Sofia Pride
Encyclopedia
Sofia Pride Parade is a gay parade occurring each year in the month of June in the Bulgaria
n capital of Sofia
since 2008. The first Sofia Pride parade was held on June 28, 2008.
, was held on June 28, 2008 and it was attended by some 100 people. No one was hurt, but the attempt to attack the people participating in the pride proved the high level of hatred towards gay people. Before the parade 70 ultra nationalists and skin heads were already arrested by police . The police was well organized and successfully prevented any casualties.
Ten foreign embassies (later 12) in Bulgaria were first to officially support the second Sofia Pride parade. The political party Bulgarian Greens ("Zelenite") officially supported the pride by issuing a statement of support on June 15, 2009. Three days later the Bulgarian Socialist Youth declared its support too.
as well as Bulgarian Greens ("Zelenite"), and the Bulgarian Socialist Youth.
The parade was the closing event of a one-week program of culture events, photo exhibition and discussions.
ended with a concert in a park
in the city center. No accidents were reported except for five men who attended and got attacked after the parade.
as well. On June 13, a statement of support was issued by the Ambassador for The Netherlands to Bulgaria, Karel van Kesteren. The British Embassy, which the pride march passes, flew the rainbow flag
in support.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n capital of Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
since 2008. The first Sofia Pride parade was held on June 28, 2008.
Violence at first Sofia Pride
The first Sofia Pride parade, organized by the BGO GeminiBGO Gemini
The Bulgarian Gay Organization Gemini was the primary organization in the LGBT rights movement in Bulgaria, based in Sofia.It was legally registered in 1992 by an HIV-positive gay couple and since then has grown to become the main LGBT organization in the country...
, was held on June 28, 2008 and it was attended by some 100 people. No one was hurt, but the attempt to attack the people participating in the pride proved the high level of hatred towards gay people. Before the parade 70 ultra nationalists and skin heads were already arrested by police . The police was well organized and successfully prevented any casualties.
Second Sofia Pride
The second Sofia Pride Parade was held on June 27, 2009 with this time having no arrests and violence during the march. More people attended, in between 150 to 300. The second pride was very successful and people waved from the open windows of their homes, there was also less spoken political opposition towards the pride , but at the same time Bulgarian Orthodox Church (BOC) made an anti-parade statement (also BOC did in the first held parade) while few days earlier yong theologist from the Theologic Faculty of the University of Sofa made their anti-gay pride parade, for which they were vastly mocked, however public opinion paid attention to this even either (BOC also made impossible the introduction of domestic partnership in Bulgarian Family law the same year).Ten foreign embassies (later 12) in Bulgaria were first to officially support the second Sofia Pride parade. The political party Bulgarian Greens ("Zelenite") officially supported the pride by issuing a statement of support on June 15, 2009. Three days later the Bulgarian Socialist Youth declared its support too.
Third Sofia Pride
The third Sofia Pride Parade took place on June 26, 2010. Over 700 participans attended, making it the biggest parade in the country to that date. For the first time a party represented in the Bulgarian Parliament issued a statement of support, being Democrats for a Strong BulgariaDemocrats for a Strong Bulgaria
Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria is a political party in Bulgaria established by former Bulgarian Prime Minister Ivan Kostov . The motto of the party is "For a Strong Bulgaria in Unified Europe".- History :...
as well as Bulgarian Greens ("Zelenite"), and the Bulgarian Socialist Youth.
The parade was the closing event of a one-week program of culture events, photo exhibition and discussions.
Fourth Sofia Pride
The fourth Sofia Pride took place on June 18, 2011 and drew over 1200 participants and the support of over 11 embassies. The paradeParade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
ended with a concert in a park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
in the city center. No accidents were reported except for five men who attended and got attacked after the parade.
Political Support
On May 20, 2011, Georgi Kadiev, a Sofia City Consul Member and Socialist candidate for the mayoralty, issued a statement of support calling for a proclamation of support by the City Consul and the Mayor Yordanka FandakovaYordanka Fandakova
Yordanka Asenova Fandakova is a Bulgarian politician and Mayor of Sofia. She is the first woman to hold this position. She was elected on 15 November 2009, after defeating the Socialist's Party contender Georgi Kadiev....
as well. On June 13, a statement of support was issued by the Ambassador for The Netherlands to Bulgaria, Karel van Kesteren. The British Embassy, which the pride march passes, flew the rainbow flag
Rainbow flag
A rainbow flag is a multi-colored flag consisting of stripes in the colors of the rainbow. The actual colors shown differ, but many of the designs are based on the traditional scheme of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet, or some more modern division of the rainbow spectrum .The...
in support.