On May 16th, 2014, the Rainbow Flag was raised at Toronto’s City Hall to acknowledge International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. World Pride 2014 also announced:

• This year’s International Grand Marshall, Georgian human rights activist Anna Rekhviashvili;
• The release of the preliminary WorldPride Human Rights Conference 2014 (WPHRC14) schedule;
• ALL past IGM’s will attend as a show of support for International Human Rights.

WorldPride, organised by InterPride, is an event that promotes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT Pride) issues on an international level through parades, festivals and other cultural activities. Founded by Paul Stenson, from 2014, the 45th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, the event will be held on a five-year cycle.

WorldPride 2014 Toronto takes place from June 20-29, 2014 & incorporates activism, education, and the history and culture of global LGBTTIQQ2SA* communities. WorldPride 2014 Toronto is presented by Pride Toronto, producer of Canada’s largest annual festival of LGBTTIQQ2SA culture and human rights, under license from InterPride.

Up to 150 LGBTI rights leaders from around the world will speak, including:

• Edith Windsor, who won the landmark case that overturned the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in the United states
• Cleve Jones a pioneer in the LGBT movement since the 1970s, who is currently behind the campaign to encourage LGBT tourists to patronize hotels that respect the rights of workers
• Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir former Prime Minister of Iceland, and the world’s first openly gay head of government
• Mariela Castro Espin, Director of the Cuban National Centre for Sex Education, longtime leading voice for LGBT Rights in Cuba, and daughter of Cuban President Raul Castro
• Russian activist and journalist Masha Gessen
• Ugandan LBGTI activist Frank Mugisha
• Kenyan human rights lawyer Justice Monica Mbaru
• Venezuelan trans activist Tamara Adrián, and
• First Nations Two-Spirited activist Albert McLeod, from The Pas in northern Manitoba and co-founder of the Nichiwakan Gay Society and the Two-Spirited Peoples of Manitoba, amongst many other speakers.

Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly and Coun. Kristyn Wong-Tam announced that the city will host a “historic” mass gay wedding on June 26 – right in the middle of World Pride 2014 celebrations. Up to 150 LGBTQ couples are invited to participate in the summertime “Celebration of Love” which organizers promise will to be the “most elegant and grand pride wedding in history.”

Tents, flowers, live entertainment, and photographers will be supplied for free at Casa Loma. Organizers hope the event will be “the largest LGBTQ wedding in history.” And in the spirit of inclusiveness; Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, New Thought, and Humanist officiants will be on site to marry couples.

Coun. Kyle Rae said the decision to give the event to Toronto is a reflection of the city’s reputation as a gay-friendly city. “I think people in other jurisdictions recognize that there’s something special in Toronto,” Rae said.

*LGBTTIQQ2SA is an abbreviation used to represent a broad array of identities such as, but not limited to, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, transgender, intersex, queer, questioning, two-spirited and allies. For more information visit http://www.worldpridetoronto.com