AUSTRALIA. Sydney: Approximately 50,000 LGBTQIA+ people and allies marched along the Sydney Harbour Bridge portraying unity on the last day of WorldPride. The bridge was closed for a few hours to commemorate the final day of WorldPride which took place for the first time in Sydney, starting from North Sydney and ending at the Domain in Sydney’s CBD, which would also be the venue for the WorldPride closing ceremony that is supposed to take place today.
Matt Kean, NSW Treasurer, said that this huge amalgamation of people bears testimony to how the queer community calls for equality, stating, “This is so significant. We’re celebrating the diversity of our entire community, and thousands of people have come out to show their respect and show support for Sydney in all its diversity.”
One of the most precious events that sparked everyone’s attention, including that of friends, families, and community groups from all around the world, was a marriage proposal that happened in the middle of the bridge that sought a lot of sentiment and emotion.
Anthony Albanese, the Australian Prime Minister, and Penny Wong, the Foreign Minister, were welcomed as they attended the event at an opening ceremony, and the Prime Minister mentioned that it indeed was “a great moment.”
“It’s symbolizing the unity that has been on the show for 17 days. We are an inclusive country and it’s great to show that to the world,” he added.
A rollercoaster of emotions ran through the crowd, exemplified by LGBTQIA+ activist Peter De Waal’s words, “Today for me is like a pilgrimage I started in 1970. I think of many different events, including the AIDS epidemic, when we go across the bridge. Remember the thousands of mostly young men we lost. It’s an amazing achievement we’ve made in those 50 years”, adding, “It’s emotional. I lost my own partner five years ago. We were a couple for 50 years. He died seven months before we could get married, and we wanted to get married. So it’s a very emotional journey and pilgrimage for me.”
A lot of people in the crowd showed off their dancing skills as they marched, holding the pride flags high. They also carried banners that represented a number of organizations and charities.
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