Guadalajara will be a candidate to host WorldPride 2028, the largest and most significant event for the LGBTIQ+ community. This reflects the city's ongoing commitment and efforts to promote equality, diversity and inclusion, as well as to celebrate its identity, history and cultural richness.
The city's application will be presented to InterPride, the international organization that supports and awards WorldPride, at its annual meeting in Medellin at the end of October this year. InterPride promotes the Pride movement by coordinating with global partners from more than 70 countries. Their work helps strengthen the global Pride movement, bringing together people from all walks of life to celebrate diversity and inclusion.
WorldPride stands out as an event that promotes visibility and awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) issues internationally. The event includes parades/marches, festivals and other activities such as a human rights conference.
At the 1997 World Conference and General Assembly, InterPride members voted to award the first edition of WorldPride, which was held in Rome in 2000. Host cities continue to be selected by InterPride members, and WorldPrides are typically held every two years. The event has been held in cities including Rome (2000), Jerusalem (2006), London (2012), Toronto (2014), Madrid (2017), New York (2019), Copenhagen and Malmö (2021), Sydney (2023); and will next be held in Washington DC in 2025 and Amsterdam in 2026.
In 2023, Guadalajara was the first city in Latin America to host the Gay Games, known as the Olympic Games of the LGBTIQ+ community, due to its continued progress in respecting the rights of all people regardless of their sexual orientation and identity.
Guadalajara, Jalisco has provided human rights guarantees such as the creation of the first Directorate of Sexual Diversity; the approval of Equal Marriage; the recognition of the Right to Trans Identity; homoparental adoption, and the prohibition of the so-called “conversion therapies.”
The capital of Jalisco has established itself as a world-class destination for international events such as the Gay Games, the International Book Fair, and the Guadalajara International Film Festival, to name a few.
The bid for World Pride 2028 represents a significant milestone for the city, consolidating Guadalajara as an inclusive destination and highlighting its progress and commitment to building a future of visibility and respect for all people. In addition, it would become the first city in Latin America to host the event.