100 Prides will be affected by coronavirus within the next few hours

Global Pride coordinators are expecting the number of Prides cancelling or postponing due to COVID-19 to reach 100 in the coming hours.

Moreover, even more Prides are likely to change their plans in the coming days and weeks.

COVID-19 has already seen high-profile postponements including Miami Beach Pride and Los Angeles Pride in the US. Meanwhile Edinburgh Pride in Scotland and Pink Dot in Singapore are among the biggest events to cancel for 2020.

Today the European Pride Organisers Association and InterPride are formally convening a regular COVID-19 action group.

The COVID-19 Pride International Coordination Group will meet regularly in the coming weeks. It will help Prides consider the impact of coronavirus, the needs of the movement and how to guarantee the future of Prides after the pandemic.

Without action, many Prides could go bust and close.

‘Pride will continue and will change many more lives’

Kristine Garina is president of the European Pride Organisers Association. She expects the number of Prides cancelling or postponing because of COVID-19 to hit 100 within a few hours. Already that number is over 90.

She added: ‘It’s very clear that this pandemic is going to have a huge impact on our movement.

‘Right now we must all be focusing first on our own wellbeing and the welfare of those around us. But we are passionate about Pride and we will work together, and do all we can, to help Pride organisers get through this.

‘Every Pride organizer in the world has a story of someone whose life was changed by coming to a Pride, a story of someone who for the first time felt love and a sense of community.

‘It’s heart-breaking that so many people will miss out on that this year, but we’re determined that Pride will continue and will change many more lives in the future.’

Notably, the new group is a real global effort. It includes board representatives of the European Pride Organisers Association, InterPride, US Association of Pride Organizers, CSD Deutschland (the German Pride network), UK Pride Organisers Network and Fierté Canada Pride (Canadian Pride network).

Moreover, representatives of the movement in Africa, Oceania and Latin America are also in the group.

Read More on Gay Star News