WorldPride
Encyclopedia
WorldPride, organised by InterPride, is an event that promotes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT pride) issues on an international level through parades, festivals and other cultural activities. Founded by Paul Stenson. From 2014, the 45th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots
, the event will be held on a five-year cycle. The Inaugural WorldPride was held in Rome
in 2000, subsequently the second WorldPride was awarded to Jerusalem in 2006. WorldPride 2012 was awarded to London
and coincides with the 19th Annual Europride
. The selection of WorldPride 2014 was chosen on October 18, 2009; the two candidates were Toronto and Stockholm, with Toronto
winning on the second round of voting. The host cities are selected by InterPride, an international association of pride coordinators, at their Annual General Meeting.
, New York
, United States of America, InterPride's membership voted to establish the "WorldPride" title and awarded it to the city of Rome
, Italy
during 1 July to 9 July 2000. The event was put on by the Italian gay rights group Mario Mieli along with InterPride.
Rome officials had promised to put up US$200,000 for the event, however bowing to ferocious opposition from the Vatican and conservative politicians, Rome's leftist mayor, Francesco Rutelli, on 30 May 2000 withdrew logistical and monetary support. Hours after his announcement, Rutelli mostly reversed himself in response to harsh criticism from the left. He restored the funding and promised to help with permits, but declined to back down on a demand that organizers remove the city logo from promotional materials. The event was staunchly opposed by Pope John Paul II
and seen as an infringement on the numerous Catholic Pilgrims visiting Rome for the Catholic Church's
Great Jubilee
. Pope John Paul II addressed crowds in St. Peter's Square during WorldPride 2000 stating, in regards to the event, that it was an "offense to the Christian values of a city that is so dear to the hearts of Catholics across the world."
The organisers claimed 250,000 people joined in the march to the Colosseum and the Circus Maximus, two of Rome's most famous ancient sites. It was one of the biggest crowds to gather in Rome for decades. Among the scheduled events were conferences, a fashion show, a large parade, a leather dance, and a concert featuring Gloria Gaynor
, The Village People, RuPaul
and Geri Halliwell
.
, Quebec
, Canada
with over 150 delegates from 51 cities from around the world in attendance, voted to accept the bid of the Jerusalem Open House
to host WorldPride 2006 in the Holy City.
The first attempt to hold WorldPride in Jerusalem was in 2005, however it was postponed until 2006 because of tensions surrounding Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Officially titled, “Love Without Borders,” as a nod to the many barriers within Israel, and for gays and lesbians in other ways, World Pride was a key project of Jerusalem’s Open House, the city’s gay community centre. From the planned starting point of the march on Ben Yehuda Street, participants could see with the naked eye one of the harshest borders ever constructed: a 25-foot concrete wall, called by Israel the “separation barrier” and known to Palestinians as the Apartheid (or Segregation) Wall.
After Jerusalem was selected as the WorldPride 2006 City, Tel Aviv
announced that is was cancelling its own annual Gay Pride in 2006 to make sure that more Israelis attended the main march. As WorldPride started in 2006, the main parade was scheduled for the 6th of August but received harsh objection from Israeli religious circles from the offset. However, due to the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
, Jerusalem's government cancelled the march, saying there were not enough soldiers to protect marchers. A week of events did take place as scheduled and included five conferences, a film festival, exhibitions, and literary and political events. The parade itself was cancelled but the Jerusalem Open House announced that it would hold a parade on November 10 after reaching an agreement with the police and with the municipality.
, British Columbia
, Canada
, voted to accept the bid of Pride London to host WorldPride 2012 in the capital of the United Kingdom
just ahead of the London Olympic
and Paralympic Games
and during the anticipated year-long celebrations of The Queen's
Diamond Jubilee
.
Although details of the event are at an early planning stage, a packed itinerary of theatre shows, debates, poetry, music and partying, culminating in the main parade through the streets of the capital, is expected to attract more than 1 million visitors. The two week festivities will most likely take place from 23 June to 8 July 2012, with the main parade held on 7 July.
from 27 June to 6 July 2014. The 28th annual conference of InterPride, held in October 2009 in St. Petersburg, Florida
, United States of America voted to accept the bid of Pride Toronto to host WorldPride 2014 for the first time in North America
. In the first round of voting Toronto won 77 votes compared to Stockholm's 61. In the second and final round of voting Stockholm
was eliminated and Toronto won 78% of the vote, fulfilling the 2/3 majority needed to finalize the selection process. WorldPride 2014 in Toronto will include: an opening ceremony; an international human rights conference; a variety of networking and social events including Canada Day
and Independence Day (United States)
celebrations and an exhibition commemorating the 45th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots
.
Pride Toronto officials said that Pride Week 2009 drew an estimated one million people to Toronto and contributed C$136 million to the city's economy, and state that they expect WorldPride to be about five times bigger.
Stonewall riots
The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City...
, the event will be held on a five-year cycle. The Inaugural WorldPride was held in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 2000, subsequently the second WorldPride was awarded to Jerusalem in 2006. WorldPride 2012 was awarded to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and coincides with the 19th Annual Europride
Europride
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 gay pride event or a significant LGBT community....
. The selection of WorldPride 2014 was chosen on October 18, 2009; the two candidates were Toronto and Stockholm, with Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
winning on the second round of voting. The host cities are selected by InterPride, an international association of pride coordinators, at their Annual General Meeting.
WorldPride Rome 2000
At the 16th annual conference of InterPride, held in October 1997 in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States of America, InterPride's membership voted to establish the "WorldPride" title and awarded it to the city of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
during 1 July to 9 July 2000. The event was put on by the Italian gay rights group Mario Mieli along with InterPride.
Rome officials had promised to put up US$200,000 for the event, however bowing to ferocious opposition from the Vatican and conservative politicians, Rome's leftist mayor, Francesco Rutelli, on 30 May 2000 withdrew logistical and monetary support. Hours after his announcement, Rutelli mostly reversed himself in response to harsh criticism from the left. He restored the funding and promised to help with permits, but declined to back down on a demand that organizers remove the city logo from promotional materials. The event was staunchly opposed by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
and seen as an infringement on the numerous Catholic Pilgrims visiting Rome for the Catholic Church's
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
Great Jubilee
Great Jubilee
The Great Jubilee in 2000 was a major event in the Roman Catholic Church, held from December 24, 1999 to January 6, 2001. Like other previous Jubilee years, it was a celebration of the mercy of God and forgiveness of sins...
. Pope John Paul II addressed crowds in St. Peter's Square during WorldPride 2000 stating, in regards to the event, that it was an "offense to the Christian values of a city that is so dear to the hearts of Catholics across the world."
The organisers claimed 250,000 people joined in the march to the Colosseum and the Circus Maximus, two of Rome's most famous ancient sites. It was one of the biggest crowds to gather in Rome for decades. Among the scheduled events were conferences, a fashion show, a large parade, a leather dance, and a concert featuring Gloria Gaynor
Gloria Gaynor
Gloria Gaynor is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits; "I Will Survive" , "Never Can Say Goodbye" , "Let Me Know " and "I Am What I Am" .-Early career:Gaynor was a singer with the Soul...
, The Village People, RuPaul
RuPaul
RuPaul Andre Charles , best known as simply RuPaul, is an American actor, drag queen, model, author, and singer-songwriter, who first became widely known in the 1990s when he appeared in a wide variety of television programs, films, and musical albums. Previously, he was a fixture on the Atlanta...
and Geri Halliwell
Geri Halliwell
Geraldine Estelle "Geri" Halliwell is an English pop singer-songwriter, author and actress. After coming to international prominence in the late 1990s as Ginger Spice, a member of the girl group the Spice Girls, Halliwell launched her solo career in 1998 and released her album Schizophonic...
.
WorldPride Jerusalem 2006
The 22nd annual conference of InterPride, held in October 2003 in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
with over 150 delegates from 51 cities from around the world in attendance, voted to accept the bid of the Jerusalem Open House
Jerusalem Open House
The Jerusalem Open House Pride and Tolerance is a grassroots, activist organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people and their allies...
to host WorldPride 2006 in the Holy City.
The first attempt to hold WorldPride in Jerusalem was in 2005, however it was postponed until 2006 because of tensions surrounding Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. Officially titled, “Love Without Borders,” as a nod to the many barriers within Israel, and for gays and lesbians in other ways, World Pride was a key project of Jerusalem’s Open House, the city’s gay community centre. From the planned starting point of the march on Ben Yehuda Street, participants could see with the naked eye one of the harshest borders ever constructed: a 25-foot concrete wall, called by Israel the “separation barrier” and known to Palestinians as the Apartheid (or Segregation) Wall.
After Jerusalem was selected as the WorldPride 2006 City, Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
announced that is was cancelling its own annual Gay Pride in 2006 to make sure that more Israelis attended the main march. As WorldPride started in 2006, the main parade was scheduled for the 6th of August but received harsh objection from Israeli religious circles from the offset. However, due to the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
The 2006 Lebanon War, also called the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War and known in Lebanon as the July War #Other uses|Tammūz]]) and in Israel as the Second Lebanon War , was a 34-day military conflict in Lebanon, northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories. The principal parties were Hezbollah...
, Jerusalem's government cancelled the march, saying there were not enough soldiers to protect marchers. A week of events did take place as scheduled and included five conferences, a film festival, exhibitions, and literary and political events. The parade itself was cancelled but the Jerusalem Open House announced that it would hold a parade on November 10 after reaching an agreement with the police and with the municipality.
WorldPride London 2012
The 27th annual conference of InterPride, held in October 2008 in VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, voted to accept the bid of Pride London to host WorldPride 2012 in the capital of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
just ahead of the London Olympic
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
and Paralympic Games
2012 Summer Paralympics
The 2012 Summer Paralympic Games will be the fourteenth Paralympics and will take place between 29 August and 9 September 2012. The Games will be held in London, United Kingdom after the city was successful with its bid for the Paralympics and Summer Olympic Games.Even though 2012 will be London's...
and during the anticipated year-long celebrations of The Queen's
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
Diamond Jubilee
Diamond Jubilee
A Diamond Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 60th anniversary in the case of a person or a 75th anniversary in the case of an event.- Thailand :...
.
Although details of the event are at an early planning stage, a packed itinerary of theatre shows, debates, poetry, music and partying, culminating in the main parade through the streets of the capital, is expected to attract more than 1 million visitors. The two week festivities will most likely take place from 23 June to 8 July 2012, with the main parade held on 7 July.
WorldPride Toronto 2014
Pride Toronto, in partnership with Tourism Toronto, submitted a bid to host WorldPride 2014 in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
from 27 June to 6 July 2014. The 28th annual conference of InterPride, held in October 2009 in St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
, United States of America voted to accept the bid of Pride Toronto to host WorldPride 2014 for the first time in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. In the first round of voting Toronto won 77 votes compared to Stockholm's 61. In the second and final round of voting Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
was eliminated and Toronto won 78% of the vote, fulfilling the 2/3 majority needed to finalize the selection process. WorldPride 2014 in Toronto will include: an opening ceremony; an international human rights conference; a variety of networking and social events including Canada Day
Canada Day
Canada Day , formerly Dominion Day , is the national day of Canada, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act , which united three British colonies into a single country, called Canada, within the British Empire...
and Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
celebrations and an exhibition commemorating the 45th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots
Stonewall riots
The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City...
.
Pride Toronto officials said that Pride Week 2009 drew an estimated one million people to Toronto and contributed C$136 million to the city's economy, and state that they expect WorldPride to be about five times bigger.
External links
- InterPride
- WorldPride 2012, London
- World Pride 2012 on Facebook
- WorldPride 2014, Toronto