Kaohsiung Pride Makes Bid To Host WorldPride 2025 in Taiwan

Promoting the visibility and awareness of LGBTQ+ issues on an international level, WorldPride (licensed by InterPride) is a celebration that includes parades, marches, festivals and cultural activities in a different international city every few years. The first WorldPride was held in Rome, Italy, in 2000 and has subsequently been held every two years in major cities like London, Madrid and New York. For 2025, Taiwan has put its name in the running to host the event as WorldPride Kaohsiung.

Last year, the only physical gay pride event held in June was in Taiwan — receiving praise from news outlets all over the world for its showing of warmth and community. This year, the team behind Kaohsiung Pride has successfully advanced to one of the top three finalist spots for WorldPride 2025.

Kaohsiung Pride’s Facebook page announces:

Since joining InterPride last year, Kaohsiung Gay Parade has actively participated in international liaison. In addition to being successfully elected as the representative of the Asian region for Interpride, it is now representing Taiwan in competing for the opportunity to host the WorldPride 2025, succeeding with inclusion in the world’s top three. The proposed activities would be spread over Taipei City and Kaohsiung City including the opening and closing ceremonies, fundraising galas, fair day, concerts, business summit, art forums, human rights conference and many other activities over a ten day period. Not only would it invite the world to experience Taiwan’s progressive society, but it would also allow the participants to absorb the attractions, culture and beauty of the Taiwan island.

If successful in its bid for WorldPride Kaohsiung 2025, it will certainly be one of the largest celebrations in Taiwan’s history. The event is known to boast over 2 million attendees on any given year.

It would also mark the first time WorldPride came to East Asia.

InterPride, initially called the the National Association of Lesbian and Gay Pride Coordinators, was established in 1982 in Boston. Since its inception, conferences have been held every year to discuss the coordination, common issues and logistics of Pride organizations all around the world.

Would you like to see a WorldPride Kaohsiung 2025?

Image at top: An Rong Xu for The New York Times