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03/24/2004 Archived Entry: ""Love Breaks Barriers" ~ EUROPRIDE 2004 in Hamburg"

“Love Breaks Barriers”

...is the motto chosen for the 11th Europride in Hamburg

Berlin mayor Klaus Wowereit attended press breakfast at the ITB

Hamburg – This year’s Europride [it is not the pride of the €uro that is meant here! :-)], the cross-frontier Christopher Street Day (still known to some as "Stonewall"), will already be the eleventh in the series, with the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg as the venue. Under the motto “Love Breaks Barriers“ organizers Hamburg Pride e.V. are laying on a host of sporting events, street parties, discussions and charity functions. With the borders with the countries of Eastern Europe constantly dwindling, the hosts opted for this powerful motto. Comments Stefan Wesemann, deputy head of Hamburg Pride e.V.: “Frontiers in Europe are becoming more and more transparent. What we need to do now is to dismantle the barriers in people’s heads.“

Many "leading personalities" have already accepted invitations to the Grand Opening Gala at Schmidts Tivoli Theatre on June 4th, among them Lilo Wanders,Wilhelm Wieben, Rainer Bielfeldt, Kay Ray, Olivia Jones and Geschwister Pfister (all or most names may not mean much to persons outside Hamburg, Germany or Europe, but I think that I can recommend them all!).

At the International Tourism Exchange (ITB) in Berlin, Europride 2004 was naturally at the 3rd Gay & Lesbian Travel Expo (GLTE), where you could visit us in Hall 25, on Stand 116, and on March 12th for breakfast (09:30-10:30) with Klaus Wowereit, governing mayor of Berlin.

Registration forms for the parade and the street party can be ordered from info@hamburg-pride.de.

As you know or should know,

Hamburg is the Gateway to the World ~~ for Germans... That is where they easily can leave it, Germany I mean, and as some say here, it is the gate to the world, but only the gate. ;-) But a gate works both ways.

So, between June 4th and 13th the Free and Hanseatic City will be welcoming over 500,000 people to celebrate a unique event together. The occasion for this is the 11th EUROPRIDE, or the pan-European version of the main CSD celebration, under the patronage of Hamburg's governing mayor (prime minister) Ole von Beust.

For centuries the Hanseatic City with its port and international trading tradition, has been famed for its openness to the world and its tOLErance. But this tOLErance is not shared by everyone, as I well know. Sometimes there is too much tOLErance in relation to those that are intOLErant. The lesbian/gay community occupies a firm place in Hamburg life. Especially the lesbian. :) And especially that part of the community which can and does spend a lot of money. But this may be universal these days.

In 2004 Hamburg's community will be evident in all its almost infinite variety. Along with the party and the parade, its whole cultural and sporting side will be amply and openly on show for the visitor. Districts such as the gay village of St. Georg and St. Pauli with the world-renowned "mile of sin" Reeperbahn [das war einmal, oder da war mal früher viel mehr, man lebt noch von dem Ruf, von Salambo und Co ~~ "die säzzerin" :-)] represent a standing invitation [stante pene hingehen! ~~ "die säzzerin" :-)] to enjoy an extravaganza of sheer teeming life and colour. Its different institutions and societies, bars and clubs, restaurants and stores are already limbering up today and thrilled at the idea of greeting waves of EUROPRIDE visitors in Hamburg.

WELCOME TO HAMBURG!

For more information click here.