A vast parade of colourful floats and marchers streams around the Ringstrasse in Vienna. More than 200,000 people watch and participate.
Towards the front of the spectacle, 200 people – including 15 ambassadors – wave flags, dance and sing, marching behind a banner reading #diplomatsforequality.
Welcome to #ViennaPride 2018.
The three British Vienna diplomatic missions (the UK Mission to the UN and International Organisations, the UK Delegation to the OSCE and the bilateral embassy) played an active part in helping to organise the #diplomatsforequality float at this year’s Vienna Pride event. We began, working with several partners, by marking the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) on 17 May with a public statement.
We held a side event at the Vienna Pride village focused on how business, politicians, governments, NGOs and civil society can work together to promote LGBTI issues and how individuals have overcome discrimination to play an active part in public and political life. Finally, around 35 countries and international organisations marched under the banner #diplomatsforequality at the mighty #ViennaPride march on 16 June.
Our main message was that LGBTI rights are human rights and that nobody should be discriminated against for who they are, or whom they love.
It was a privilege to be part of such a big event. The mood was celebratory: many spectators were delighted when they saw their flag flying behind the #diplomatsforequality banner, and we were honoured to be joined by leading activist and former top British diplomat Sir Stephen Wall. Our Union Jack rainbow flags went down a storm with young and old.
The media response was strong, including in the newspapers and on social media (check out twitter’s @dipforequality and Instagram’s @diplomatsforequality). We were delighted that diplomatic engagement in support of LGBTI issues could produce such an impact, based mainly on enthusiasm, engagement, a great sound system and loads of flags.
Next step: EuroPride in Vienna in 2019. We are already looking forward to it.