Thessaloniki expecting thousands of visitors for EuroPride this summer
![Thessaloniki expecting thousands of visitors for EuroPride this summer](https://www.ekathimerini.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/gay_pride_web--2.jpg)
Thessaloniki is expecting to receive at least 40,000 visitors for EuroPride, an annual celebration of the LGBTQI community that is being hosted by the Greek port city this year.
“By hosting EuroPride in southeastern Europe, we aspire to combat discrimination against LGBTQI individuals, boost confidence and hope for the community in the Balkans and beyond, and contribute to making the whole of Europe a safe and inclusive zone for all genders, sexualities, expressions and overall diversity,” the local organizer of the event, Apostolos Karabairis, told state broadcaster ERT on Tuesday.
Running June 21-29, EuroPride 2024 will comprise a rich program of events ranging from the awareness-raising and political to the outrageously fun, which will be hosted across the city center.
EuroPride was first celebrated in London in 1992, attended by an estimated crowd of over 100,000. The Thessaloniki installment was initially due to take place in 2020 but it was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Last year’s host was Valletta in Malta, while next year the event will be held in Lisbon.