The traditional Gay Pride festival has a date again in Madrid: it will be next July 6. The different organizations that are preparing the great parade, among which the State Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Trans, Bisexuals, Intersex and more (FELGTBI) and COGAM, as well as entities organizing the LGTBI State Pride demonstration, have announced that the celebration Pride 2024 in Madrid will be celebrated on July 6 under the motto ‘Education, rights and peace: Pride that transforms’.
According to these entities, these slogans will star in the headline banner that will run along Madrid’s Paseo del Prado, from the Glorieta de Atocha to the Plaza de Colón, on Saturday, July 6.
Regarding the chosen motto, they defend that the objective is “to demand the widespread implementation of Diversity Education as a vehicle to combat LGTBIphobia; demand the development of the LGTBI Law and demand the cessation of violence against the Palestinian people.”
The president of the LGTBI State Federation, Uge Sangil, has explained that this 2024, “is being marked by international violence by oppressive states”, as well as by the “proliferation of hate speech against vulnerable groups”, both in the public sphere, as well as at the international level and, finally, due to the “cuts in LGTBI human rights” in the autonomies.
“For this reason, State Pride 2024 will cry out in the streets for the widespread implementation of Diversity Education, as a tool to combat LGTBIphobia that attacks us and kills us, within the framework of the thematic year of the State LGTBI Federation,” Sangil has assured.
Likewise, he has stated that he will also demand the development of the LGTBI Law, which, in his opinion, “the Independent Authority for Equal Treatment and Non-Discrimination should have already put into operation.” Likewise, he added that he will demand the cessation of violence against children and the civilian population in the international sphere, “making special mention of that perpetrated against the Palestinian people.”
For his part, the president of the LGTBI Collective of Madrid (COGAM), Ronny de la Cruz, indicates that the entity believes that this year it is “key” to vindicate the role that education plays “as an engine of change.” “We need to educate in diversity to leave behind hatred, aggression, fear and intolerance. It is in schools and educational centers where everything begins, where you can begin to change discrimination with tolerance, where you can bury LGTBIphobia and the germ of hatred,” he defended.
Along these lines, De la Cruz has urged to “change mentality” and has requested a rectification from the Government of the Community of Madrid after the repeal of the LGTBI and Trans Laws. “It is not understood that while Madrid is considered by everyone to be the state capital of LGTBI Pride, its rulers want to make us go backwards in the rights of the entire group,” he stressed.
On the other hand, the general secretary of AEGAL, Juan Carlos Alonso, has pointed out that “education in freedom and diversity is the fundamental tool to build a society that respects and includes everyone.” Furthermore, he has asked not to “let our guard down in the face of the constant attacks on our rights as an LGTBI collective.”
“So this Pride 2024 let’s return to the streets, let’s enjoy again, make ourselves visible, claim, let’s once again be that great diverse and inclusive collective that we are. Let’s transform society again”, he concluded.