The month of June is celebrated as Pride Month in various parts across the globe. Celebrating the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQIA+), this month-long celebration is about acceptance, equality, and celebrating the work of LGBTQIA+ people, and raising awareness of issues affecting the LGBTQIA+ community.

The first Pride March in New York City was held on June 28, 1970, on the one year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, which was a turning point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. In June 1999, US President Bill Clinton declared 'the anniversary of the Stonewall riots every June in America as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month'. In 2011, President Barack Obama expanded the officially recognized Pride Month to include the whole of the LGBTQ+ community.

The word "pride" is an important cultural concept in the LGBTQIA+ community, representing solidarity, identity, and resistance to discrimination and violence.

The celebration of Pride can mean different things to different people. Pride is celebrated in many ways, from large parades with floats, music, and pageantry to protests to draw attention to the violence and inequality that LGBTQIA+ people face. Pride is unique to each individual, so all forms of celebration are valid. The theme for this year’s Pride is - "Reflect. Empower. Unite." 💪🫶🏳️‍🌈

This Pride Month I hope you embrace your true identity and accept with open arms anyone around you who recognises themselves as a part of the community🌸 Love does not know any  color, gender, sexuality or bounds.