This year’s edition of Warsaw's annual gay pride march was held under the slogan "Time for Equality is Now!"
The event, organized by the Equality Volunteer Foundation, aimed to assert the presence of the LGBTQ+ community in the public sphere and express dissatisfaction with the stagnation in legal reforms concerning sexual minorities.
The parade started in the early afternoon from the Palace of Culture and Science, with participation from left-wing and liberal politicians, including Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski and Minister of Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski.
The event featured a press conference hosted by leftist party MPs, advocating for a government bill on civil unions to be put forward by the end of June.
This year's parade highlighted twelve key demands, including enhanced legal protection against hate speech and crimes, the right to marriage and civil partnerships for all citizens and the recognition of trans rights as human rights.
During the pre-parade press conference, Equality Volunteer Foundation President Rafał Dembe said that the LGBTQ+ community is pleased to see Poland aligning more with European values.
However, he pointed out that Poland has been placed last among EU countries in the ILGA-Europe ranking for LGBTI equality for the fifth consecutive year.
"Despite the changing narrative, our rights remain unchanged," Dembe said.
Mayor Trzaskowski, opening the parade, said: "Today shows that Warsaw is a city of smiles, tolerance and European values."
He expressed hope that the long-standing demands of the LGBTQ+ community will soon be realized.
The event also featured an 'equality village' near the Palace of Culture and Science, promoting the ideals of equality, freedom and tolerance.
(ał)
Source: IAR, PAP
