First Gay Ride in Albania

LGBT activists in Albania pedaled today with bicycles through the main boulevard “Dëshmorët e Kombit” in Tirana, challenging not only the bad weather and the heavy rain, but above all the mentality and the unjustified phobias of a country that is still discussing if we need or not a gay pride parade …!

 

This was the first event of this kind in Albania, organized by two organizations that promote the LGBT rights: “Pro LGBT” and “The Alliance Against Discrimination of LGBT”. The activity was supported from EcoVolis which made available not only the bicycles, but through this act publicly endorsed our cause.

 

But soon after this event started, a group of youngsters hidden in the columns between the buildings threw explosives towards the participants and disappeared immediately. We thank the police which today stood close to us and made everything possible for this event to be achieved.

 

 “This is just the beginning”, said Xheni Karaj, the executive director of the Alliance. She added that “we will continue with other activities, in Vlora where Albanians declared their Independency 100 years ago. We will discuss there with young students regarding LGBT community, in an open forum supported by The Italian Consulate in Vlora, The Ombudsman, EU, Arcigay and Arcigay Pescara. It will all end with the opening of the exhibition “Kukafshehti” (hide and seek) in Tirana Express gallery. This will be the first time the first time that portraits of the LGBT individuals and couples will be exposed for the public and the media”. According to Karaj, it’s important that LGBT community had now started to break the wall of fear and the silence. They are ready now to bring up their cause.

 

Kristi Pinderi, executive director of the other organization, Pro LGBT explained the slogan of this year events: it is an Albanian version of Some People are gay, get over it! He added that “during the period of Italian invasion the fascists constructed this boulevard in the same shape of the famous ax of Damocles. Symbolically, there is another ax of Damocles standing up for LGBT and forcing them to live in fear, but for that reason our event will challenge that fear”.

The director of Ecovolis, Ened Mato stated that this event is promoting love, instead of hate, understanding, instead of misunderstanding, in order to show everyone that human rights are important and we have to learn how to live together with other people who do not necessary are the same with us…

Video of the incident: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PojSw-ozP1k