Antwerppride 2013
5.000 LGBTQI and gay people close worldOutgames 2013 in Antwerp.
In the port city of Antwerp, Belgium, the worldOutgames 2013 were officially closed.
The closing ceremonie was part of Antwerp Pride and Wave party.
An estimated 5.000 people attented the closing ceremonie which sent a strong political message that LGBTQI rights are fundamental human rights.
The ceremonie started with a look back on all sportive events, the human rights conference,
musical numbers from the choir Faggotkor from Oslo, speeches and a lot of emotion.
The ceremonie took place at Waagnatie and was part of Antwerp Pride and the open air party Wave.
A police spokesman said 35.000 people attented Antwerp Pride. The closing ceremonie was attented by approx. 5.000 people.
The speeches by officials and local politicians clearly underlined the political message of worldOutgames.
The alderman for sport for the city of Antwerp Ludo van Campenhout referred to the controversy surrounding the Winter Olympics in Russia. 'Sport is about mutual respect.
Without mutual respect there can be no sport and without mutual respect there can't be Olympic Games', he claimed.
The city of Antwerp strongly condemns Russia's view on LGBTQI rights but said it would not boycot the Olympic Games and preferred to keep channels open so they could openly discuss the issue.
Alderman for the arts and great supporter of worldOutgames Philip Heylen adressed thousands of people by saying:
"You sent a clear message to the world, to Russia, to France and to America. One day every country in the world will have its own rainbow. To achieve that we need more pride parades, more worldOutgames. Antwerp is proud of you all."
If the politicians are going to keep their promise in the coming months we'll see.
source:Mark
5.000 LGBTQI and gay people close worldOutgames 2013 in Antwerp.
In the port city of Antwerp, Belgium, the worldOutgames 2013 were officially closed.
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