Viennese rainbow parade: memory, color and cohesion to Graz!

Viennese rainbow parade: memory, color and cohesion to Graz!

On Saturday, June 14, 2025, the 29th rainbow parade took place in Vienna, which began under the motto "Our hearts are in Graz". The first section of the event was a silence that led from the town hall to parliament to commemorate the victims of the tragic killing spree in Graz. In a respectful silence, a black banner was laid down as a sign of sympathy, while the participants presented another banner with the inscription "Every child has the right to a future in safety" in front of the parliament. At this demo train, members of the Hosi (homosexual initiative) and numerous high-ranking politicians, including Peter Hacker, Judith Pühringer and Alma Zadić, led the backing of the LGBTIQ+community.

Alma Zadić emphasized the need to set a strong sign against agitation and violence, especially in the light of the recent mass murder in Graz. After the memory, the parade developed into a lively demonstration with up to 300,000 expected participants. From 12:00 p.m. the crowd and bright colors started to move and followed the route along the ring back to the starting point, where the Pride Celübation was at 6:00 p.m.

messages of solidarity and cohesion

City Councilor Peter Hacker expressed that the Pride parade is a sign of cohesion and that after the events in Graz could not simply pass the agenda. Katharina Kacerovsky-Strobl, one of the organizers of Vienna Pride, vehemently spoke out against a cancellation of the parade and invited the population to fight for the rights of the LGBTIQ+community. Although the NEOS canceled their participation due to the serious situation, LGBTIQ City Councilor Bettina Emmerling was on site and praised the initiative to adapt the program for expressing the solidarity.

In addition to the remembering aspects, the parade was also a place of political messages. Speeches and performances by best -known personalities such as Conchita Wurst and Melanie C enriched the program. The organizers reminded of the still unfulfilled demands of the LGBTIQ+community, such as protection against discrimination and a ban on conversion therapies. These topics are in contrast to the growing challenges with which the LGBTI+community is confronted worldwide.

global challenges for LGBTI rights

worldwide encounter LGBTI+persons different forms of discrimination and violence. In countries like Iraq, criminalization of same -sex relationships is punished with hard punishments of up to 15 years in prison. In Africa, consensual same -sex acts are illegal in 31 countries. In 2023, Uganda even introduced an anti-Homosexuality law with death penalty for "serious homosexuality". Such laws and the associated social discrimination represent enormous risks for the community concerned.

At the same time, there are also positive developments in other parts of the world. In 2024, Namibia eliminated laws that criminalized same -sex sexual acts, and in Greece the same -sex marriage has been recognized since February 2024. Such progress shows that a change is also possible in the middle of the middle of the adverse circumstances and underline the importance of events such as the Viennese rainbow parade as a voice for equality and recognition.