The 50-person strong group – the largest delegation at WorldPride – is made up of progressive activists, representatives of PES member parties, PES Women, and socialist and democratic elected officials from all over Europe.
Over three days, the delegation has taken part in events to stand up for equality around the world, celebrate the LGBTIQ community, and promote cooperation and activism.
Camila Garfias, Rainbow Rose President, said:
“We are in Copenhagen to give the clear message that Europe’s socialist and democratic family is fighting for LGBTIQ rights and freedoms. We believe in equal societies where diversity is celebrated.
“2021 has seen the LGBTIQ community come under real threat in Hungary and Poland, and homophobic attacks are on the rise all over Europe. Freedoms and human rights are being destroyed at the hands of right-wing forces, and we are pushing back strongly against that. Seeing the energy and ideas that are on display here in Copenhagen, I know that our vision of an equal world is possible.”
Yesterday, on the eve of WorldPride, Rainbow Rose held its IV Pride Forum. Camila Garfias, Rainbow Rose President, Katrine Skov, Vice-President of PES Women and Enric Lopez Jurado, YES Vice-President, opened the event.
Rainbow Rose Secretary-General Jose Santoro then moderated the first panel on the LGBTIQ Freedom Cities and Regions campaign from Rainbow Rose and PES CoR, with contributions from Dr Maxi Ines Carl, Councillor of Hannover, Dajana Bakić, Vice-President of Rainbow Rose, and Tatjana Gabrielli, President Soho Vienna.
The second panel focused on work to ensure LGBTIQ candidates and priorities are heard in elections, and featured Carola Ebhardt, SPD Queer Germany and Vice-President Rainbow Rose, Dominique Mras, Soho Austria, Antoine Van Lune, PvdA Roze Netwerk Netherlands, and Mia Sundelin, HBTS Sweden. The discussion was moderated by Jan Beugelaer, Rainbow Rose board member.
The PES and Rainbow Rose Forum concluded with a working dinner bringing together elected officials from the PES family and members of the delegation. A dinner discussion was held in a meet and greet format with Marc Angel (MEP and Intergroup Co-Chair, Luxembourg), Evin Incir (MEP, Sweden), Alicia Homs (President of the European Socialists and MEP, Spain), Robert Biedrón (MEP, Poland), Cyrus Engerer (MEP Malta), Cara Hunter (MP, Northern Ireland), Dovilė Šakalienė (MP, Lithuania), Eduard Odinets (MP, Estonia), Gabriela Marawska-Stanecka (Senator, Poland), Krzysztof Śmiszek (MP, Poland), Dr. Maxi Ines Carl (Councillor, Germany).
On Thursday, the Rainbow Rose and PES delegation attended the Pre-Interparliamentary Plenary, met with the LGBT Network of Socialdemokraterne, the Danish PES member party, and held meeting with the Danish Government's Minister for Development Cooperation and Nordic Cooperation, Flemming Møller Mortensen, and Social Democrat Deputy Speaker and Member of Parliament, Mogens Jensen. Later that day, Rainbow Rose held a debate with Evin Incir MEP and Cara Hunter MP, and attended the Parliamentary Caucuses on LGBTIQ Rights.
