Sofia Pride 2023, the biggest human rights event in Bulgaria, will take place on June 17th, 2023. This year’s Sofia Pride will focus on the variety of families that attend the event and the key role they play in the everyday life of the Bulgarian LGBTQ community. For the first time ever, 11 Bulgarian families will stand by Sofia Pride with their namе, face and personal authority, in order to support the official 2023 Sofia Pride Campaign – “Our family invites you to Sofia Pride 2023”. The official campaign photographs were taken by one of the biggest names in the professsional photography field in Bulgaria – Kostadin Krastev – Koko.
Galina Georgieva, a highly ranked manager in an international IT company, is one of the faces of Sofia Pride 2023. She took part in the official campaign photoshoot alongside her wife Elena and their 2 kids. Galina and Elena got married in Malta, due to the fact that same sex marriages in Bulgaria are still not written withing the official Bulgarian legislation. She shared the following: “We are raising our kids to love, not to hate. That is why our family attends Sofia Pride every single year. The event as a whole is very festive, but we must not forget that it is also a form of a formal protest. Bulgarian LGBTQ couples are still not allowed to get legally married here.”
The popular TV host and DJ, Marten Roberto and his wife, the radio and TV host Julie Lepoeva, are also joining the official Sofia Pride 2023 campaign. They shared the following: “We have been a family for more than 17 years. We work together, we have fun together, we are raising our child together, and the fact that we also share the same values unites us even more. Every year we show our support for the Bulgarian LGBTQ community by attending Sofia Pride.”
Sofia Pride is giving everyone the chance to join the official 2023 campaign by uploading a picture of their family online and by tagging the official Sofia Pride Social Media profiles @sofiapridebg. The most colourful, wacky and creative submissions will be shared on the official Sofia Pride Facebook & Instagram profiles.
The theme of family takes center stage in the visual identity of the 2023 Sofia Pride event. The official campaign symbol was inspired by the rich Bulgarian folklore, while the overall visual identity includes elements from the storied Bulgarian weaving and carpet making heritage. This is yet another example and use of traditional Bulgarian elements within the official Sofia Pride communication chain, after the use and inclusion of the traditional Bulgarian Kukeri masks for the Pride’s 10th anniversary in Bulgaria.
In 2022, the 15th annual Sofia Pride gathered a crowd of over 12 000 people. Sofia Pride 2022 was supported by dozens of Bulgarian companies as well as ambassadors and spokespeople from 28 embassies and diplomatic missions.
Sofia Pride is organized by the GLAS foundation, alongside the Bilitis foundation, the LGBTQ In Action foundation and the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee with the help of the American Embassy in Bulgaria, the Australian Embassy in Bulgaria, Absolut, Accenture, Delinian, Draft Kings, EY, HP Enterpise, Ingram Micro, Mastercard, Progress, Paysafe, Sutherland, Walltopia & WorkNomads LAB Hotel.