Nepal Pride Parade 2019

Nepal Pride Parade 2019: Inaugural Milestone

Date and Organizers:

On June 29, 2019, Queer Youth Group (QYG) organized the first-ever Nepal Pride Parade in collaboration with Queer Rights Collective (QRC) and Campaign for Change (CFC).

Rally Route and Timing:

The parade route stretched from Maitighar Mandala to New Baneshwor. The event started at 11 AM and concluded at 4 PM.

Challenges and Obstacles:

As a youth-led initiative, the team faced numerous hurdles including:

• First, recognize and ensure the visibility of queer disability groups, and promote the use of accessible, safe routes for the parade. (Use of sign language and Word hand banner)
• Recognizance of diverse word expectations then third gender in context of Nepal, using term like ( pan sexual, paralingi, demi sexual etc)
• Coordinating with relevant government offices and local wards to secure permissions and request police support for crowd management during the rally, facing verbal distraction with police office for rainbow flag near center of pride rally.
• Facing verbal criticism from segments within the queer community who questioned the decision to hold the parade on a date different from the traditional Gai Jatra festival.
• Overcoming the challenges of creating and posting materials for the main banner of the Nepal Pride Parade, we included four languages: Nepali, English, Nepal Bhasa, and Tamang to ensure inclusivity..

Strategies and Support:

Despite these challenges, continuous guidance and strategic support from QRC enabled smoother coordination and better flow of activities.

Outcome and Impact:

The successful organization of the first Nepal Pride Parade set a foundational precedent for future queer-led public visibility events in Nepal. It reaffirmed the importance of community unity, inter-organizational collaboration, and resilience in the face of obstacles.