A leading North East charity is inviting Pride supporters to pay their respects to LGBTQ+ people who have lost their lives in the UK and beyond.
Northern Pride will continue its tradition of closing the Pride weekend with a candlelit vigil to stand together against inequality and injustice around the world.
And this year’s event will take place at Newcastle’s Grey’s Monument on Sunday 25 July at 8:30pm, with a number of guest speakers reflecting on the LGBTQ+ rights movement and the challenges it has overcome.
Those at the vigil will hear from representatives at Northern Pride, Northern Lights Metropolitan Community Church, LGBT Northern Social Group and Be Trans Support and Community.
Other organisations making speeches at the event include Stand Up to LGBT+ Hate Crime North East, ATMOS Education, North East Against Racism and National Education Union.
And there will also be performances from Newcastle-based singer-songwriter Tipps and soul singer Jackson Soul & Yousef.
Ste Dunn, Director at Northern Pride, hopes to see a large turnout.
«While the festival is great fun and a celebration of the successes of the Pride movement, it’s also important to take a moment to reflect on the challenges still to face and the people we have lost over the years», he said.
«We hope to raise awareness of the injustices LGBTQ+ people are facing around the world and we have some excellent speakers lined up».
«This will be our first in person event since the pandemic began so it’s sure to be something really special and we welcome anyone who wants to attend».
Northern Pride Online 2.1 takes place on Saturday from 12pm, hosted by award winning presenter Gok Wan and queen of comedy Miss Rory, with renowned DJ Jodie Harsh headlining.
A number of venues across the region are streaming the show and it can also be watched online via Northern Pride’s Facebook or Youtube channel.
For more information, search northernprideuk on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube or Instagram, or visit www.northern-pride.com
