On the eve of the 41^st annual Parade, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras are excited to announce that their bid to secure the hosting rights for WorldPride 2023 has received a funding boost from the NSW Government. 

A successful bid would see Sydney become the first destination in the Southern Hemisphere to host WorldPride, the marquee international LGBTQI pride event.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Sydney and NSW to host yet another world-class event that has the potential to attract thousands of visitors to the city and make a significant economic and cultural impact,” says Mardi Gras CEO Terese Casu.

“This event would not only boost the international profile of the Mardi Gras festival, it would also showcase the iconic surrounds of Sydney and NSW as a premier tourist destination.”

WorldPride 2023 would coincide with the 45^th anniversary of the first Mardi Gras Parade.

Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras will present its bid for the biennial event to members of InterPride at the AGM in Athens in October 2019. 

The inaugural WorldPride was held in Rome in 2000. Cities which have hosted WorldPride since 2000 include Jerusalem, London, Toronto and Madrid.