The Pride

We are standing on the Prinsengracht, where the famous Canal Parade of Amsterdam Pride takes place every year. What is now a colorful celebration of diversity once began as something very different: a protest.

The origin of Pride lies in the United States, at the Stonewall riots of 1969 in New York. There, the LGBTQ+ community rose up against police violence and discrimination. Those riots became a symbol of resistance and visibility. From the 1970s onwards, annual Pride marches emerged in many cities to demand equal rights.

Amsterdam followed later with its own version. In 1996, the Canal Parade was organized for the first time, but with a different approach: not marching through the streets, but being visible on the canals, right in the heart of the city. It started as a festive way to show the freedom that was fought for here – and at the same time to remind everyone that this freedom is not self-evident.

The influence on Amsterdam has been enormous. Pride has turned the city into a place where hundreds of thousands gather each year, giving the LGBTQ+ community more visibility and acceptance. At the same time, Pride is a reminder of the struggle that came before, and of the places in the world where that struggle is still ongoing.