WorldPride is the largest and most prestigious Pride event in the world. Organised under the banner of InterPride, the international association of Pride organisers, WorldPride is awarded to a different city every few years. The event brings together LGBTQ+ communities from every continent for a multi-day celebration combining a massive parade with cultural programming, human rights conferences, concerts and community events.
A Brief History
The first WorldPride took place in Rome in 2000, attracting an estimated one million participants to the Italian capital despite opposition from the Vatican. Since then, WorldPride has been held in Jerusalem (2006), London (2012), Toronto (2014), Madrid (2017), New York City (2019 — marking the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots), Copenhagen/Malmö (2021) and Sydney (2023).
Each edition has broken new ground. WorldPride in Jerusalem was a bold statement of LGBTQ+ visibility in the Middle East. Toronto's WorldPride in 2014 was the largest Pride event in Canadian history. And New York 2019, coinciding with the Stonewall anniversary, drew an estimated five million people to the city.
Upcoming WorldPride Events
- 2025 — Washington, D.C., USA: From May 23 to June 8, 2025, the US capital hosted WorldPride with events centred around the National Mall, making it a powerful statement in the heart of American politics.
- 2026 — Amsterdam, Netherlands: WorldPride comes to Amsterdam from July 25 to August 8, 2026, combined with EuroPride. The Netherlands — the first country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage in 2001 — will celebrate 25 years of marriage equality. The highlight will be the legendary Canal Parade on August 1.
- 2028 — Cape Town, South Africa: In a historic decision, Cape Town will host the first WorldPride ever held on the African continent. South Africa is the only African country with constitutional protections for LGBTQ+ people, having legalised same-sex marriage in 2006. This event will bring unprecedented international attention to LGBTQ+ issues across Africa.
What Makes WorldPride Special
Unlike regular Pride events or even EuroPride, WorldPride has a truly global scope. The host city becomes a meeting point for LGBTQ+ people from dozens of countries, including many where being openly queer is dangerous or illegal. The event typically features a major human rights conference alongside the festivities, tackling issues from decriminalisation to transgender rights to LGBTQ+ refugee protection.
WorldPride also has enormous economic impact, with host cities reporting hundreds of millions in visitor spending. But its greatest impact is cultural and political: for a few days, the entire world's attention turns to LGBTQ+ rights, visibility and celebration.