WorldPride Sydney 2023
WorldPride Sydney 2023 is the international LGBTQI pride festival being held in Sydney in Australia in 2023.[1] InterPride, the organization that governs WorldPride, confirmed the city in October 2019; it will be the first time the event will be held in the Southern Hemisphere.[1]
Planning
It will coincide with: the 50th anniversary of the first Australian Gay Pride Week; the 45th anniversary of the first Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras (SGLMG); and the fifth anniversary of Marriage Equality in Australia.[1] The host bid, entered by SGLMG, focused on LGBTQI rights in the Asia-Pacific region "where many countries see extreme violence and discrimination against" LGBTQI people, while celebrating the communities diversity of culture and identity.[2][3] In light of the "neighbouring countries where LGBTQI communities experience some of the worst human rights abuses in the world" the theme is "Fearless," speaking to the lived experience of people who live in countries that are hostile to non-heterosexuality and gender variance.[1]
Stuart Ayres, the New South Wales tourism minister estimated the events could generate $664 million, and attract a million visitors.[1]
Bid to secure the event
InterPride, at their October 2019 Annual General Meeting of three hundred delegate organizations, held in Athens, Greece chose Sydney, the first time WorldPride will be held in the Southern Hemisphere.[1] Sydney received 60% of the vote ahead of the other bid contenders Montreal, Québéc in Canada (36%), and Houston, Texas in the U.S. (3%).[4][5][6]
Official events
The events will be held 16 February-4 March 2023, during the region's summer.[2][3] The centrepiece will be a three-day LGBTQI Human Rights and Health Conference focusing on the communities experiences of violence, discrimination, and persecution in the region.
Other official events include:
• Aboriginal Smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country
• WorldPride Opening Ceremony
• 45th Anniversary Mardi Gras Parade
• 45th Anniversary Mardi Gras Party
• Interpride Reception
• Bondi Beach Party
• Mardi Gras International Arts Festival
• 30th Anniversary Queer Screen Mardi Gras Film Festival
• WorldPride first Nations Gala Concert
• Sissy Ball Grand Final
• WorldPride March
• WorldPride Closing Ceremony
References
- Wakefield, Lily (20 October 2019). "The host city for WorldPride in 2023 has been announced". PinkNews. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
- "Sydney's Bid for WorldPride 2023". Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Ltd. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
- "WP2023_Sydney_SGLMG.pdf" (PDF). Dropbox. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
- Nguyen, Kevin; Collins, Antonette (2 October 2019). "'Sydney, we're coming for ya, baby': Australia wins WorldPride bid for 2023". ABC News. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
- "'The gay Olympics': Sydney wins bid to host 2023 WorldPride event". SBS News. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
- Editor, About the Author Peter Hackney Peter Hackney is the Online; Arts, the; Observer, Entertainment Editor of the Star (2 October 2019). "Sydney wins bid to host WorldPride 2023". Star Observer. Retrieved 22 October 2019.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)