening concert with performances by Czech singers Jaro Smejkal and Aneta Langerov� and the headliner of the evening, Austrian singer Conchita Wurst. The Pride Village was accessible all week for general information about the festival, but also for various performances, sports activities and film screenings.
Inspirational special guests had been invited to attend Prague Pride to share their personal LGBT-related stories. For example sister Jeannine Gramick from the United States, who is striving to connect the LGBT community with the Roman Catholic church. Former Icelandic prime minister Johanna Sigurdardottir and her wife Jonina Leosdottir spoke about their 30-year relationship, and how Sigurdardottir became the first openly gay prime minister in the world.
On Friday evening the London Gay Men's Chorus rocked the sold-out National Theatre. The biggest and best-known gay choir in Europe had come to Prague with more than 120 singers and gave a memorable performance with a wide selection of well-known songs.
Prague Pride has been made possible thanks to all our partners and sponsors and many volunteers who enthusiastically and selflessly helped with the organization of the festival all week long.
For more information about the 2015 Prague Pride festival, please contact our International PR Team at: [email protected]