Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is the world’s most spectacular celebration of LGBTQI pride and diversity. Each year, tens of thousands of international and interstate visitors come to Sydney to experience a three-week festival of over 100 events, culminating in the iconic Mardi Gras Parade and Party.
On the eve of the 41st annual Parade, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras are excited to announce that their bid to secure the hosting rights for WorldPride 2023 has received a $192,000 funding boost from the NSW Government.
A successful bid would see Sydney become the first destination in the Southern Hemisphere to host WorldPride, the marquee international lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) pride event.
Mardi Gras CEO Terese Casu said ”This is an exciting opportunity for Sydney and NSW to host yet another world-class event that has the potential to attract thousands of visitors to the city and make a significant economic and cultural impact.”
“This event would not only boost the international profile of the Mardi Gras festival, it would also showcase the iconic surrounds of Sydney and NSW as a premier tourist destination,” said Casu.
WorldPride 2023 would coincide with the 45th anniversary of the first Mardi Gras Parade. Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras will present its bid for the biennial event to members of InterPride at the AGM in Athens in October 2019.
The inaugural WorldPride was held in Rome in 2000. Cities which have hosted WorldPride since 2000 include Jerusalem, London, Toronto and Madrid.