Stockholm Pride kick-starts EuroPride with support for Warsaw Pride
As part of EuroPride, Stockholm Pride will kick off on July 25th and go through August 3, a week that promises to bring excitement, fun, and festivities to Sweden's capital city. Of course EDGE will be there, bringing our readers daily updates on the events, parties, parade and more, as well as some sure-to-be-steamy pictures of all the action.
It was announced this week that Stockholm Pride will lend support to the organizers of Warsaw Pride with a grant of 5000 Euro from their Solidarity fund. The festival, held in the polish capital, begins May 31 and representatives from Stockholm Pride will join for the closing parade on June 7.
All applications from Warsaw Pride for financial support from the Polish government and authorities have been rejected and very few companies have been brave enough to lend the needed support.
"Our polish Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender friends face harsh resistance both in politics and as individuals. It is therefore important that we support Equality Foundation, the arrangers of Warsaw Pride, both financially and by our own presence." says Jonah Nylund, president of Stockholm Pride.
The main event of the week will be the TV and Cinema Equality Film Festival held in the Luna Cinema, where the lobby will be the central area of the whole Equality Week. All the accompanying activities, exhibitions, official meetings and conferences will be held there. Mr. Tomasz Raczek, one of the biggest Polish TV and media celebrities, is the festival art-director.
"International support gives us the strength and courage to carry on our work and makes the whole event possible," says Marcin Sroczynski, coordinator of Warszawa Pride. "We hope this year's festivities with the film festival will be successful and contribute to Poland's progress on our way towards normalcy."
Stockholm Pride continuously raises money to be collected into its Solidarity fund. The funds are then used to support Pride festivals in other European countries where human rights and equality of LGBT people are still shaky. In 2007 support was given to Mozika alliance of LGBT people in Riga, Latvia.
This summer Stockholm Pride is the proud host of EuroPride July 25 - August 3. This year's theme "Swedish Sin, Breaking Borders" has an international focus, especially important as they bring attention to the troublesome situation for LGBT people in central and eastern Europe.
On the web
Warsaw Pride: www.paradarownosci.pl
Stockholm Pride: www.stockholmpride.org