Noticias

On Valentine's Day, Saturday 14, Asuncion and the iconic Plaza de los Heroes were dyed with colored hearts to celebrate the "Love Festival". Despite inclement weather, the event event began promptly around 7pm with the presence of urban artist Oz Montanía, who live-painted a graffiti mural based on the movie "Pride", which narrates the true story of a group of LGBT activists that raised money to help families affected by the strike of the British miners in 1984, with the beginning of what would later become the "GLSM: Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners".

With TV celebrity Paloma Ferreira and Usha as hosts of the event, an open talent show opened the Festival, with participants such as singer Kevin Coronel, followed by Lujan Franco, who performed a dance based on a traditional paraguayan song "La Bailarina" and the Laercio Dos Santos dance group, among others, who performed under evaluation of the distinguished jury composed by activists Miguel Angel Auad and Julian Aranda, from CHOPA (Homosexual Community of Paraguay, the country's first LGBT group) and Melany Monzón, a transgender supporter and dance teacher.

"Despite the rain, the love we all feel is being collectively felt on this special day. We are here today to celebrate and make visible the love that unites us all in one fight towards the full recognition of our rights. In Paraguay, we seek to realize the principle of equality that our Constitution proclaims: all citizens are equal before the law, and only the love with the same rights and the same names pave the way towards equality and an end to discrimination" said activist Simon Cazal during his speech.

Monica Encina, spokeswoman for LESVOS also added "we are committed to being part of this path of struggle for equality, celebrating and giving a vindictive sense of love where everyone can love who they want, without this being a reason for discrimination".

The event continued with performances full of renowned artists and national groups who paid tribute to love -in all its manifestations. Under the lights of breathtaking scenery, Rocío Robledo, Gea Cáceres and Juanca Otaño performed songs in tribute to historic paraguayan songwriter Emiliano R. Fernández, as well as their own songs. The singer Marcela Lezcano, accompanied by Paula Rodríguez and Gonzalo Resquín also delighted the audience with songs of their own, followed by the group Bohemia Urbana, which  owned the stage and filled it with good rock and joy. To close the event, DJ Aratiri SoundSystem prepared a playlist full of electronic cumbia that put everyone to dance, straight from vinyl records.

Through these activities, SOMOSGAY looks forward to build a more egalitarian society free of homophobia, a solidary paraguayan society in which sexism and homophobia remain in the past.