Amsterdam strives to host WorldPride 2026

Amsterdam should host WorldPride for the first time in 2026, Amsterdam Pride director Lucien Spee de Castillo Ruiz said in an interview with De Telegraaf.

“We need to be a beacon of hope and an example for all countries in the world where homosexuality is still illegal and is sometimes even punishable by death,” De Castillo Ruiz said.

Yet, the Netherlands still has some work ahead if they want to present a good example for LGBTQ+ rights, according to the Pride director. “We need to be shaken awake again here. During the WorldPride, the whole world will come and see how we were doing in terms of gay rights.” There will need to be legal changes, De Castillo Ruiz said, for example, by forbidding so-called gay conversion therapies.

If WorldPride comes to Amsterdam in 2026 it will be exactly 25 years since gay marriage became legal in the Netherlands.

Last year, the 21st WorldPride was held in Copenhagen and Malmö. It will be determined in October 2022 if Amsterdam will host the WorldPride five years from now.