Moscow Pride organisers invite Boris

By Phoebe Ferris-Rotman • August 6, 2008 - 13:19

London Mayor Boris Johnson attended Pride in the city

2 Comments on Moscow Pride organisers invite Boris

Organisers of Moscow Gay Pride have invited the mayors of three leading European capitals to take part in Gay Pride events in the Russian capital in 2009.

The fourth Moscow Gay Pride will take place on May 15 to 17 2009, when the Russian capital will also host the Eurovision song contest, which traditionally attracts attention from the LGBT community in Europe.

Letters were sent today to Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe, London Mayor Boris Johnson and Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit.

"This will be a good opportunity for you to express your solidarity with LGBT community in Russia and other European countries," Nikolai Alekseev and Nikolai Baev from Russian LGBT Human Rights Project GayRussia.Ru and Organising Committee of Moscow Pride said in a the letter to the mayors.

"Many Eastern European countries, including Russia, face serious problems of the breaches of LGBT civil rights. Moscow authorities ban all manifestations connected to the rights of LGBT people.

"Your personal participation and support of our manifestation would change this situation. Gays and lesbians in Moscow could get a real chance for the equal right to freedom of assembly."

A similar letter was sent out last year though none of the mayors attended the event.

The Mayor of Paris thanked organisers for the invitation and expressed his support of the freedom of assembly for LGBT people in Russia but could not attend due to a planned visit to Israel.

London Mayor Boris Johnson attended Pride in the city for the first time last month.

Invitations to European politicians and deputies for next year's Moscow Pride will be sent shortly.

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