The Equality Parade, i.e. the sexual minorities march organized by the Equality Foundation, passed through the streets of Warsaw on Saturday, June 10. The Parade was held within the confines of the Equality Days, which take place this year on June 8-15 under the banner: Culture of Diversity. For the first time in several years the demonstration was legal (14-JUNE-06).

Written by Marta Lempicka/HRH Warsaw

The colorful, dancing three-thousand-strong train of demonstrators passed through the main streets of Warsaw carrying such slogans as: “Polish families love the Polish homosexuals”, “Confession for the willing, freedom for all”, “President Kaczyñski, a homosexual is your brother”. Numerous guests from abroad (mainly Germans, Swedes, Dutchmen, Americans and Irishmen) came with their own slogans: “It’s time to make it with friends”, “Smash homophobia”.
The All-Polish Youth abandoned the planned March of Tradition and Culture, during which it intended to manifest the role played by the family, in its traditional meaning, in the Polish society. The Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights monitored the enjoyment of the right to assembly.

The Equality Days are an annual event – a festival of gay culture aimed at attracting attention to the problems of individuals belonging to cultural minorities. They include conferences and various cultural events, and their climax is the Equality Parade. This year the Equality Days are also accompanied by a festival of gay films entitled “Teddy on Tour in Warsaw 2006”.