In the heart of London, 1 July was a day of celebration, colour and unity as multitudes of people took to the streets, taking part in this year’s Pride celebrations. Over a million people from all over the world paid tribute to the British LGBTQIA+ community, coinciding with the 51st anniversary of the first Pride march in the UK.
A Pride that unites
This year, Pride in London was attended by more than 30,000 representatives of around 600 organisations, who marched along the procession, a route that started at Hyde Park Corner and ended at Whitehall.
Numerous live performances by internationally renowned stars, including Adam Lambert, Idina Menzel, Todrick Hall, Eden Hunter, Rita Ora and Jack Hawitt, warmed up the atmosphere, offering unforgettable moments of spectacle.
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The Power of Support
This year’s Pride celebrations highlighted the importance of supporting the trans community, which was particularly evident in Pride in London’s ‘Never March Alone’ campaign.
At this year’s Pride in London, the #NeverMarchAlone campaign was launched: created by a fully LGBTQIA+ team, this initiative aimed to highlight the strength and beauty that comes from uniting and celebrating trans and non-binary people. This campaign comes at a crucial time when trans and non-binary people are facing increased hostility and negative portrayals from politicians and the media.
The #NeverMarchAlone campaign stands as a bastion of unconditional solidarity, focusing on creating a strong bond between trans/non-binary gender identity people and the rest of the LGBTQIA+ community.
The initiative took shape through a series of photo and video portraits, which represented members of the trans and non-binary community, and those who support their struggle, once again emphasising the importance of mutual support, not only from allied people, but also within the queer community itself.
Leaders’ voices
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, emphasised the importance of Pride as a time of celebration and festivity, but also as an opportunity to recognise that there is still much to be done. Khan reiterated the need for support and solidarity, stressing that an attack on one minority is an attack on all.
Towards a Better Future
The CEO of the Terrence Higgins Trust, a British AIDS charity, strongly reiterated the important message the Pride march wanted to send to politicians: the goal of eliminating new cases of HIV by 2030. He emphasised that Pride represents more than just a parade of colourful flags, but rather an event that symbolises a serious commitment to goals of great social and health importance.
