Under the motto “Loud and Proud,” the fourth Skopje Pride will take place on Saturday, June 24, 2023. The starting point, as before, will be at the “Women Warrior” Park, where participants will gather at 5 p.m. Following brief welcoming speeches at 7 p.m., the protest march will commence through the streets of Skopje and conclude with a cultural and entertainment program at the Army Stadium in City Park.
Why should you attend the parade?
Because in times of crisis, war, and poverty, love is easily forgotten, and hatred occupies the minds and hearts of people far more easily. Because only with love can we resist the violence to which those who are different are subjected even when there is peace for all others. Because no one should be deprived of the right to love or be persecuted because their love is not recognized by norms and laws. Because love must win.
Why the need for Pride?
Many things, in many countries, have changed since the first Pride was held in 1970 in New York. However, progress in the field of LGBT+ human rights is not equal, nor is it sufficient, and it is constantly faced with attacks by forces that oppose universal human rights. That is why Pride remains an important form of protest by the LGBT+ community against stigma, prejudice, and violence. Pride is a shriek on behalf of the millions of people facing social exclusion, impaired physical autonomy, and limited access to services available to all others.
Skopje Pride, like other pride parades, is a holiday of love, a day of visibility for the marginalized, and, of course, an occasion to celebrate the toughness of our struggle for equality. So, on June 25, 2022, see you at Pride!
