50 years ago, in 1971, Sweden's first Pride parade took place in the city of Örebro. To participate was an act of bravery. To participate was a refusal to live a life in shadows. To participate was a way to step forward and demand your rights. In some regards, we have come a long way since 1971. In Sweden and in many countries around the world, the right to same-sex marriage, the opportunity for same-sex couples to adopt children, the access to gender affirming health care and the opportunity to participate in a Pride parade in your own hometown has been achieved.
Such progress came with great struggle, especially from determined civil society organization and brave LGBTIQ-activists. And this my friends is progress that we must defend. As we gather for World Pride 2021, we still have much progress ahead of us to fight for in Sweden and around the world. We need to continue to reform legislation to achieve equal rights and opportunities. We need to combat hate crimes and provide equal opportunities for good health for everyone.
Today, my friends, I am a proud ally and friend. I am a very proud mother, and I am very proud for this opportunity to speak at the opening of World Pride 2021 in my hometown of Malmö. I'm proud to welcome the world to the Öresund region and proud to be part of this significant event for the LGBTQ-community worldwide and for the struggle for human rights. To me, World Pride is the manifestation of equal rights and an opportunity to meet, celebrate, share, learn and struggle together.
In these challenging times, the struggle for human rights is as important as ever. We can see how the very foundation of the human rights, the fundamental idea that all people are born equal, is being challenged. We see how LGBTQ-people are treated with suspicion and faces harassments, threats and violence. How acts of racism are treated with indifference, and how women's rights are under attack. And we see how these acts of injustice go hand in hand and feed off each other. Hatred fuels hatred. When we see how authoritarian conservative forces are making ground, we need to remind ourselves of the urgent need for resistance. Let us raise our voices. We cannot, and we will not allow a backlash. Instead, we will continue to push forward together. Around the world we will continue to fight for equal rights and equal opportunities. We will push forward until each and everyone of us can truly be who we are, have power over our lives, and live our lives in freedom and safety.
Because you know. Even when dark clouds gather, I know this to be true. We are stronger together. Love gives birth to more love. Compassion creates more compassion, and courage, my friends, inspires courage. The struggle for human rights, for LGBTQI-rights, continues together. And together we will overcome the darkness and the hatred and rise like a phoenix for the rights of our children, friends and each other. This, my friends, this is a truth worth celebrating. Happy Pride!
Such progress came with great struggle, especially from determined civil society organization and brave LGBTIQ-activists. And this my friends is progress that we must defend. As we gather for World Pride 2021, we still have much progress ahead of us to fight for in Sweden and around the world. We need to continue to reform legislation to achieve equal rights and opportunities. We need to combat hate crimes and provide equal opportunities for good health for everyone.
Today, my friends, I am a proud ally and friend. I am a very proud mother, and I am very proud for this opportunity to speak at the opening of World Pride 2021 in my hometown of Malmö. I'm proud to welcome the world to the Öresund region and proud to be part of this significant event for the LGBTQ-community worldwide and for the struggle for human rights. To me, World Pride is the manifestation of equal rights and an opportunity to meet, celebrate, share, learn and struggle together.
In these challenging times, the struggle for human rights is as important as ever. We can see how the very foundation of the human rights, the fundamental idea that all people are born equal, is being challenged. We see how LGBTQ-people are treated with suspicion and faces harassments, threats and violence. How acts of racism are treated with indifference, and how women's rights are under attack. And we see how these acts of injustice go hand in hand and feed off each other. Hatred fuels hatred. When we see how authoritarian conservative forces are making ground, we need to remind ourselves of the urgent need for resistance. Let us raise our voices. We cannot, and we will not allow a backlash. Instead, we will continue to push forward together. Around the world we will continue to fight for equal rights and equal opportunities. We will push forward until each and everyone of us can truly be who we are, have power over our lives, and live our lives in freedom and safety.
Because you know. Even when dark clouds gather, I know this to be true. We are stronger together. Love gives birth to more love. Compassion creates more compassion, and courage, my friends, inspires courage. The struggle for human rights, for LGBTQI-rights, continues together. And together we will overcome the darkness and the hatred and rise like a phoenix for the rights of our children, friends and each other. This, my friends, this is a truth worth celebrating. Happy Pride!