After Rome (2000), Jerusalem (2006), London (2012) and Toronto (2014), Madrid is hosting the most important event for the LGBTI community globally
Madrid has officially started the celebration of WorldPride 2017, after an opening ceremony that took place in the Teatro Calderon. In this edition, Madrid commemorates 40 years since the first LGBTQIA+ protests in Spain, 30 years since Chueca was named the epicentre for the community and Pride, 20 years since the first Pride Parade that united political protest with celebration and 10 years since EuroPride was last celebrated in the city. Moreover, as Madrid is the first Spanish speaking capital to celebrate WorldPride.
This celebration is a historic opportunity to share Madrid’s values as a diverse, plural, inclusive and involved city, whilst it reinforces Spain as the reference nation in the liberty and defense of LGTBIA+ individuals’ rights. 3 million people are expected to visit Madrid to join this year’s motto ¡Viva la vida!
Until the 2nd of July 2017, a huge program of activities will take place in Madrid, including an international human rights conference, open air concerts, performing stages, parties, art, culture and sport. A great festival to celebrate, discuss and show diversity, culminating in the main act, the World Pride Parade on Saturday the 1st of July, which will be the world’s largest Pride parade ever! WorldPride Madrid has the support of the City Hall of Madrid, the Regional Government of Madrid, The Tourism Association of Madrid (ATM) and Madrid Destino.
Amongst others, these are some of the contents and highlights of this special edition:
– Madrid Summit, a world-wide Human Rights Conference (26th to 28th of June in the Autonomous University of Madrid).
More than 200 activists, politicians, and leaders in the fields of culture and education from more than 45 countries across 6 continents will come together to spark an international debate on LGBTQIA+ specific Human Rights and strengthen the foundations of this global movement.
The summit is structured to explore and contemplate all areas of society and day-to-day life in which LGBTQI people experience discrimination and unequal treatment. All topics will be approached from a transversal perspective, considering the many dimensions and facets of the LGBTQI community.
The conclusions of the conference will be contained in the Madrid Summit Declaration which will act as source of reference and serve as a strong commitment to the future of our shared fight for and defence of LGBTQIA+ human rights across the world.
– WorldPride Parade. This is the climax of the WorldPride festival. It takes place Saturday July 1st (from 5pm till midnight) in the centre of Madrid, starting at Atocha Station and ending in Plaza de Colón. Around 2,000.000 people are expected to participate. The parade culminates at the Plaza de Colón where a stage will welcome all the participants with music and the reading of the manifesto of freedom, inclusion and diversity.
– International Cultural Festival (Muestra T, La Culta y la Oculta) and the exhibition Subversives, 40 years of LGBT activism
The WorldPride Madrid International Festival will display more than three hundred activities, including theater, music, dance, literature, cinema or arts to make a reflexive approach to activism and the celebration of diversity, also from a cultural standpoint. In this context, a great number of institutions, cultural centers or state museums such as Thyssen Museum, the Prado, the National Museum of Decorative Arts or the Museum of America have developed itineraries and specific programs to join this celebration.
The cultural program of WorldPride Madrid embraces three cultural festivals: La Culta, la Oculta and Muestra-T. One of the main initiatives is the exhibition Subversives, 40 years of LGBT activism (CentroCentro at Cibeles Palace), a historic journey through 40 years of activism in nine themes and more than 200 pieces, both originals and reproductions.
– WorldPride Park
A specially designed location will be set to host vendors, LGBT and human rights worldwide associations. WorldPride Park gives them the opportunity to connect with a large and diverse crowd from around the world. A community space open to everyone with a whole program of activities for children, families, neighbors and visitors. A celebration of diversity for the whole family.
– WorldPride Festival: free open air concerts, cultural and ludic activities in five scenarios across the centre and other parts of the city.
Some of the renowned national and international artists that have confirmed their presence are: Ana Torroja, Ania, Azucar Moreno, Baccara, Barei, Camela, Carmen Paris, Cintia Lund, Conchita Wurst, Dani Umpi, Accelerated Diabetics, Fleur East, Ivri Lider, Kate Ryan, Le Klein, Loreen, Los Quintana, Marta Sánchez, Mirela, Nuria Fergó, OBK, Olé Olé, Ray BLK, Rebeca, Rosa, Roser, Rozalén, Ruth Lorenzo, Sharonne, Soraya, The Weather Girls, Whigfield and 99 Souls. Carlinhos Brown will be the artist in charge of the closing act on 2nd July.
– Special programming in the different districts around the city, organized by the Madrid Town Hall; other activities organized by the LGBTI associations fabric of Madrid, such as LGBTQI+ VIH Conference 2017 or LGTBI Sport Competitions.
On the 2nd of July 2017, Madrid will hand over the WorldPride baton to the city of New York, where the world-wide LGBTI community will celebrate in 2019 the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall events that gave birth to the LGTBI movement.
InterPride (World-wide Association of Pride Organizers) holds the WorldPride license and has awarded the organization of the 2017 edition to the Project presented by AEGAL in 2012. The organizing committee comprises AEGAL, COGAM and FELGTB. WorldPride 2017 has the Madrid Town Hall as the main institutional sponsor, the institutional sponsor of the Madrid Region Government and the Tourism Association of Madrid (ATM).
http://www.worldpridemadrid2017.com/en/