MILAN PRIDE 2025: 350,000 ATTEND ANNUAL MARCH

Summary:

• Over 350,000 people participated in Milan Pride 2025, marching from Vittorio Pisani street to Arco della Pace
• The event featured the theme "Rainbow Resistance" with organizers highlighting connections between various social justice causes
• The Jewish community was notably absent due to disagreement over the use of the term "genocide" regarding the Palestine conflict

The annual Milan Pride parade took place on Saturday, June 28, drawing more than 350,000 participants to the streets of Italy's financial capital. The march began at 3:00 PM from Vittorio Pisani street, near Milan's Central Station, and concluded at the Arco della Pace.

Despite intense heat, the colorful procession grew steadily as it wound through the city center. The event, organized by Arcigay Milano and the Rainbow Coordination associations, exceeded organizers' expectations for attendance.

This year's parade operated under the banner "Rainbow Resistance", marking the 20th anniversary of the Rainbow Families group, which led the march with a dedicated train float. The celebration extended into the evening with festivities scheduled until 1:00 AM, featuring speeches from activists and performances by various artists and singers.

Alice Redaelli, president of CIG Arcigay Milano, explained the choice of this year's theme during the event. She stated that LGBTQIA+ rights face constant challenges and are being used as political tools by governments and emerging authoritarian movements worldwide. According to Redaelli, the Milan Pride has long positioned itself as a platform for broader human rights advocacy, not exclusively for the LGBTQIA+ community.

The organizers emphasized connections between different forms of discrimination and oppression, citing parallels between the experiences of women, transgender individuals, and situations in Palestine and Hungary. This intersectional approach has become characteristic of Milan's annual pride celebration.

However, the event proceeded without participation from the Jewish community, which withdrew due to disagreements over the organizers' use of the term "genocide" in reference to the ongoing conflict in Palestine. This absence highlighted tensions within Milan's diverse advocacy community regarding international political issues.

The parade route from the Central Station area to the Arco della Pace has become traditional for Milan Pride, allowing maximum visibility through some of the city's most trafficked areas. Local authorities coordinated with organizers to manage the large crowd and ensure public safety throughout the event.

The 2025 edition of Milan Pride reflects broader European trends in LGBTQIA+ activism, where local pride events increasingly incorporate international human rights concerns alongside traditional equality advocacy. The event serves as both a celebration of progress in LGBTQIA+ rights and a platform for addressing ongoing challenges facing various marginalized communities.

Take a look at some heartfelt interviews on love and family that we conducted during Pride Milano, in collaboration with our partners Matters Now, Pride, LGBT, LGBTQ+.