WorldPride event to hit Sydney Streets in 2023 following win
Sydney has won a historic bid for WorldPride, a first for the Asia-Pacific region. The international gay pride event will take to the Sydney streets in February of 2023.
Wentworth Courier
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Sydney will host WorldPride 2023, bringing the international celebration to the Asia-Pacific region for the first time.
Sydney overcome competition form Montreal and Houtson for the hosting gig, tallying 60 per cent of the votes.
The WorldPride event will run over February and March, coinciding with the annual 2023 Sydney Mardi Gras.
The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras team took to Athens to bid for the hosting gig at the annual InterPride conference.
This is the moment Sydney found out we won the vote for #WorldPride2023 host city! ðŸ³ï¸â€ðŸŒˆðŸŒ pic.twitter.com/XNiRUdgBem
— Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras (@sydneymardigras) October 20, 2019
The room erupted when the selection was announced on Sunday.
Among the celebratory team was Sydney MP Alex Greenwich, a longtime supporter of gay rights.
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“So proud and grateful to the team at Sydney Mardi Gras for bringing WorldPride to Sydney in 2023!!! It’s been an honour to be in Athens with the team to win this,” Mr Greenwich tweeted.
Team Sydney has arrived in #Athens for the @InterPride Conference with Pride organisations from across the world! #SydneyBid2023 pic.twitter.com/VrSQw2sInf
— Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras (@sydneymardigras) October 16, 2019
In an earlier tweet, he wrote: “For WorldPride 2023 Sydney Mardi Gras has put in the most fearless bid. I’m so proud of the amazing team who have worked so tirelessly to bring the world’s attention to LGBTIQA+ rights in the Asia-Pacific Region”.
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Co-Chair Giovanni Campolo-Arcidiaco said “Bringing WorldPride Down Under means we can celebrate and shine a spotlight on the unique challenges faced by the LGBTQI community in the region.”
The milestone celebration will mark 45 years since the first Mardi Gras Parade and 50 years after the first Australian Gay Pride Week.
Federal Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Simon Birmingham said “such a symbolic event that will also deliver a huge boost to our tourism industry”.
The WorldPride is expected to increase tourism by 25-40 per cent, on top of the about one million visitors who take to the streets for the Sydney Mardi Gras.
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