Culture & Lifestyle / WorldPride 2014 Toronto

WorldPride 2014 Toronto

Culture & Lifestyle Jun 20, 2014

by Anokhi Admin

Toronto celebrates 34 years of Pride by hosting WorldPride 2014.

WorldPride 2014 Toronto (WP14TO), presented by Pride Toronto, is shaping up to be one of the biggest international events of our times. From June 20 – 29 expect to see ten days of queer celebration, turning streets into parades, parks into parties and strangers into friends.

This is an international celebration incorporating activism, education, and the history and culture of global LGBTTIQQ2SA* communities. Highlighting Canada’s continued progress in human rights, WP14TO also celebrates the diversity and dynamism of Toronto, one of the world’s most progressive and liveable cities.

This is the first WorldPride celebration ever held in North America, and the 4th such festival in the world.

International Grand Marshals & Human Rights Reception

With Toronto's City Hall raising the rainbow flag, acknowledging the International Day Against Homophobia And Transphobia in May, WorldPride 2014 Toronto announced this year's parade International Grand Marshal (IGM) to be Georgian human rights activist Anna Rekhviashvili.

Rekhviashvili said, “I am honoured to be part of WorldPride 2014 Toronto. I see this as a unique opportunity to campaign for freedom of expression and the fundamental rights for our LGBT community in Georgia and to remove anti-LGBT rhetoric by pro-Russian actors."

Returning IGMs include Bill Schiller from Sweden, Rosanna Flamer-Caldera from Sri-Lanka, Gareth Henry from Jamaica, Victor Mukasa from Uganda, Angie Umbac from Philippines, Goran Miletic from Serbia, and Marcela Romero from Argentina. On Saturday, June 29, at 1 p.m., they will be joining Rekhviashvili to lead the WorldPride 2014 Parade as global human rights leaders.

Grand Pride Weddings at Casa Loma

On June 26, at Toronto’s Casa Loma as 110 same-sex couples said ‘I do’ at a massive wedding ceremony in celebration of WorldPride. The wedding included Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, New Thought, and Humanist officiants in order to serve everyone present with the opportunity to be wed.

The wedding ceremony, which began at 3 p.m., lasted about an hour and featured presentations by representatives of 12 faiths, as well as opening remarks from Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly and openly gay Ward 27 Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam. It was followed by a reception on the castle’s grounds as well as dinner and dancing.

History in the making – Yogi Akal aka Agia Akal Singh Khalsa- first Sikh minister to officiate at a same sex marriage./twimg/@2lifeWeddings

110 gay couples participated in a mass wedding during World Pride 2014 /THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren

Pride Parade 2014

WorldPride 2014 Toronto is presented by not-for-profit organization Pride Toronto, producer of Canada's largest annual festival of LGBT culture and human rights, under license from InterPride.

Annual Parade will commence 1 PM onwards on Sunday, June 29, from the corner of Church St and Bloor St all the way down Yonge St to Yonge-Dundas Square, Toronto's LGBTTIQQ2SA communities will dance to celebrate our victories, march to honour our losses, and RISE UP to keep moving forward. In this year’s parade, the queer South Asian contingent plans to be bigger and louder than ever before. With the historical impacts that have taken place with India, Bangladesh and Pakistan implementing policies recognizing a third gender, there is much to celebrate.

South Asian Pride

Toronto's queer South Asian community has come a long way over the years. From 1987 – 1992, the group Khush provided a safe environment and support for social interaction within the city and acted as a symbol of encouragement to the South Asian LGBT community outside of Canada. Khush was also responsible for the creation of the Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention (ASAAP).

Khush- Toronto's Queer South Asian Community/ gofundme

"We want to acknowledge, celebrate and make a loud, fun and impactful statement in the pride parade with a float, that we queer South Asians are proud, strong, and that we exist," says Shazad Syed Hai, proud member of Khush. To donate to the float click here and for a complete list of events click here.

Don't forget to share with us how you'll be celebrating your pride this year.

_{All Images Courtesy Of: WorldPrideToronto}

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