The lively Equality Marchtook place in Kraków under the president’s patronage

Crowds of colorful and lively people took part in the Equality March in Krakow, which this year was exceptionally held under the patronage of Mayor Jacek Maychrowski! It was crowded, colorful, and loud. Colorful platforms with music, the largest rainbow flag in Poland, and for the first time, a march across two bridges: on Saturday, the Equality March passed through the streets of Krakow, this year under the slogan “take a breath.”

On Saturday, August 14, at 5:00 p.m., the Equality March organized by the Queer May Association set off from the Cracovia Hotel in Krakow. With dancing steps, queer people and their allies showed that Krakow is also their city. The crowd enjoyed DJ sets by Outta8, PLK, and drag queens Charlotte and Lola, and the march ended with a concert by Slovak singer Karin Ann.

This year, for the first time, the Equality March was held under the patronage of Jacek Maychrowski, Mayor of Krakow. “More and more public figures, politicians, including local government officials, are showing their support and solidarity with the LGBTQIA community. The fact that Jacek Maychrowski is joining them is a natural progression, but it is also a recognition of our agency and the fact that we are an integral part of society, including at the local level. Krakow is also our home, and the Equality March has been a regular feature of it for many years,” says Ania Tereszko, president of the Association. There were no incidents during the demonstration.

“We are glad that, as announced, we managed to take a breath from the stifling homophobia we experience every day in Krakow,” says Wit Kania, a member of the board of the Queer May Association, emphasizing that for many LGBT people, this day is special – it is when they can take to the streets to show that they exist and are part of local communities.

“Let’s take a breath and shout,” says Ania Tereszko in the manifesto, “and the more they try to drown us out, the louder we will shout. Because we have the audacity to be ourselves.”

The organizers of the Equality March invited those gathered to a party on the same day at the Szpitalna 1 club at 10 p.m. The evening will be graced by Ciarra Black from Berlin and Fermented Girls from Krakow, among others. The Equality March in Krakow has been held since 2004. Since 2008, it has been accompanied by the Queer May Festival promoting LGBT culture. The event is part of the Queer May Festival, which this year runs from May 17 to August 15.