Benidorm City Council joins the commemoration of LGBTQ+ Pride once again this year

Benidorm City Council will once again join in the commemoration of International LGBTQ+ Pride Day, celebrated in countries around the world on June 28th, with various activities coordinated by the Department of Equality to raise awareness and reaffirm its commitment to diversity and inclusion for this group. The councilor for the area, Ángela Zaragozí, noted that "unfortunately, in many places around the world, many people are still persecuted and punished for their sexual orientation, so we must continue to support the demands of this group and the defense of freedom, human dignity, and respect for all people to live and pursue their sexual orientation as they freely wish."

Among the activities scheduled for this event, the City Council will once again issue an institutional declaration and submit a motion to this month's ordinary plenary session on the occasion of International LGBTQ+ Pride Day. Likewise, on Wednesday, June 25, at 10 a.m., the rainbow flag will be unfurled from the balcony of City Hall, while at 11 a.m., a special program by "Femení Plural" dedicated to this International Day will be broadcast on municipal radio.

On Saturday, June 28, the city will illuminate its most iconic spaces, such as the catenary of lights on Levante beach, with rainbow colours to commemorate International Pride Day.

Following this, on Friday, July 4, at 6 p.m., an exhibition entitled "Memories Coming Out of the Closet" will open at the City Hall's Espai d'Art, a travelling project that is part of the LGTBI Archive of the Valencian Community. The exhibition is organised by El Armario de la Memoria, a subsidiary of the Second Vice Presidency and the Ministry of Equality, and aims to recover and preserve documentary collections on LGBTI history in the Valencian Community. The exhibition will be open until July 17.

To top it all off, the Equality Councillor participated today in Valencia in the ceremony to present the accreditation as a "LGBTQ+phobia-Free Space" from the Valencian Government to the municipalities and entities that have joined this initiative. Zarazogí recalled that Benidorm "was the first municipality last February to join this protocol, promoted by the First Vice Presidency and the Ministry of Social Services, Equality, and Housing, and to demonstrate its commitment to equality, diversity, and the fight against LGBTIQ+phobia. Now, we are recognised once again for this, along with 27 other municipalities and institutions in the Valencian Community."

Finally, Ángela Zaragozí noted that, in addition to these activities, which coincide with International Pride Day, "in September we're bringing back these celebrations with the popular 'Benidorm Pride,' one of the most well-known Pride weeks and one that attracts the largest national and international audience, and which this year celebrates its 15th anniversary." Therefore, she invited all citizens, regardless of their sexual orientation, to "participate and join in this commemoration, with which we do something as simple as calling for freedom and respect for all people, no matter who they are and whoever they love."