Riga Pride to take place next week

RIGA - Riga Pride 2023 is scheduled to take place in the Latvian capital next week offering a rich program advocating for inclusiveness and equality,  Riga Price 2023 co-chair Kaspars Zalitis informed LETA. 

According to the event's organizers, this year's pride will call on everyone to blossom in their diversity and discover the beauty of diversity in others. . "Speaking through flowers" will be used as a means of communication, as flowers are an old communication method used by lovers to secretly exchange their messages, Zalitis said. Historically, various flowers have been used as identification signs of LGBTQ people.

The human rights week will start off on Monday, May 29, with a rainbow ribbon cutting ceremony at the Skapis queer cultural space, which for a week will be turned into Pride House, or Riga Pride's press office. 

Both Pride House and other cultural venues in Riga will be hosting various discussions, workshops, entertainment events and talent shows. 

The Diversity and Inclusion Forum 2023, the largest diversity and inclusion forum in the Baltic States, will take place on May 31, focusing on the development of diversity, inclusion and equity best practices in companies, institutions and organizations. The forum is now in its fourth edition and brings together leaders, policy makers and a wide range of guests.

A queer history conference will take place at the University of Latvia on Friday, June 2, with the focus on in-depth research on Soviet-era LGBTQ history. Pre-registration is required for the event.

The Pride week will close with a march and concert in Riga on Saturday, June 3, with thousands of people expected to join the events.

The full program of Riga Pride 2023 is available at www.rigapride.lv.