Sarajevo Pride Organisers Look Forward to ‘Family Gathering’
This post is also available in: Bosnian
Participants carry a rainbow colored flag, during Sarajevo’s second gay pride parade, in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 14 August 2021. Representatives of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) organisations and their supporters are taking part in the event. EPA-EFE/FEHIM DEMIR
Bosnia’s capital Sarajevo is gearing up for its third Pride March this Saturday, which will be held during the Pride Month for the first time and culminate a month of activities dedicated to bringing families and their queer members closer.
“Family gatherings are something that belongs to all of us, but some of us don’t have a chance to be who we truly are,” said Lejla Huremovic, member of the organisational committee of Bosnia’s Pride March, speaking of this year’s slogan, “Family Gathering”.
“We want to draw attention to the problem of non-acceptance, misunderstanding and domestic violence, and return to practice values such as love, support, understanding and acceptance of all family members as they are,” Huremovic told BIRN.
Given a lack of safe spaces for the LGBT+ community in Bosnia where members really can be who they are, the organisers have laid on a range of events, such as poetry nights, concerts, workshops, panel discussions and movie nights in Sarajevo, Tuzla and Banja Luka.
“This year, we have expanded the program for a clear reason, and that is that LGBTIQ people still do not have safe spaces where they can go to concerts, parties and socialising, and we want to create just such spaces,” she added.
In September 2019, Sarajevo was the last European capital city to hold its first-ever Pride March. It was one of the few first ones that wasn’t followed by violence, and the whole event was a success, with more than 3.000 marchers.
Pride Marches started as protests against discrimination and homophobic violence, and while they have evolved into a celebration of diversity and freedom in many countries, in Bosnia it is still considered a fight for equality.
“LGBT people [in Bosnia] are not legally equal yet, and a law on same-sex partnership needs to be enacted, and the area of transition for trans people needs to be regulated.
Participants carry rainbow-colored flags, during Sarajevo’s second gay pride parade, in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 14 August 2021. Representatives of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) organisations and their supporters are taking part in the event. EPA-EFE/FEHIM DEMIR
“There is also a lot of work to be done to implement the law and protect LGBTIQ people in practice. Institutions must become more proactive and louder in support, because that is the way to fight homophobia and violence,” Huremovic said.
Huremovic also noted that the Law on Public Assembly in Sarajevo Canton remains restrictive when it comes to public gatherings, and often organisers have to pay different fees for events, such as security fences, ambulance and protection.
“It is ironic that we demand freedom and in order to do so, on the street, we have to pay [fees]. It is scandalous, discriminatory and, above all, restrictive. We need to change that together,” she said.
The 25,000 Bosnian marks – around 12,500 euros – allocated for this year’s Pride March by Sarajevo Canton will not be enough to cover more than 30,000 Bosnian marks of organisational expenses, so the organisers have asked the public to help pay the remaining costs.
“LGBT people need wider support, same-sex partners need legal, institutional and social acceptance, and the best way to show this is to come to the Pride March. Let us all show together that we want to nurture the principles of togetherness, solidarity, love, support and acceptance,” Huremovic said.
Not all Sarajevans agree with that, however. Counter protests have also been announced on June 25. Sanin Musa, a theologian and professor, on Wednesday urged people to join his peaceful protest in Sarajevo on the same day as the Pride march. In a Facebook post, Musa cited his disagreement with public displays of sexual orientation, claiming that it goes against the “fundamental tradition of a relationship between a man and a woman”.
BiH Pride March 2022 will be held on June 25 in Sarajevo. The gathering lasts from 3pm to 5pm, while the march will be held from 5pm to 6.30pm, followed by a program and speeches till 8pm. More info can be found on www.povorkaponosa.ba
