Gozo Pride was celebrated for the fourth consecutive year in Victoria this weekend, with an event that placed diversity, expression, and love at its heart.
Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri and Parliamentary Secretary for Reforms and Equality Rebecca Buttigieg joined members of LGBTI+ Gozo at the celebration, which they described as a powerful demonstration of respect, inclusivity, and solidarity embraced by the Gozitan and Maltese people.
Minister Camilleri said, “As the Ministry for Gozo and Planning, year after year we are proud to support this journey and strengthen our commitment so that every citizen feels welcomed and valued. Gozo, once seen as a conservative island, has now fully joined Malta in sending a clear message through Pride: that every person has the right to express themselves freely and without fear.”
He recalled how the Ministry provided LGBTI+ Gozo with its first official office space in Victoria, symbolising the Government’s intention not only to listen to the community but also to empower it. Camilleri also highlighted Gozo’s role in hosting part of EuroPride 2023, which placed the island on the international map as a welcoming destination.
Parliamentary Secretary Buttigieg added that Pride marks both progress and a call to action. While representation has grown in recent years, she noted that prejudice still persists. “The Pride celebration is a manifestation of the civil rights achieved by this community, but it is also a call to continue reforms in favour of inclusivity and diversity and against all forms of discrimination,” she said, pledging continued support for LGBTI+ Gozo initiatives.
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