LGBT culture

Α calendar reminder shone up on Danai Deligeorges' phone on Thursday evening: "Wedding," the message said. She turned, smiling, to her partner Alexia Beziki. "Are you ready?" Beziki asked, before the couple kissed and started to prepare.

The organisers of the annual Pride Parade in Ljubljana have criticised police handling of reports of violence against the LGBTIQ+ community and tepid government response after what they described as the worst hostility against the community in years.

Hundreds of LGBT activists detained for taking part in a banned Istanbul Pride Parade on Sunday were released on Monday after a night in detention.

"Police interrogation of 373 people who were detained yesterday is now over, and they will be sent to hospital before being released," the organisers of Istanbul Pride Week said.

Global Pride event in Istanbul, June 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE/SEDAT SUNA

"We have obtained information that between 21.06.2022 (Tuesday) and 23.06.2022 (Thursday) gatherings, press releases, marches, distribution of leaflets, etc. are planned to be held within the scope of the 30th Istanbul LGBTI+ Pride Week," the governors' offices said in a statement.

Marking Kosovo's third Pride Week, the main squares of the capital Prishtina were filled with people attending the Pride Parade under the slogan "Whoever your heart beats for", and which passed by the government building, the parliament and other landmarks of the city.

The Third Pride Week in Kosovo began on Monday with a reception in the government building where several top officials, including the President, Hashim Thaci, were present. The opening will continue with Majlinda Hoxha's artistic exhibition, "QUEIN," at the Institute for Urbanism and Design.

A long column of people attending the Belgrade Pride Parade - motto, "I'm not giving up" - and marking the end of Pride week, passed near the Serbian Presidency building, the city and national parliaments and continued to the government building. The organisers of the event then addressed the crowd about the demands of the community.

Pride Week has passed, and once again, we are faced with efforts to increase awareness about queer and transgender culture. It is possible to see many projects during and before the Pride Week in Istanbul, questioning if we are aware of the stories, memories and pain of transsexual people seeking to raise awareness about this issue. 

A rainbow of colors filled the streets of Skopje on Saturday when North Macedonia held its first gay parade. Demonstrators in the largely conservative Balkan region have called for the cessation of discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people (LGBT).

It is a sunny morning in June. The city centre of Skopje is closed for traffic - it's party time. Mobile sound systems are ready to go, tens of thousands of people are gathering - a joyful, colourful crowd. Banners, flags, decorations, costumes, all ready to give the city a blast in the name of the highest value - freedom.