COSENZA – Saturday 22 June the city of Cosenza will host the “Cosenza Pride 2024”. Objectives, program and route of the procession, which will run from Piazza Loreto to Piazza dei Bruzi, starting at 5.00 pmwere illustrated this morning, in the reception hall of Palazzo dei Bruzi, during a well-attended press conference which was opened by Mayor Franz Caruso.
“I wanted to testify with my participation – said the mayor – the clear contrast to the phenomenon that has occurred in our territory which has given consensus to very disturbing figures who today even boast of political representation. A particularly serious phenomenon for that path of contamination, unity, sharing and solidarity that must exist among all people. It is important, therefore, on a day like this, characterized by the differentiated autonomy that has become law and which is a prelude to a path of disintegration of our country, undermining the unity of the nation at its foundations, reaffirm some values and principles that are part of our culture and our community.
There cannot be – underlined Franz Caruso – differentiations, distinctions or discrimination. It is important that Cosenza signed the ArciGay program and the political manifesto of last May, on the occasion of the international day against homotransphobia, welcoming the “Cosenza Pride 2024”. I hope that the event will register a large participation from the entire progressive world who ideally welcomes and subscribes to the values of that manifesto. It is a battle that we must carry on to make the country united, unlike those who voted for differentiated autonomy. It is a battle for the cultural growth of a territory that from this point of view has always been at the forefront. Cosenza – added Franz Caruso – cannot retreat and Calabria cannot do so with Cosenza”.
To bring the voice of the Pride Committee, first of all Alessandra Lucanto, President of Arcigay Cosenza who said she was “happy to have this open dialogue with the municipal administration”. “When we talk about rights – she added – certainly the mistake we tend to make is to take it for granted that once a small goal has been achieved, it will always be like this. In reality – Lucanto said – we have had demonstrations to the contrary that this is not always the case. Perhaps the fact that LGBTQIA+ issues are no longer as taboo as they once were makes us think that there is no longer a need to talk about it and demonstrate for this reason. It is not so”. Alessandra Lucanto recalled that the construction of the event took several months and that it is supported by a plurality of people. “We are very happy to bring our requests to our city”. The national Arcigay has requested a letter of support from the various administrations in order to participate in a European call that serves to increase the presence of anti-discrimination centers in a widespread manner throughout the territory. Alessandra Lucanto expressed the hope that the event on Saturday 22 June will be well attended and “not only by the people who belong to our community, but above all by the public administrations and local authorities because it is them that we are addressing and it is various points of our political document are addressed to them, such as education and health. This requires joint work.”
The Councilor also spoke at the press conference Veronica Buffone who energetically reiterated that “as long as we are in the Municipality, the doors will always be open for the protection of rights, to guarantee them, to promote them and to be alongside all those who still feel discriminated against today”. Some reference to his approval of differentiated autonomy too. “It’s a bad moment for our country – he said – but let’s not forget that it’s the same government who approved it today, in Europe does not sign or endorse the declaration which promotes policies in favor of the LGBTQIA+ community“. Then came the invitation from Veronica Buffone to participate on Saturday, especially for the new generations “to be together and alongside those who still feel discriminated against and to guarantee and promote the rights of the person. Let’s contaminate Cosenza with colors” – this is her final warning.
Cosenza Pride 2024: the program
The councilor of Arcigay Cosenza, Massimiliano Benincasa, then entered into the merits of Saturday’s parade. The procession will start at 5.00 pm on Saturday 22 June from Piazza Loreto, will cross via Caloprese, Piazza Bilotti, viale degli Alimena, via Montesanto and Corso Umberto, before ending in Piazza dei Bruzi where institutional interventions and testimonies will be scheduled. What will end on Saturday will be “an important journey made up of many pieces – said the Mayor’s delegate for Culture, Antonietta Cozza, who participated in the technical tables started since the beginning of the organization. “We must be very careful about the rights that are still strongly threatened – added Cozza. Rights must be defended tooth and nail. We must make our young people understand that rights are great achievements that we fought for without realizing it. We are proud that Cosenza is the city of rights.”
R. also brought their contribution to the press conferenceosaria Alessia Buffonand, secretary of Arci Cosenza, Rita Dodaro of Communist Refoundation and, again, the President of the Legality council commission, Chiara Penna (the manifesto signed by the Municipality on May 17th was approved by the council body chaired by Penna) and the municipal councilor responsible for equal opportunities, the fight against discrimination and gender balance, Giuseppe Ciacco. The latter said he was “proud and proud to be part of the Administration led by Mayor Franz Caruso, and to be from Cosenza, because today Cosenza is demonstrating that it has a high and strong civic sense. For two and a half years now, the Administration and its Mayor have placed the protection and guarantee of civil and social rights at the center of their action and political agenda, not making them a simple decorative frill. Never before – added Ciacco – must we forcefully reiterate all this, having had a government for a year and a half which, without hiding, we must label as subversive, secessionist and liberticidal and which, to give an example, in the last G7 deleted any reference to the protection of LGBTQIA+ rights”.
The conclusions were drawn by the leader of the PD, Francesco Alimena who, addressing the Mayor Franz Caruso, recalled that “with Cosenza Pride 2024, a wound that this city had and which dates back to 2017 will be healed. The Administration of the time – he recalled Alimena – refused patronage to Pride. You heal that wound” – he said, turning to Franz Caruso. And before closing, he considered love the underlying theme of Pride. “It is the moment in which everyone can freely express their love and in which anyone can decide to take to the streets and declare it. We are not alone, we are together. Happy Pride to everyone!”.
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