Brussels, 24 March 2020
The board of Thessaloniki Pride have taken the difficult decision to postpone EuroPride 2020 due to the COVID19 pandemic.
No new date has been set yet, but the board of Thessaloniki Pride will continue to monitor the situation over the coming weeks and make a decision on a new date, as soon as it is practical to do so. Thessaloniki Pride continues to work with the Municipality of Thessaloniki and other partners to plan the future of the event. The event was due to take place on 20-28 June 2020, with the Parade on Saturday, 27 June.
Evangelos Chouliaras, spokesperson for Thessaloniki Pride said:
“After three years of hard work and dedication we are of course devastated that EuroPride 2020 in Thessaloniki cannot take place when we hoped. We are conscious that, apart from the gathering and travelling restrictions, there is little appetite for the celebratory aspects of EuroPride so soon after such devastating losses in Europe and around the globe. Nevertheless, we are determined to find a way to make the event happen, hopefully later in 2020, since EuroPride 2020 aspires to be a platform of expression for the LGBTI community from Greece, the Balkans and all across Europe.”
“We want to record our thanks to our community for their support and understanding, and apologise to all those who have booked travel to come to Thessaloniki in June. These really are difficult times but by working together we will find a way forward”.
Stein Runar Østigaard, EuroPride Coordinator for the European Pride Organisers Association (EPOA) which licences EuroPride, said:
“We are of course disappointed that EuroPride 2020 must be postponed but this is the right decision in the circumstances. Prides all over the world are being postponed or cancelled, and this is unavoidable. We will continue to work with and support the Thessaloniki Pride team in the weeks and months ahead”.