British Embassy Washington to participate in Capital Pride
The embassy is participating in the 2013 Capital Pride Festival on 8 June to support the UK’s LGBT policy and commitment to human rights.
For the first time, the British Embassy in Washington will participate in this year’s 38th Annual Capital Pride Parade, which celebrates the spirit of the local and national Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community in Washington, DC. The British Embassy is the first foreign presence in the 10 day celebration, which has been a vibrant presence in DC since 1975. The popular parade will include more than 170 contingents, including floats, vehicles, walkers and entertainment consisting of local businesses, politicians and community groups.
The UK government formally supports that human rights are universal and should be equal for all, as the UK celebrates today on International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. The UK’s commitment to promoting human rights is part of its foreign policy as an inclusive one, and the UK record on promoting equality and non-discrimination for LGBT people domestically over the previous decade has brought an end to most discrimination in the content and the application of the law inside the UK.
The British Embassy in Washington is participating in the parade and will hold a reception afterwards, hosted by Rosalind Campion, Counsellor for Global Issues, and her civil partner Layla McCay, to celebrate the diversity of the British LGBT community in Washington.
Ms Campion said:
Layla and I have felt so welcomed by the community in Washington and look forward to extending that warm welcome to friends and to those in the Washington area celebrating Pride next month. The UK is taking great steps to promote equality and we look forward to bringing the British Embassy’s support to the heart of the Pride’s celebrations.
More information will be posted closer to the date on the embassy’s website and social media platforms.