Conferences, debates and parties will pass in the city that hosted last February the winter Olympic games

Visit our exclusive photo gallery of the Turin Pride

Today’s gay pride march in the north Italian city of Turin is the culmination of 2006 Pride year that includes many LGBT events every week. The aim of this event, planned two years ahead, is to focus the attention of the Italian medias on LGBT issues.

The program of the three days in the Centro Congressi di Regione Piemonte includes a conference “Citta amiche - friendly cites” on LGBT rights and politics for local organizations in local politics in Italy and other countries with speakers from Gent (Belgium), Berlin, Barcelona, Vienna and Moscow.

“Tens of thousands expected by the organizers”

Organizers do not want to give estimates on their expectations concerning the number of pride participants but some say that 30’000 to 40’000 could be seen in the streets of Turin this afternoon.

The organizers received a strong support from the city of Turin as well as the region of Piemonte. But, surprisingly, the “supportive” mayor, Sergio Chiamparino, said that he will not attend the gay march.

Even though Chiamparino is recognized as gay friendly on political and cultural LGBT activities, when it turns to the issue of the pride he is part of those who think that “gay prides are offending the population”. This view has to be put in the Italian perspective.

“The problem is more that politicians do everything thinking about the pope. Apart from a few very left groups, very few politicians have a strong position about gays,” - explains Luigi Citriniti.

Does gay marriage await Italian gays with the new Prodi coalition?

“Italy is on the edge. We are in the middle of Europe. We’ve to decide if we go east or west in the way we progress on gay issues. Spain is a very good example for us. They were on the way to follow other countries even before to initiate same-sex marriage with Zapatero,” - comments Marco Scala, a local gay rights campaigners with over 15 years of activism in Turin.

“From the politics, it will be very hard to get marriage, we don’t have a strong root movement which would push our politicians. There has been a strong lobbying but with little effects due to the same church influence that politicians are scared to offend,” - emphasized Scala.

In the shadow of Vatican?

On Thursday evening, catholic groups were seen in the centre of Turin for a religious march, 36 hours before the gay carnival. Provocation? No, it’s what Italian gays and lesbians are facing every day. Influence of the church in Italian politics on gay issues remains crucial.

But some are trying to fight the anti-gay dogma of the catholic church. In Turin the first religious gay group “Davide e Gionata” was created which takes part in the organization of the Pride, organizing the “Coordinamento fede e omosessualita”. They keep holding discussion with the different religions.

The Jubilee!

Not only an Olympic symbol, Turin’s Pride also celebrates the jubilee of the Italian Stonewall: 2 good reasons to have it here this year claim local organizers. Everything started here, 35 years ago with Angelo Pezzana the founder of FUORI, when we had our first Italian Stonewall, reminds Marco Scala.

One question that was raised in the corridors: Will Cicciolina attend the pride? “Yes” she told the Italian daily paper “La Republica” on Thursday. The former porno star who was once elected in the Italian Parliament could make the trip to Turin for the pride.

A beautiful hot and sunny weather awaits the participants of the Torino Pride today…

GayRussia.Ru, from Turin