Pride - Hundreds of thousands expected to CSD weekend in Cologne
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend the Christopher Street Day (CSD) in Cologne next weekend. The highlight is the CSD-Parade on Sunday (21. July). Around 250 groups with approximately 60,000 female and male participants are planned to march through the city center. The organizers expect more than a million spectators as in previous years.
Already from Friday evening, the LGBTIQ-Community celebrates the "Cologne Pride" with a large street festival in the Old Town. For three days, there are information stands, as well as talks, speeches, and music on several stages. Numerous artists perform, including the band Tokio Hotel and this year's Eurovision Song Contest winner, Nemo. According to the organizers, 70 hours of free programming will be offered.
The Cologne CSD is considered one of the largest events for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, intersexual, and queer (English: LGBTIQ) community in Europe. The motto is: "For human rights. Many. Together. Strong".
More Queer-Hostility
"The LGBTIQ+ Community experiences worldwide - but also in Germany - increasing hostility up to hate," the Cologne Pride organization announced in advance. "That's why we keep going out on the streets and peacefully fight for our human rights."
The organization has formulated twelve demands to politics and society. Among other things, it demands a ban on groups and parties that "violate human dignity through homo- and transphobic statements and suppress diverse, self-determined living".
With the CSD, events from 1969 in New York are remembered in many places: Police stormed the Stonewall Inn bar in Christopher Street then and triggered a several-day uprising of gay men, lesbians, and transsexuals.
- The CSD in Cologne, one of the largest events in Europe for the LGBTIQ community, takes place in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, attracting hundreds of thousands of people every year.
- Numerous activities are scheduled for Christopher Street Day, including the CSD-Parade on Sunday, a street festival in the Old Town starting from Friday evening, and performances from artists like Tokio Hotel and Nemo on several stages.
- Despite increasing hostility and hate towards the LGBTIQ+ community worldwide, including in Germany, the organizers of Christopher Street Day in Cologne continue to peacefully demonstrate and fight for their human rights.
- As part of their demonstration, the organizers have formulated twelve demands to politics and society, including a ban on groups and parties that make homo- and transphobic statements and suppress diverse, self-determined living.
- The Christopher Street Day events in Cologne pay tribute to the Stonewall Inn bar in Christopher Street, New York, where in 1969, a several-day uprising of gay men, lesbians, and transsexuals began in response to police violence.
