During PRIDE Week in Palermo, CEIPES ETS organized and participated in two impactful initiatives, once again demonstrating its commitment to promoting the rights and equality of the LGBTQIA+ community.
On June 21, 2024, CEIPES ETS hosted the “PROUD TO BE PRIDE” event at the Palermo Youth Center (PYC), set in the green area of the public park Villa Trabia. This event was part of the European project PRIDE NETWORK LEAD, aimed at promoting inclusion and equality in the labor market.
The event saw the participation of 35 people, including representatives from local authorities and LGBTQIA+ activists. Following an introduction to the project by CEIPES, Domenica La Greca, a representative of IRSEI and project coordinator, and Concetta Di Benedetto, a representative of the RE.A.DY network and the Welfare, Equal Opportunities, and Anti-Discrimination Unit of the Municipality of Palermo, took the floor. Domenica La Greca shared significant data collected during the project’s first phase, highlighting best practices included in the national research. Concetta Di Benedetto provided an overview of the situation in public services and the anti-discrimination initiatives undertaken by the RE.A.DY Network in recent years.
The presentation of the PRIDE NETWORK LEAD project by the CEIPES representative delved into the goals and achievements, sparking a lively and constructive debate with the participants. The interest shown in the materials presented underscored the need to continue working on LGBTQIA+ issues, particularly in the workplace.
The following day, June 22, 2024, the streets of Palermo were filled with colors, music, and joy for the Palermo Pride 2024 parade, dedicated this year to the theme of gender-based violence. CEIPES ETS volunteers, along with other non-profit organizations coordinated by ARCI Palermo, enthusiastically participated in the event.
Notably, the float coordinated by five local organizations, including CEIPES ETS, was dedicated to the Italian and international icon Raffaella Carrà, featuring her famous blonde bob. In a 1979 interview, Carrà stated, “I don’t understand why many people born with different sentimental and sexual preferences, as long as they are respectful of others, are treated with violence. I repudiate and hate violence. I am a free woman and a woman of peace. I truly hope that this situation, which is already making great strides towards the future, improves further so that full equality and wonderful serenity can be achieved.” The artist reiterated this concept nearly thirty years later when she was recognized as a gay icon, receiving the World Pride Award in Madrid.
The theme of Pride 2024, “Rage Is Not Enough,” issued a strong call to mobilization during a time of severe setbacks in civil rights in Italy. Participants marched joyfully, listening to speeches and performances by artists and Pride coordinators, reaffirming Carrà’s dream of a future of full equality and serenity.
CEIPES ETS is proud to have contributed to these moments of reflection and celebration, continuing its commitment to the fight for the rights and inclusion of the LGBTQIA+ community.
