An estimated 220 000 people attended Brussels Pride, with rainbow colours once again filling the streets of the capital.
The theme of this year’s event was ‘Unite, time to protect our rights’, advocating a society where everyone’s fundamental rights are respected, each and every day.
The Pride Village, Pride March, Rainbow Village and Mont des Arts stage brought the crowds together to celebrate diversity and love. Brussels Pride – in the capital of Europe is an opportunity for citizens’ initiatives, intellectuals and activists to put forward the demands of the LGBTQIA+ community and to re-launch avenues for political reflection.
The theme chosen this year by the RainbowHouse Brussels activists was “Unite, time to protect our rights” for a society where everyone’s fundamental rights are respected, each and every day
During Pride Week, associations, along with activist and artistic collectives, presented a rich programme at a number of venues, including the Grands Carmes and RainbowHouse Brussels.
The public was treated to ten days of concerts, screenings, performances and workshops. Several cultural centres in the Brussels-Capital Region also offered inclusive programming.
On Saturday, the Pride March took to the streets of the capital, led by the new Brussels Pride float. Delegations from Hungary, Serbia, Italy and Romania also took part. It was then the turn of allied artists, DJs and members of the community to lead festivities at the Mont des Arts. LGBTQIA+ culture was given pride of place on the stages and in the partner cultural institutions.
To ensure that everyone could enjoy the event in the best possible circumstances, Brussels Pride set up the Safer Pride scheme. In practice, a Safer Zone was set up at a strategic location on the Mont des Arts. This peaceful space was staffed by volunteers and professionals trained to provide a sympathetic ear and psycho-social or medical support if needed.
A mobile SACHA Care Team was also deployed around Pride.
This essential scheme is organised with the support of Solidaris and is the result of collaboration between Plan SACHA (an initiative to combat harassment and assault), Modus Vivendi (prevention of the risks associated with drug use by informing and empowering consumers), volunteers from the Centre de Prise en Charge des Violences Sexuelles (CPVS), RainbowHouse and teams from visit.brussels.
The festivities went on until the early hours of the morning in a number of venues across the capital, from the Mont des Arts stage to the Pride Village, with DJ sets and performances in the Brussels Rainbow Village (in the Saint-Jacques district), as well as a host of parties celebrating the richness and diversity of Brussels’ queer scene.
Brussels Pride is an opportunity to celebrate diversity but also to defend and demand rights for LGBTQIA+ people, with a view to making society more fair and inclusive. In addition to its festive nature, Brussels Pride is, more than ever, an opportunity to assert the rights of the community and reopen the political debate.
All year round, a hundred or so partners, federations, associations and artists contribute to the fight for a more open and tolerant society.
