LGBTQ+ businesses in Lisbon gear up for Europride 2025

Lisbon, Jun 19 (EFE).- With one year to go, Lisbon has been already preparing to host "the best Europride in history" in 2025.

The event has generated great expectations among LGBTI entrepreneurs in Portugal, eager to showcase the diversity of the Portuguese capital.

The president of Variações-Associação de Comércio e Turismo LGBTI de Portugal, José Antonio González Marquina, told EFE that although there is a lot of work ahead, they already have a "draft" of next year's plans. (Camera: SUSANA SAMHAN).

FOOTAGE SHOWS THE OPENING OF THE NEW AGE KIDS EXHIBITION, IN LISBON, PORTUGAL.

SOUND BITES AND TRANSLATION:

1) JOSÉ ANTONIO GONZÁLEZ MARQUINA, THE PRESIDENT OF VARIAÇÕES-ASSOCIAÇÃO DE COMÉRCIO E TURISMO LGBTI DE PORTUGAL, (IN SPANISH).

-We have a lot of work, but well, we already have drafts of what we are going to do. It will be nine or ten intense and very rich days. We want to make the best Europra, and we wish for it. And I think we can achieve it because the conditions in Lisbon—the climate, all the facilities and so on—will make it easier for all of Europe to come here.

2.) KIKI PAIS DE SOUSA, OWNER OF SAUNAPOLO56. (IN PORTUGUESE).

-In our society in general, there have already been many conquests, but we need to work more, to work on changing the mentality, to move from theory to practice. From my point of view, we have to fight for all acquired rights because there are no future guarantees.

3.) MARC, OWNER OF THE EDELWEISS RESTAURANT. (IN PORTUGUESE).

-I have good expectations because I think we are going to have an advantage this year because Switzerland won Eurovision, which is almost also a gay festival. So, we are going to celebrate that because it always happens earlier in May, a bit before the Pride events, which are always from June onwards.

4.) JOÃO PASSOS, OWNER OF THE REAL ESTATE COMPANY LISBOA PRIDE (IN SPANISH).

- It is a moment of celebration, and it seems to me that it will be a unique moment for the community. I am going to try to make it the best year for my team as well, but more than sales and business, I think it will be a time to celebrate everything the community has achieved in recent years.