Cyprus Mail 15 September 2022 - by Eleni Philippou
The annual Pride parade is back this month and organisers Accept – LGBTI Cyprus are planning a whole nine days of events. Starting from Friday, and running until Sunday 25, Pride week’s events this year focus on marriage equality as well as raising awareness on issues the local LGBTI community faces.
“Cyprus Pride will peak on Sunday September 25 with the slogan ‘Marriage for All!’” Accept said. “This year’s objective is to raise awareness among the community and institutions, urging the state to introduce legislation that will safeguard equal rights for all citizens with regard to the right to marriage and all rights and responsibilities deriving from it, as it is the case in 31 other countries around the world.”
Activities will kick off on Friday with a research presentation held at the University of Nicosia at 6pm. The event will discuss research into the effects of the pandemic on the LGBTI community by the experts that carried it out. Later on, in the evening in Limassol, a Pride fundraising event with a €3 entry will take place at Sousami Bar with DJs Cotsios o Pikatillis, Acid Fox and Georges D’Andre on the decks.
Saturday will continue with the A Proud Dog’s Day event at the dog park within the Olympiados Park in Engomi. From 3.30pm until 7.30pm, dog owners and animal lovers can learn about adoption, mingle and buy various dog products. The Nicosia Dog Shelter will be there to share information and celebrate the relationship between LGBTQI people and their pets.
An open discussion will take place at Limassol’s Cyprus University of Technology on September 22 as Accept comes together with the university and Rainbow Families CY to talk about families of same-sex couples. The discussion will run from 7pm to 9pm and is open to all. On the following evening, a musical fundraiser will bring crowds to the Home for Cooperation in Nicosia as Mario K. Lanzo presents a piano and voice performance. The event is called 50 Shades of Random – Chapter: Yass, I do! and aims to be a comic cabaret-style show filled with jokes, shade and plenty of music.
September 24 will host an unforgettable party. The Cyprus Pride Pre-Party will take place at Red Live Stage at 10.30pm with DJ Marcos and DJ Wanderwonder but also with the entertainment of Queens Gia Evangelista, Masc4Marscara, Violetta J’Adore and The Daalings.
The highlight of the week is of course the Pride parade and the events of September 25 are set to draw the biggest crowd. A whole afternoon and evening of activities is set to take place at the Nicosia Municipal Gardens with something planned for all. Children’s activities will kick off at 3pm with interactive fairy tale readings and face painting. The annual parade will set off around 5pm following a route around central Nicosia returning to the Gardens to celebrate with a music programme around 6.30pm.
“On Sunday, September 25,” said Accept, “a large crowd of people of all ages, individuals and families will walk together for a better, equal and more inclusive world, where everyone has the right to love, get married and live freely. Together we will walk for equality for all LGBTI+ people, reminding society and the state that the LGBTI+ community is real, and it is here, with issues that need to be seen, solved and resolved.”
Performers Katerina Stikoudi, Giannis Margaris, Sam Albatros, Gia Evangelista, Masc4Marscara, Violetta J’Adore, Evita Clittorina and Gayle Force will then take the stage to continue the entertainment. A Drag show after-party will follow at DownTown Live around 10.30pm bringing more fun with guest drag queens DouKISSa and Lynn Dynasty. “This year,” conclude the organisers, “Cyprus Pride is expected to be a louder and more populous event, raising the rainbow flags even higher.”
Pride Week 2022
Events organised by Accept – LGBTI Cyprus. September 16-25. In Nicosia and Limassol. Facebook page @acceptCyprus
