[WATCH] Abela: ‘Love wins over hate, because courage beats fear’

EuroPride is not just a celebration, it also sends a strong message of love and equal rights for all, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Thursday.

“In the coming days, we will affirm that tolerance is not enough. We want a society that embraces everyone,” he said during the opening of EuroPride on Thursday.

The PM stated despite the country’s accomplishments in civil liberties, there is still much to be done.

“Equality is not static, it is something that must be adapted to new realities,” Abela told those present. “We have to keep working, we want every individual to keep realising their dreams.”

Prime Minister Robert Abela

Robert Abela said the road towards civil liberties did not come without any challenges.

“We were met with scepticism, but in the end, love won over hate, and because courage beats fear, equality won over inequality,” he said.

The PM also found the time to hit out at previous Nationalist administrations, saying those “who came before us” made little progress in the sector.

READ ALSO: Europride is in Malta, but daily LGBTQI lives still a struggle says convener

He said activists played a central role in the civil liberties “revolution”.

“The strength of change stems from the people’s conviction to enact that change, and activists were at the fore front of the change,” he said.

He also said that being proud of what the country has achieved, does not mean people must now rest.

“Other countries are a clear example of how you can regress if you stop fighting the status quo,” Abel stated.

The PM said the LBTIQ+ community will always find an ally in him and his government, because he truly believes that love wins over hate.

EuroPride is a pan-European international event dedicated to LGBTQ+ pride that is hosted by a different European city each year. Happening in Malta for the first time, it will open tonight at MFCC with both an opening ceremony and after-party, featuring controversial Israel singer, Netta.

From discussions on a number of LGBT+ issues to theatrical productions, from musical events to other entertainment events, the organisers are promising a jam-packed  EuroPride 2023.