Overview
- Queen Máxima opened WorldPride in Amsterdam on July 25 with a speech urging the right to authenticity and saying “Poder ser uno mismo, amar a quien quieras,” a line widely quoted in reports of the ceremony.
- The ceremony in Vondelpark marked the first time a reigning queen or senior royal has officially inaugurated WorldPride, a step many outlets described as unprecedented for European monarchies.
- WorldPride runs through August 8 and features a Pride Walk, the Canal Parade of boats, concerts and an International Human Rights Conference, with the city estimating the program could draw close to one million visitors.
- The royal house paused Máxima’s vacation for the opening, and the palace shared images with the message “Amsterdam is painted in all the colors of the rainbow,” while authorities warned of recent vandalism against pride symbols and stressed public-safety measures.
- The event coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Netherlands’ legalization of same-sex marriage in 2001 and underscores the country’s long record on LGBTQIA+ rights while putting global attention on equality and safety issues discussed at the conference.