Thousands of Orthodox Serbians march against EuroPride parade
August 29, 2022, 7:08 am

Thousands of Orthodox Serbians march against EuroPride parade

Pride flag of LGBT (Photo: Pixabay)

Thousands of Orthodox Christians marched in Belgrade Sunday (August 28) to warn against holding EuroPride, despite the Serbian authorities’ decision to cancel the pan-European gathering of the LGBTQ community next month, according to the al-Arabiya English, the AFP reported,

Carrying icons, crosses and religious flags, protesters marched through the city center while praying and chanting before gathering outside the cathedral of St Sava, it said.

President Aleksandar Vucic on Saturday announced that he had decided, in consultation with the government, that the pride parade would be “postponed or canceled”.

Vucic said it was not possible to “handle everything” at a time when Serbia was “pressured with all kinds of problems”, underlining recent tensions with former province Kosovo and concerns over energy and food.

But EuroPride organizers vowed to press on with the parade.

Serbia with Kosovo has about 8.6 million inhabitants. Its capital Belgrade is also the largest city - Photo. Pixabay

“Pride will go ahead as planned on September 17,” Belgrade Pride coordinator Marko Mihailovic said.

Addressing the crowd on Sunday, Serbian Orthodox Bishop Nikanor hailed the authorities’ decision to reverse “the desecration of our country, our Church and our family”.

Serbia will not host EuroPride 2022 event, says president

For him, it was an “abnormality” which should be treated as in the Russia of President Vladimir Putin -- whom he referred to as “the tsar of the planet”, according to video footage on the Glas Javnosti news site.

In 2013, Russia introduced a law banning LGBT “propaganda” aimed at minors, punishable with fines and imprisonment.

Bishop Nikanor said the faithful were ready to take to the streets again to “put themselves before those who intend to destroy the values of Serbia”.

China LGBT rights group halts its work amid hostile environment

The first two Belgrade Pride marches, in 2001 and 2010, were marred by violence. The parade has been organized regularly since 2014 but with a large law enforcement presence.

Source: alarabiyaenglish

UK’s largest warship breaks down after launching from Portsmouth Naval Base Two journalists shot and killed in Colombia: police

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”