Pavia Pride 2018 – Millennials Generations of Love
[Original Italian version by Alessandro Martin]
“A rainbow river of love and pride”. These are the words which describe Pavia Pride 2018. It’s the fourth edition of the parade which invaded the city with balloons, flags and colorful banners. Over 3000 people walked through a part of the historic center, from Piazza Italia, Piazza della Vittoria, Corso Strada Nuova and ending in Piazzale Ghinaglia, after filling the Ponte Coperto with colors, emotions and, again, much pride. Communal feelings for all the participants of the LGBTI community and not only them: to boldly share with them the equality of all forms of love there were also many heterosexual allies, friends, relatives and classmates.
“What strikes me the most about this fantastic Pavia Pride – Chiara tells us, deeply touched – is seeing new moms clapping and rejoicing with their children, overwhelmed by emotions of freedom and equal rights”. The significant words of this young girl highlight how everyone contributed to June 9th’s “rainbow river”, from the old to the new generations, with a really high attendance of youngsters and kids. Among them, there’s also Carlo, who gives us an on-the-spot comment about the event: “It’s really incredible! The happiness and the rights of our future are represented by the many young people gathered here”.
But Pavia Pride isn’t just this. The pride parade is the final event of a long Pride Week, which involved the entire city with lectures and events in clubs. The participation and the tangible support of Pavia was publicly displayed through the rainbow illumination of Palazzo del Broletto, thus expressing an act of subscription to the principles of respect and equality through one of the city’s symbolic buildings. At Pavia Pride you can dance, shout, be moved, laugh, cry and above all you can feel free to live your emotions. The Pride exists to express the right to be happy of all forms of love, but it also promotes equal opportunities and the fight against discriminations. Besides, Pavia is only one of the many cities embraced by the Rainbow Wave that on June 30th will finally land in Milan. Love, friendship, happiness, equality, freedom, pride and rights without limits: this has been Pavia Pride – Millennials Generations of Love.
