site.btaUPDATED 18th Sofia Pride Held in Bulgaria's Capital
Sofia Pride 2025 was held in downtown Sofia on Saturday. The campaign, organized by the GLAS Foundation for the 18th consecutive year, seeks to promote equality and social integration for LGBTI+ people. It also aims to show support and solidarity with a community that continues to face widespread prejudice and discrimination, the organizers said.
“We want the community to feel united, to be seen, and to believe in the possibility of change,” Simeon Vasilev, Chairperson of the GLAS Foundation and a member of the Sofia Pride organizing committee, told the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). “Pride is deeply needed because, even today, there are children who believe it is better to be gone than to be gay, and that is incredibly sad. Everyone deserves to live their life and have the chance to grow,” Vasilev added.
In 2023, amendments to the Criminal Code added sexual orientation as a protected characteristic in hate crimes – a major victory for the community, the activist said. “Unfortunately, a year later, a law against the propaganda of non-traditional sexual orientation was passed. “With LGBTI+ rights, it often feels like one step forward, one step back,” he noted.
“I am here because I believe everyone deserves equal rights,” Sofia Lyateva, a participant in the pride, told BTA. “I want to encourage people to love themselves and allow others to love them, because there is nothing to fear in that,” she added.
Attending the event, Marc Angel, MEP and Quaestor of the European Parliament, said that being gay or “different” is not an ideology but an identity. “I represent over 100 members of the LGBTI+ community in the European Parliament. We are here to say: we stand with you and support you,” he added.
UK Ambassador to Bulgaria Nathaniel Copsey said that it is important that everyone has equal rights and expressed his satisfaction with the strong turnout at the event.
Irish Ambassador to Bulgaria Catherine Bannon said: “We are proud of the progress the LGBTI+ community is making in Bulgaria.”
“We are here to support equal opportunities for everyone,“ Dutch Ambassador Simon van der Burg said.
The event featured people dressed in colourful clothing and carrying rainbow flags. Tents offered free makeup services and Pride merchandise. The Check Point Sofia Sexual Health Centre provided free HIV testing.
Later in the day, a march in defence of human rights was held as part of the Sofia Pride 2025 programme.
Sofia Pride 2025 ended with a concert of Bulgarian artists in downtown Sofia, including Maria Ilieva, Mila Robert, and Ivo Dimchev. A small stage was also built to showcase five artists.
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