Well, EuroPride 2023 came and went and there was no way you could miss it. It was an event packed with activities including exhibitions, debates, round tables, seminars and conferences, shows (theatre, cabaret, dance, performances, concerts), sports, competitions and marches. The official opening night on 7 September, from 8pm to midnight, was broadcast live on Maltese television. The final march is said to have attracted some 38,000 people.

I watched some of it on TV and it was certainly very colourful and made a change from the usual lugubrious news which we find on all news channels the world over.

 

I attended one event thanks to an invitation from two old friends I have known since they had a tiny clothes shop in Sliema, near the Hole in the Wall. Perhaps it was called Beatrice but I am not sure any more. This was pre-2004.

Charles & Ron have come a long way since those early pre-EU days. Their design and dressmaking business here is thriving and they are showing their clothes abroad at important shows including New York, and very recently Milan.

They now have their own Charles & Ron Café in Naxxar, with a retail store at the same location, both of which are open until 7pm. I have to add that they serve delicious food and not the usual fare. It was generously served that evening.

A sizeable group of us were invited over to the café to find out about the Amsterdam Rainbow Dress on display there.

There was the ambassador of the Netherlands, H.E. Djoeke Adimi-Koekkoek, who, in the relaxed Dutch manner, introduced herself and Arnout van Krimpen of the Rainbow Dress Foundation both of whom gave short but significant speeches. There were also representatives of NGO's among others enjoying the evening.

 

Arnout of the Rainbow Dress Foundation sat with me and explained to me that the dress was created to raise awareness around the issue of illegal homosexuality. "The flags of countries where same sex acts were punishable by law were carried in the opening Pride Walk parade of Euro Pride 2016. They were then presented to the four initiators of the Amsterdam Rainbow Dress Foundation - Mattijs van Bergen, Jochem Kaan, Oeri van Woezik and myself, who in cooperation with volunteers of COC Amsterdam, developed a concept that came to life as the Amsterdam Rainbow Dress."

He told me that for the past seven years he has been travelling the world with the Amsterdam Rainbow Dress. "It is an honour to be here today to show you the art work and tell you a bit more about how it started, what the message of the work is and why we believe it is important that this message is told worldwide.

The Amsterdam Rainbow Dress is a work of art that calls for openness and inclusion, encouraging people to actively contribute to, defend and share acquired freedoms."

The Dress is made of 68 national flags from countries where being LGBTIQ+ is criminalized, "including countries where homosexual acts can result in the death penalty."

The bodice of the dress is made from the city flag of Amsterdam. "This underlines the importance of Amsterdam and the Netherlands remaining open to LGBTIQ+ refugees who are persecuted in their country because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. For centuries, Amsterdam has been a shelter city for people from other places in the Netherlands, or the world who were not safe for the ideas they had or the person they were. The Netherlands and Amsterdam as a 'safehaven', also for LGBTIQ+ refugees from these 68 countries is not self-evident and needs to be cultivated and maintained. That is why it is important that the people of the Netherlands remain aware of this goal and are committed to develop an atmosphere of openness and inclusion."

Naturally this applies to communities all over the world. "That is why we are honored to present the dress here today.  And that is why the dress is travelling, raising awareness for openness and inclusion around the globe."

 

A third of the countries in the world still have anti LGBTIQ+ laws. "In these places the community is not always safe. With the Amsterdam Rainbow Dress, we want to raise awareness about members of our community who are in danger of being arrested, persecuted, tortured or even murdered by the authorities just because they are who they are," he emphasized. "Being able to live your life according to your own being and ideas is the essence of a free, modern and humane society. Even if that does not match with the lifestyle of the majority, even if that does not correspond with certain religious principles."

This is another message the Foundation wants to convey with the Amsterdam Rainbow Dress. "In addition to our call for eliminating existing anti LGBTIQ+ legislations, we want to make our own community and our allies constantly aware that freedom needs to be maintained. Freedom needs love, freedom needs care because it is the most precious thing we have."

The Amsterdam Rainbow Dress Foundation believes that art is an excellent way to get this message across, he told me, reiterating his message in his speech.   "By getting people interested through a beautiful object, we lower the threshold to talk about the less beautiful and uncomfortable story behind it."

I have to say that although over the years I have taught myself not to judge, however  I don't entirely agree with all the legislation passed. I still believe that 'partnership' and not marriage should have been the answer. I still find it disconcerting when I am introduced to someone as 'my wife' and it turns out to be another male, or 'This is my husband,' and it turns out to be a woman. However, I find that any cruelty against homesexuals, lesbians etc. is most definitely unforgiveable and we have to fight it at all costs.

 

I particularly enjoyed meeting Doriana di Santo from Sardinia and Régine Psaila, originally from Cameroon that evening. Both speak English well and Régine is bi-lingual, English and French as people from the Cameroon are. They both work with refugees and have many a tale to tell.
This was an evening of significance which was beautifully organized.

 

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Credits

Model: Michela Buhagiar

Photographer for Rainbow Dress: Lindsey Bahia