Riga Pride and Friendship Days
Encyclopedia
Riga Pride and Friendship Days are an annual event held in Riga
, Latvia
in support of raising issues of tolerance and the rights of sexual minorities in society. The main organiser is the Latvian NGO Mozaīka (Mosaic), and it is supported by ILGA-Europe
.
held elsewhere around the world.
Following public manifestations of homophobia
surrounding the Riga Pride event in 2005, some members of the LGBT community, their friends, and family members united to found the organisation Mozaīka in an attempt to improve the understanding of, and tolerance for LGBT rights in Latvia.
From 2006, the event has been officially known as "Riga Pride and Friendship Days", expanding the programme include not just a parade, but also an ecumenical church service, and seminars on tolerance and LGBT rights.
In 2009 the gay march was allowed by Administrative Court of Riga.
In response to the activities of Mozaīka, an umbrella organisation for co-ordinating anti-LGBT rights activism in Latvia, NoPride, was formed in the run-up to Riga Pride and Friendship Days 2006.
Also in 2006, the event sparked controversy when Riga City Council
at first tried to refuse permission for the Pride Parade. Similar political debates surrounded the first Pride Parade in 2005.
The LGBT community in Latvia has also been divided in its attitudes to the event. In a February 2007 survey of 537 LGBT persons by the organisation ILGA-Latvija, 82% of respondents said they were not in favour of holding the planned Riga Pride and Friendship Days 2007, while only 7% felt that these events would help promote tolerance against sexual minorities. ILGA-Latvija, however, has since changed its stance and now is positive towards the Riga Pride and Friendship Days.
and Amnesty International.
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
in support of raising issues of tolerance and the rights of sexual minorities in society. The main organiser is the Latvian NGO Mozaīka (Mosaic), and it is supported by ILGA-Europe
ILGA-Europe
ILGA-Europe is the European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association.ILGA-Europe is a non-governmental umbrella organisation which represents its members, principally organisations of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, at the European level.Its...
.
History
The event originally began in 2005 under the name "Riga Pride", as the local equivalent to other Pride ParadesGay pride parade
Pride parades for the LGBT community are events celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender culture. The events also at times serve as demonstrations for legal rights such as same-sex marriage...
held elsewhere around the world.
Following public manifestations of homophobia
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
surrounding the Riga Pride event in 2005, some members of the LGBT community, their friends, and family members united to found the organisation Mozaīka in an attempt to improve the understanding of, and tolerance for LGBT rights in Latvia.
From 2006, the event has been officially known as "Riga Pride and Friendship Days", expanding the programme include not just a parade, but also an ecumenical church service, and seminars on tolerance and LGBT rights.
In 2009 the gay march was allowed by Administrative Court of Riga.
Controversy
Over the years, the event has prompted negative reactions. Sometimes threatened protests by some members of society.In response to the activities of Mozaīka, an umbrella organisation for co-ordinating anti-LGBT rights activism in Latvia, NoPride, was formed in the run-up to Riga Pride and Friendship Days 2006.
Also in 2006, the event sparked controversy when Riga City Council
Riga City Council
Riga City Council is the government of Riga City, the capital of Latvia. It is located in the Riga Town Hall at the Town Hall Square in the very heart of Riga....
at first tried to refuse permission for the Pride Parade. Similar political debates surrounded the first Pride Parade in 2005.
The LGBT community in Latvia has also been divided in its attitudes to the event. In a February 2007 survey of 537 LGBT persons by the organisation ILGA-Latvija, 82% of respondents said they were not in favour of holding the planned Riga Pride and Friendship Days 2007, while only 7% felt that these events would help promote tolerance against sexual minorities. ILGA-Latvija, however, has since changed its stance and now is positive towards the Riga Pride and Friendship Days.
International support
Aside from ILGA-Europe, the event has also received consistent support from other LBGT organisations in neighbouring countries, most notably RFSL from SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Amnesty International.