Key Points
- WorldPride 2023 will take place in Sydney from 17 February to 5 March
- It's the first time this global LGBTIQ+ event is being held in the Southern Hemisphere
- This year marks the 45th anniversary of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
First held in 2000, WorldPride is a celebration of the diverse LGBTIQ+ community that aims to raise issues of human rights, global equality, diversity and inclusion.
As part of WorldPride 2023, this year's Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade will return to its original route along Oxford Street on 25 February to celebrate its 45th anniversary.
An event staged by Trikone Australia, a social group for the LGBTIQ+ community. Credit: Trikone Australia
As part of the historic event, Sydney Harbour Bridge will be closed to traffic on 5 March.
“Incredible pictures of 50,000 people marching across our iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge will be beamed across the world," Minister for Metropolitan Roads Natalie Ward said.
A Trikone Australia event Credit: Trikone Australia
Mr Albanese, the first sitting Australian prime minister to march in the Mardi Gras parade, said, “We speak a lot about tolerance – and tolerance is really important – but this is about a step that is way more important than tolerance.”
“We need to celebrate our diversity, not just tolerate it, because our diversity is what gives our society strength,” he added.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (right) and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong (left) Source: AAP / BEN MCKAY/AAPIMAGE
The Mardi Gras legacy in Australia
It all started on 24 June, 1978, when a small group of people identifying as gay and lesbian (called the Gay Solidarity Group) organised a day of activities in Sydney.
Their key objective was to raise a voice against the oppression and discrimination faced by people of diverse sexuality.
The group planned to lead a street parade at night, followed by a dawn march and public meeting in the morning.
After police responded violently and made dozens of arrests, the parade entered into the public limelight.
Since this first year, Sydney Gay And Lesbian Mardi Gras has grown into one of the world's largest LGBTIQ+ festivals.
Is there any South Asian representation?
WorldPride 2023 will comprise more than 300 events, all under the theme 'Gather, Dream and Amplify'.
This includes one of the largest Human Rights Conferences ever held in Asia-Pacific, featuring over 60 speakers from around the world, including South Asian communities.
Trikone Australia's team Credit: TA
Maria Tatthil, the 2020 Miss Universe Australia, who is of Indian descent, is among these influential figures.
The festival will also welcome queer Bollywood dance party 'Bar Bombay' and 'Sunderella', a musical play which has been organised by the non-profit organisation Trikone Australia (TA).
TA's Kshitija Deshmukh said her organisation has been dedicated to providing safe spaces to the South Asian LGBTIQ+ community for over 15 years.
A Trikone Australia event. Credit: TA
"Continuing to create spaces by and for our colourful community remains our unwavering passion," she said.
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For Kashif Harrison, a performer in the play 'Sunderella', it's about being visible and heard in the world more broadly.
"I am very excited to be a part of this musical play. It has 17 casting members of South Asian background and is about love, acceptance... it resonates very well with this year's theme," he commented.
