Taiwan chosen to host World Pride 2025 over Washington, DC
Taiwan has been chosen by InterPride, the coalition of LGBTQ Pride organizations, as the host for the World Pride 2025 over Washington, DC.
InterPride had selected the Taiwanese group, Kaouhsiung Pride, over DC’s Capital Pride Alliance. Hosting the World Pride is expected to draw thousands of worldwide visitors to the chosen city.
World Pride 2025 to be held in East Asia
Kaohsiung Pride and Capital Pride Alliance were among the cities that submitted bids to host the international Pride event.
“From Rome to Jerusalem to London to Toronto to Madrid to New York City to Copenhagen, World Pride has been a worldwide event since 1997,” InterPride said in a statement
They declared, “With this monumental vote by InterPride members, a World Pride will be held in East Asia for the first time.”
More than 300 member organizations worldwide participated in the voting process, workshops, plenary sessions, regional and board meetings during the 8-day virtual event.
Darien Chen, spokesperson for Kaohsiung Pride, said: “This is the beginning of a 4-year journey that we plan to ignite change in Asia, to promote InterPride’s mission, and to advance human rights in the world.”
Washington’s bid to host the World Pride 2025
Capital Pride Alliance had submitted a bid to host World Pride 2025 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of DC’s first LGBTQ Pride event near Dupont Circle in 1975, among other ways to mark the anniversary.
Capital Pride Alliance Executive Director Ryan Bos said: “The Capital Pride Alliance congratulates Kaohsiung Pride on being awarded the opportunity to produce World Pride 2025.”
“We extend to them our heartfelt best wishes for a successful event,” Bos said.
In a statement, Bos said, “Capital Pride will use the next three years to continue with our long-standing plans to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Pride in Washington, DC, in June 2025.”
“After nearly two years of navigating through this difficult time, we share our communities eagerness to bring back our annual large-scale events and traditions,” he added and said they will unveil their plans in the coming months.
World Pride following the Gay Games into Asia
Before the 2025 event, the next World Pride will have Sydney in Australia as the host of the World Pride for 2023.
The selection of Taiwan also comes after the Federation of Gay Games, the US-based group that organizes the quadrennial international LBTQQ sports event, selected Hong Kong in 2017 for the 2022 Gay Games.
In their announcement, the Federation said the selection of Hong Kong was the first time the event would be held in Asia.
But because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Gay Games organizers have postponed the Games next year to November 2023.
Likewise, the Hong Kong organizers said they will move forward with the support from corporate sponsors and LGBTQ groups despite the crackdown of China on human rights advocates in Hong Kong.