Pride in Liverpool’s annual theme has been announced with this year focusing on “Shout it Loud”.
The LCR Pride Foundation’s theme will see a city centre takeover during its flagship event taking place on Saturday, July 29.
It will be the first time, Pride in Liverpool will showcase a “city full of pride” with elements of the annual festival being spread across the whole city centre allowing pride-goers to experience the event in a "totally unique way".
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Andi Herring, CEO and Co-Founder of LCR Pride Foundation, said: “The lives of the LGBT+ community have been under intense scrutiny over the past few years, across the globe. From attacks on Drag Queens and the proposed criminalisation of their livelihoods to the constant and steady erosion of trans rights perpetuated by governments, media and other organisations.
"LGBT+ people are a global community, and that’s why it is crucial that we ‘Shout It Loud’ in solidarity with all LGBT+ people across the world.”
Based on feedback, the region’s LGBT+ charity has focused on elements the community has said they value the most including pop-up community performances, family-friendly spaces and a diverse series of ‘fringe events’ around the city. The full programme is set to be released shortly.
The new approach to Pride in Liverpool means everyone attending can make their day unique and reflect what pride means to them; whether taking to the streets in protest, a party atmosphere, or a more laid-back experience, they can find or create an itinerary which suits them best.
This year’s theme ‘Shout it Loud’ encourages local LGBT+ people to be proud of who they are. Harking back to the first-ever pride marches where standing up and shouting loud for our rights were so important.
Continuing the city’s Eurovision legacy and solidarity with Ukraine, the highlight of the day will see Liverpool play host to Kyiv’s annual Pride march this year.
The city region’s annual ‘March with Pride’ is being held jointly with KyivPride, the LGBT+ organisation of the Ukrainian capital as well as welcoming Ukrainian delegates and community members from across the UK and Europe.
Andi added: “We are honoured to be hosting KyivPride this year and standing alongside the work they do in Ukraine for our community. Of course, it would be hard to forget our reasons behind hosting Eurovision and the lasting bond with Ukraine that will remain with us.
“Our region will be, and will remain to be, ‘full of pride’, defiantly and unapologetically. The LCR Pride Foundation will continue to strive for the rights of all LGBT+ people to be able to live their lives authentically and without persecution, wherever we live.”
Councillor Harry Doyle, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing & Culture on Liverpool City Council said: “Eurovision showed us the whole city can embrace an event of this scale, which is why we’re so thrilled that Pride in Liverpool will be taking a different approach this year by bringing the entire city centre together."
