28 May 2008
Stockholm Pride will this year support the organizers of Warsaw Pride with a grant of 5000 Euro from our Solidarity fund. The festival held in the polish capital starts May 31 and representatives from Stockholm Pride will join for the closing parade on June 7.
All applications for financial support from the polish government and authorities have been rejected and very few companies have had a will to give the festival the needed support.
- Our polish Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender friends face harsh resistance both in politics and as individuals. It is therefore important that we support Equality Foundation, the arrangers of Warsaw Pride, both financially and by our own presence, says Jonah Nylund, president of Stockholm Pride.
The main event of the week will be the TV and Cinema Equality Film Festival held in the Luna Cinema, where the lobby will be the central area of the whole Equality Week. All the accompanying activities, exhibitions, official meetings and conferences will be held there. Mr. Tomasz Raczek, one of the biggest Polish TV and media celebrities, is the festival art-director.
- International support gives us the strength and courage to carry on our work and makes the whole event possible, says Marcin Sroczynski, coordinator of Warszawa Pride. We hope this year's festivities with the film festival will be successful and contribute to Poland's progress on our way towards normalcy.
Stockholm Pride continuously raises money to be collected into its Solidarity fund. The means are then used to support Pride festivals in other European countries where human rights and equality of LGBT people are questioned. In 2007 support was given to Mozika alliance of LGBT people in Riga, Latvia.
This summer Stockholm Pride is the proud host of EuroPride July 25 - August 3. This year's theme "Swedish Sin, Breaking Borders" has an international focus where we especially want to give attention to the troublesome situation for LGBT people in central and eastern Europe.
For further information about Warsaw Pride
For further information about Stockholm Pride and our solidarity fund
Contact information:
Anna Söderström
Press Relations manager
Stockholm Pride
+46-704-581858
press@stockholmpride.org