Pride goes digital in response to COVID-19 pandemic
Image: Pride community at a parade with hands raised and the LGBT flag - symbol of love and tolerance
by Robyn Kennedy
The rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has forced over 300 Pride festivals around the world to be cancelled. In response, InterPride and the European Pride Organisers Association, the world’s biggest international Pride networks, are developing a digital alternative, Global Pride.
Global Pride will use online platforms to deliver a Pride in which everyone can participate, wherever they are in the world. The event will be livestreamed on 27th June 2020, delivering 24 hours of live and pre-recorded content including musical performances, speeches, and messages from human rights activists. A variety of media streaming partners are being secured to make the celebration as accessible as possible.
Kristine Garina, President of the European Pride Organisers Association and Chair of Baltic Pride in Riga, Latvia, said “The unprecedented challenges of COVID-19 mean that most Prides will not take place as planned in 2020, but we’re determined that this won’t stop us from coming together as a united, strong LGBTQIA+ community to celebrate who we are and what we stand for. For millions of people around the globe, Pride is their one opportunity each year to come together and feel a part of a community, to feel loved, connected and to know they aren’t alone. It’s essential this year that as Pride organizers, we ensure there is still the opportunity to connect, even if it’s from our living room.”
Global Pride will include contributions from all the major Prides of the world as well as many smaller, emerging Prides especially those in hostile environments, such as Turkey, Poland and Brazil. Planning for this unprecedented Global Pride event includes the involvement of national Pride organisations in Canada, Germany, Sweden, the UK and the US, as well as regional networks in southern Africa, Asia, Oceania and Latin America.
In the vein of the annual New Year coverage, Global Pride will begin with the cities and countries closest to the International Date Line, before following the time zones in a westerly direction throughout the day, ending in the western US and Canada.
Pride organizations from around the world are encouraged to participate. Prides can express interest in participating through this link: Global Pride registration
Robyn Kennedy is a 78er, a former Board member of SGLMG and currently Co-Chair of the InterPride Human Rights and Diversity Committee.
