Okay my dear gay\u00a0friends and straight friends. Stockholm\u2019s Pride Festival (Stockholms Pride)\u00a0is the biggest Pride Festival in Northern Europe. No one really is astonished anymore about Pride in Sweden and that is one of the reasons why Pride has become more of an intercultural festival (and less of sub-culture festival)\u00a0where people celebrating love, unity and they\u00a0have lots of\u00a0fun. (I know… it sounds like a rave party from Berlin). I have never been on the festival myself\u00a0so I am maybe not the most authentic person to write about this event, but it would be absolutely interesting to go and experience it someday. I saw the parade once when I was on a work trip in Sthlm. The crowd was massive.\u00a0The festival is open for everyone. I have just realized that they have sign language interpreters as well. (Did you guys know by the way that sign language is one of the official minority languages in Sweden?)<\/p>\n
They have a lot of interesting programs and they also have seminars and workshops where they discuss sex and sexuality, new agendas\u00a0or other\u00a0“sensitive taboo topics”. (If they are\u00a0sensitive at all nowadays. It is hard to see for me at least… growing up with my family\u2019s standards).\u00a0First of all there are plenty of seminars where people discuss sexuality very openly. But do not think it is all about sex and sexuality. As one of the biggest cultural events in Sweden Stockholm\u2019s Pride has a lot of live concerts with both Swedish and international artists at the Pride Park\u00a0outside of the Maritime\u00a0Museum\u00a0in Sthlm and also club events all around the city.\u00a0You can buy a day-ticket or a card so called\u00a0festivalpass.<\/strong> It would allow you to visit many clubs, exhibitions and theaters\u00a0as well\u00a0in down town. Lots and lots and lots. “It takes a fool to remain sane” as one of Sweden\u00b4s own gay glam rock band The Ark<\/a> sang once.<\/p>\n The Swedish politicians and artists like to back up the festival and you can see famous faces in the crowd or at parties or dancing in the streets each year. It is funny watching them on the evening news from my sofa. Oh I want to see our Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt in drag. Ha-ha that would be awesome!\u00a0And maybe it wouldn\u2019t surprise anyone at all. As\u00a0I recall some leading Swedish politicians kissing\u00a0from last year. I think I saw Mona Sahlin (the leader of the Social Democratic Party)\u00a0dancing in the caravan on TV last year\u00a0but I am not sure\u00a0Or did she kiss RFSL:s Ulrika Westerlund<\/a>…?<\/p>\n If you want to find out more about the festival visit: http:\/\/www.stockholmpride.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n