[:en]"WE ARE EVERYWHERE" is an iconic phrase of the Stonewall Riots which, after so many years (1969, ed.), returns as a warning. Because the LGBTQIA+ community is not an exception, it is the norm, it is everywhere every day. And it fights to demand equality, to fight against all forms of discrimination and loneliness, to eliminate violence and hatred, to promote rights, to make this present a better time for all.
“"We live in an area," said Valentina Tripepi, spokesperson for Reggio Calabria Pride, "where there's often still a fear of coming out. To those who wonder why it's still necessary to come out, we say we do it for all those who can't. Normalizing through the visibility of Pride is the best response we can give, especially to the fears of young people," the young spokesperson for the pride event stated during the press conference held at Palazzo San Giorgio – Salone dei Lampadari.
The 2022 Pride Parade will be an inclusive one, according to Arcigay President Michela Calabrò. "Sitting around the table, we asked ourselves what we could do to make this experience not only unique but also as inclusive as possible. From this, and from the commitment of the entire group of members, especially the younger ones, the idea was born of a parade with a new route accessible to all people with reduced mobility. There will also be an LIS interpreter on the final stage, and staff will be available throughout the parade to anyone in need of support. I reiterate my invitation to all citizens: participate and share with us this journey towards true and substantial equality.".
The route and collateral events
The appointment, to be marked in red on the calendar for Saturday, July 30th at 5:00 pm at the Tempietto where the procession will start, will cross the city and then end at the Waterfront.
During Pride Week, discussions will also focus on health, a sensitive issue in these parts of the world, employment and inclusion of the LGBT+ community, activism, cooperation, and rights. National and international guests for this edition will include Luciano Lopopolo, National President of Arcigay, Alice Redaelli of the Arcigay Milan Committee, Francesco Angeli of the Arcigay Rome Committee, and Angelica Polmonari, President of the Modena Committee, currently President of the ILGA WORLD Women's Committee. The closing pre-Pride event (July 29) will be held on the beautiful terrace of Filippo Cogliandro's A Gourmet Academy, which strongly supported this initiative.
Photo taken during the press conference on July 20, 2022 (Valentina Tripepi Margiotta, Pride spokesperson - Angela Martino, councilor for the city of Reggio Calabria)
Photo taken by Beatrice Manglaviti[:]
