Happy Copenhagen, the project organisation created to deliver WorldPride and EuroGames, has published its final report.

The Report – running to 176 pages and 36,000 words – explains in detail how Copenhagen Pride and Pan Idræt’s plans for WorldPride and EuroGames were taken from vision to reality. The narrative tells the story of how the two organisations came together, and developed two separate bids with one combined vision – a global LGBTI+ event where #YouAreIncluded.

Inevitably for an event in 2021, the global pandemic forced several re-imaginings of what the event would look like and how it could be delivered. But the short window in the summer of 2021 when restrictions were largely lifted in Denmark and Sweden meant that much of the event could be delivered, albeit in different circumstances to those originally envisaged.

Organisers now hope that the detailed Report, together with film, images and documents from the events, will help future organisers of major LGBTI+ events learn from the experiences of the Copenhagen 2021 team.

The Report has been submitted to key partners and funders, and will remain on the Copenhagen 2021 website for years to come.

Click here to read the Report.

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Kaohsiung Pride in Taiwan has been announced as the host of WorldPride 2025, beating Capital Pride Alliance (USA) in a ballot of Pride organisations around the globe.

Copenhagen Pride – hosts of WorldPride in 2021 – was among the first to congratulate Kaohsiung Pride following the announcement made at the annual conference of InterPride, the international association of Pride organisers and licensor of WorldPride.

Lars Henriksen, Chair of Copenhagen Pride, said:

“I know the exhilaration that the winning team will be feeling right now, and I remember it well from the moment five years ago when we won our bid in Indianapolis. The exhilaration will turn to trepidation and lots of hard work, but Kaohsiung Pride’s bid was exciting, ambitious, and will build upon the strong WorldPride legacy built by us and previous hosts.”

“The political significance of WorldPride taking place in Taiwan cannot be understated. It is all too easy to think of Asia as being a hostile place for LGBTI+ people but Taiwan shows that there is always space for hope and for progress. From one island nation to another, we wish them well and we look forward to joining them to make history in 2025.”

“Organising WorldPride in the midst of a global pandemic was an incredibly difficult task that we could never have expected. I hope that the progress we are seeing in dealing with the pandemic will enable WorldPride 2023 in Sydney and WorldPride 2025 in Taiwan to go ahead without the challenges we experienced.”

WorldPride was first held in Rome in 2000 and has since been held in Jerusalem, London, Toronto, Madrid, New York City, and this year in Copenhagen and Malmö. Copenhagen Pride handed WorldPride over to Sydney Mardi Gras, who will host in February 2023.

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In a sparkling ceremony at the iconic Cirkusbygningen in Copenhagen, more than 30 members of the Copenhagen 2021 team were present to learn that the judges had decided to recognise the event for the impact it had, not least in the shadow of the global pandemic.

WorldPride and EuroGames included more than 1,300 events across 11 days in August, in both Copenhagen and the neighbouring Swedish city of Malmö. Some 250,000 people are believed to have attended events, with international visitors from more than 70 countries.

Pan Idræt held the licence for EuroGames from EGLSF and Copenhagen Pride held the licence for WorldPride from InterPride. The two organisations formed Copenhagen 2021 to deliver the events.

Responding to the award, Christian Bigom, Chair of Pan Idræt said:

When we began thinking about bringing EuroGames to Copenhagen we could never have imagined the complexities that would be brought about because of the pandemic. What our team delivered – especially the 22 sports tournaments – was truly incredible, and it is heartening that this effort has been recognised by the Danish Rainbow Awards. On behalf of Pan Idræt, thank you to all the judges!

Lars Henriksen, Chair of Copenhagen Pride said:

Despite the challenges we succeeded in delivering a hugely diverse WorldPride with the biggest every cultural and human rights programs, and we have created a firm legacy for our global event that focused on equality, love, human rights and sport. We did this for Copenhagen, for Denmark, for Scandinavia and for the world, and we are so happy to be recognised by the Danish Rainbow Awards Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Katja Moesgaard, Chair of Happy Copenhagen said:

I know I can speak on behalf of all the staff and volunteers when I say that we are honoured and grateful to the Danish Rainbow Awards for recognising the importance of Copenhagen 2021 WorldPride and EuroGames, and the legacy that we leave behind. We wanted to create an event that truly shows why Copenhagen is so often named as a leading city for LGBTI+ people, and despite the challenges, we are proud of what we achieved together.

I want to particularly thank our partners and sponsors without whose support we could not have delivered this incredible event. From large to small businesses, from Danish SMEs to large multinationals, our partners and sponsors really showed to their LGBTI+ staff and customers that ‘you are included’. 

The Danish Rainbow Awards will be broadcast on TV2 Zulu on 20 November.

Photo: Steve Taylor

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More than fifty businesses came together this summer to support Copenhagen 2021 WorldPride and EuroGames. They ranged from large well-known Danish brands like Flügger and international brands like DHL, to smaller Danish and Swedish businesses who are often focused on a much more Scandinavian audience than the global audience that our events attracted. One such business is ORLO Watches.

ORLO – the name being a portmanteau from horloge, the French for ‘clock’, and orlog, the Old Norse for ‘destiny’ – was founded in 2016 and owned by Kristian Berndt Knudsen since 2018. ORLO watches blend distinctive looks with high quality Danish design. For WorldPride and EuroGames, they created a limited edition of 2,021 watches in their Copenhagen design but with a limited edition rainbow strap. The watch, says Knudsen, is “a statement of who you are, what you believe in, and what you want others to be.”

The only Danish watch brand supporting LGBTI+ equality

Knudsen says that supporting Copenhagen 2021 WorldPride and EuroGames was not something he did for profit or financial return. Indeed, he said that such a project carries financial and reputational risk and even some members of the LGBTI+ community advised him against sponsoring the event unless he wanted to become known as ‘the gay watch’ brand. That, he said, made him even more determined to support. 

“We want to support those causes that often fly under the radar,” Knudsen explained. “These are often causes with a bigger need for support. Everyone supports poor families, sick children, kids with cancer. Partnering with Copenhagen 2021 brings an edge to our brand, showing that we are not afraid to stand up for what is right. I guess it was a risk, but I actually see it as more of a statement.”

He also believes that small businesses and entrepreneurs are very well placed to support events and organisations like Copenhagen 2021 as they are more agile and can agree their support more easily than a corporate with hundreds or thousands of employees. “The size and agility of ORLO allowed me to agree the partnership but also be stood in the middle of WorldPride Square engaging with visitors,” he said. 

Diversity and equality important for all businesses

“The Human Rights Forum – especially the Workplace Inclusion Day on Wednesday 18 August – really reminded me why corporate support is so important. In business, productivity and creativity are increased when you actively and visibly support diversity and equality. That matters for a small business like mine as much as it does for a big corporate.”

But as passionate and determined as Knudsen is in his unwavering support for Copenhagen 2021 and its values around human rights, equality and inclusion, sales of the watch did not match his expectations. This he blames largely on the global pandemic reducing the number of visitors to Copenhagen 2021, but he is certain that the partnership was still the right thing to do. 

“My motivation isn’t diminished by poor sales,” he says. “In fact I had such a special moment when I saw the photo of the United Nations Deputy Secretary General, Dr Natalia Kanem, wearing the watch as she sat alongside HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark at the opening of the Human Rights Forum. All along, I wanted the watch to make a different to people all over the world, and seeing it on the wrist of someone so influential, so crucial in making the world a better place, just confirmed for me that what I was doing was right.”

You can still support WorldPride and EuroGames by purchasing the limited edition Copenhagen 2021 ORLO watch, with a DKK600 discount! It’s now priced at DKK1,195 (approx €160) including interchangeable straps and luxury gift box and is available while stocks last.

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Tens of thousands of people joined more than 1,100 events in Copenhagen and Malmö over the last two weeks as part of Copenhagen 2021 WorldPride and EuroGames.

“In the most difficult circumstances imaginable we have delivered the most beautiful, loving, life-affirming and change-making event Denmark and Sweden have ever seen,” said Katja Moesgaard, Chair of Copenhagen 2021. “We are beyond proud of how our vision for Copenhagen 2021 WorldPride and EuroGames evolved.”

These are just some highlights:

• Our Patron, Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess of Denmark, has attended our events at UN City, the Human Rights Conference, City of Copenhagen reception, EuroGames tournament and on Saturday spoke at the Closing Ceremony at Fælledparken. She is the first member of a royal family to give patronage to a LGBTI+ event and we are most grateful for her support
• 2,000 athletes have competed in 22 sports tournaments at locations across both cities, and more than 70 sports organisations have run public activities across Copenhagen this week
• 3,000 people joined the WorldPride Opening Parade in Malmö and on Saturday more than 10,000 people joined six WorldPride Marches in Copenhagen; we are pleased that Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen also joined the Human Rights march from WorldPride Square
• More than 50,000 people have joined events in WorldPride Square and our audience at Fælledparken for our Concerts exceeded 25,000 in total
• WorldPride House and WorldPride Park in Malmö have welcomed several thousand visitors to debates, discussions, lectures and performances
• Fluid Festival at Gammel Strand has been a joyous celebration of women, genderqueer and non-binary identities, attended by thousands of guests
• Hundreds of young people have participated in events at Huset 2021 and Rainbow Children @ BLOX
• The Human Rights Forum – we think the largest ever – has brought together a truly global audience of activists and human rights defenders to consider how we achieve change soon
• More than 300 scholarship recipients were supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Commission and others
• On social media, more than five million people engaged with our content during the event, and more than 16,000 people joined our live streamed events

We have met sadness along the way. The tragic passing from a medical incident of Etienne Burguy at Bellahøj during one of the EuroGames tournaments gives us huge sympathy for his family and friends. The whole Copenhagen 2021 family, and everyone participating in our events, has been deeply affected by Etienne’s death.

And we must not ignore the reports of hate crime that have taken place during the event. We urge police here in Denmark, Sweden and everywhere to step up to deal with hate crime with more vigour and more determination.

Katja Moesgaard said: “I want to acknowledge our partners and sponsors without whom we could not have delivered this event, and thank our hard-working team and our volunteer Includers. It is they who have worked tirelessly to achieve such an impressive event in difficult times.”

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Now that almost four weeks have passed since the Copenhagen 2021 WorldPride and EuroGames concerts and ceremonies, our safety partner RF Experience and Dansk Live are conducting confidential research on guests’ behaviour, experiences, well-being, and security at cultural live events and is evaluating the spread of infection in Denmark. This will improve and ensure the handling of potential future virus outbreaks. 

If you attended any of our live concerts or ceremonies at K B Hallen or Fælledparken, please click the relevant link below to complete the survey.

Surveys

Please click on the name of the venue that you attended. Remember, K B Hallen was the indoor venue in Frederiksberg, Fælledparken was the outdoor venue in Copenhagen.

EuroGames Opening Ceremony (Weds 18 August)
Fælledparken

Under the Rainbow Concert (Thu 19 August)
K B Hallen / Fælledparken

Drag Night Concert (Fri 20 August)
K B Hallen / Fælledparken (with Aqua concert)

WorldPride & EuroGames Closing Ceremony (Sat 21 August)
K B Hallen / Fælledparken

Privacy

Please note: This survey is conducted and managed by Dansk Live and Copenhagen 2021 does not have any control over or access to the data you provide. Please consult the Dansk Live privacy policy.

Photo: Bjarke de Koning

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On August 20 2021 three busses of LGBTI+ activists participating in the Copenhagen 2021 WorldPride & EuroGames drove from Copenhagen to Malmö to attend the Refugees, Borders & Immigration Summit during the Copenhagen 2021 Human Rights Forum.

At the border between Denmark and Sweden Swedish border patrol detained for more than two hours two activists originally from Uganda both having been granted legal asylum status in Germany and both carrying German identification papers accordingly.

Copenhagen 2021, LGBT + Denmark, and co-signatories are aware of the challenges and often discriminatory practices that refugees and black and indigenous migrants and migrants of color experience in cross-border situations.

Furthermore, Copenhagen 2021, LGBT + Denmark, and co-signatories are painfully aware of the emotional implications unwarranted detention has on members of the LGBTI+ community with refugee status.

The Malmö team of Copenhagen 2021 is working with Swedish authorities to find out what happened and to ensure that it does not happen again.

Copenhagen 2021, LGBT + Denmark and co-signatories call on all European border patrol authorities to review border patrol practices in order to systematically address and prevent instances of unwarranted detention and racial profiling.

Copenhagen 2021, LGBT + Denmark and co-signatories call on all European authorities to ensure that the rights of refugees and black and indigenous migrants and migrants of color are being observed – especially pertaining to freedom of movement within the EU and the Schengen area.

See the full list of signatories on the LGBT + Denmark website.

Update – 9 October 2021

A report compiled by Malmö Pride and submitted to the office of the UN SOGIE Independent Expert can be found here.

Image: Jens Jensen / Øresundbron

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You can also view the Closing Ceremony on the big screens at WorldPride Square or join the party at Fælledparken, that will host upwards of 10.000 people.

Additionally Fælledparken will host its own live entertainment throughout the evening. It is a beautiful century-old park in Østerbro, approx 3.5km from WorldPride Square and a short walk from Vibenshus Runddel and Trianglen stations on the Copenhagen Metro. There will be street-food retailers, bars and bathroom facilities on site.

On Monday at 2000, Copenhagen 2021 will also be releasing 3000 extra tickets across Fælledparken and K B Hallen. With the corona restrictions gradually being lifted in Denmark, the pride celebration can host even more people at their celebrations on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. You can find more information on our concerts and ceremonies on our website and app. The 3000 extras tickets are total for the three nights.

Info on K B Hallen:

• Saturday 21 August – WorldPride & EuroGames Closing Ceremony
• Doors 1600, start at 1700, closing at 2215

Press Contact:

• Comms.copenhagen@copenhagen2021.com
• Communications center phone: +45 5211 9229

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More than 70 public sports events take place in Copenhagen during EuroGames under the banner ‘Sports to the People’.

One of the biggest public sports programs gets underway today when ‘Sports to the People’ activities begin across Copenhagen as part of Copenhagen 2021 WorldPride and EuroGames.

And organisers were given a boost when  the private foundation Nordea-fonden granted DKK 1,455,000 to support the Sports to the People program and the EuroGames Sports Village, which takes over Islands Brygge from next week.

Sports to the People is organised by Copenhagen 2021 in collaboration with DGI Storkøbenhavn and more than 30 sports groups including Pan Idræt, who host EuroGames. Activities include street handball, hiking, cheerleading, Zumba, frisbee, parkour, crossnet, basketball and boxing. In total more than 70 activities are planned.

The Sports Village at Islands Brygge is a hub for EuroGames activities and is open from Tuesday 17 to Friday 20 August. Alongside EuroGames tournaments, there are several areas with activities including pitch and putt, dodgeball, boxing, petanque and kayak polo. The school ship George Stage will be anchored at Islands Brygge throughout the event.

Nordea-fonden’s support reflects their mission to ‘support good life’ to which they award approximately DKK 500 million each year.

Copenhagen 2021’s Managing Director, Benjamin Hansen, said:

“It has long been an ambition for EuroGames at Copenhagen 2021 to create and raise people’s interest in different sports and fitness activities, and the Sports to the People program and the Sports Village are central to that aim. Thanks to the support of Nordea-fonden, we can realise our aim and show that sport is for everyone, and everyone is welcome.”

EuroGames formally gets underway with tournaments in 22 sports beginning on Tuesday, and the EuroGames Opening Ceremony at Fælledparken on Wednesday. Free tickets for the Opening Ceremony can be booked on the Copenhagen 2021 website.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. Copenhagen 2021 WorldPride and EuroGames are organised by Happy Copenhagen, an organisation created by Pan Idræt and Copenhagen Pride to deliver the event. This is the first time EuroGames and WorldPride have taken place together.
2. EuroGames is licenced to Pan Idræt by EGLSF. Taking place in a different European city in most years since 1992, EuroGames is the largest LGBTI+ multi-sport event.
3. Nordea-fonden supports activities which promote good living in Denmark. Nordea-fonden is an independent Danish philanthropic foundation. 
4. Details of all events can be found in the Copenhagen 2021 App and in copies of the Copenhagen 2021 Guide which will be available from venues.

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• HRH The Crown Princess of Denmark will speak at several events
• 1,000 activists will attend the Human Rights Conference
• 2,000 athletes will compete in EuroGames tournaments in 22 sports
• Seven WorldPride parades and marches take place, alongside three concerts
• 700 events organised by cultural institutions across Copenhagen and Malmö
• More than 100 sessions at 25 events streamed digitally to a global audience

After more than six years of planning, the world’s most significant LGBTI+ event of 2021 begins in Copenhagen and Malmö as WorldPride and EuroGames get underway tomorrow.

Despite the challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic, we are proud to have pulled together an impressive schedule of more than 1,000 events spanning sport, human rights, culture and Pride taking place over 11 days. Thousands of international visitors will join Danes and Swedes in a global celebration of equality and diversity.

Lars Henriksen, Chair of Copenhagen Pride which holds the licence for WorldPride, said:

“The immense pride we feel at being honoured to host the seventh WorldPride is only strengthened by the enormous challenge of organising this event in the midst of a pandemic that has affected so many people across the world. We are determined, and we are optimistic, that we will give hope for the future for LGBTI+ people everywhere, ensuring that these eleven days will have an impact for many years ahead.”

Christian Bigom, Chair of Pan Idræt which holds the licence for EuroGames, said:

“We never could have imagined the difficulties we would face in organising EuroGames during a pandemic but we are so happy that we can welcome so many participants not only to compete in sports, but to use the opportunity to make sure that sport is more inclusive and more diverse in the future. The Tokyo Olympics have shown how far we have still to go, and EuroGames in Copenhagen and Malmö will strengthen our determination and our demand for a place for every LGBTI+ person in sport.”

HRH The Crown Princess of Denmark, as Patron of Copenhagen 2021, will speak at several events including the Human Rights Conference where up to 1,000 activists and policy makers will discuss LGBTI+ equality and goals for the next decade. More than 250 scholarship recipients are coming from countries where LGBTI+ equality is far behind the Scandinavian nations. Also speaking at the Conference are the President of Iceland, Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium, and the UN High Commissioners for Refugees and Human Rights and many other political and civil society leaders.

At Christiansborg, 150 parliamentarians from around the world are invited by the Speaker Henrik Dam Kristensen for an Assembly to discuss global LGBTI+ equality, and to sign the Øresund Declaration of goals for equality by 2030. In Malmö, the Refugees, Borders & Immigration Summit will consider how LGBTI+ migrants can be better protected and served.

Two thousand athletes from more than 50 countries will compete in EuroGames, the LGBTI+ multi-sport event which this year includes tournaments in 22 sports. In collaboration with DGI Storkøbenhavn, the Sports To The People program includes more than 70 public sports activities across Copenhagen, and Islands Brygge is transformed into a Sports Village.

Concerts at KB Hallen which are live-streamed to Fælledparken have performances from international artists including Todrick Hall and Princess Nokia alongside Danish and Swedish artists including Freja Kirk, Theo X, Ängie and AQUA. Rådhuspladsen is transformed into WorldPride Square with a street-food market, bars, a performance area and big screen.

At Gammel Strand, Fluid Festival brings a program celebrating women, genderqueer and non-binary people with a blend of performances, speeches, talks, and space to relax and socialise. Huset KBH becomes a space for young LGBTI+ people, while Rainbow Children @ BLOX provides space for younger children and their families.

WorldPride’s Opening Parade takes place at Malmö Stadion on Thursday evening (12 August), followed on Saturday 21 August by six WorldPride Marches through the streets of Copenhagen, all meeting at Fælledparken for the closing ceremony at which EuroGames is handed to Nijmegen for 2022, EuroPride to Belgrade for 2022, and WorldPride to Sydney for 2023.

Culture institutions including Glyptoteket, The National Museum and the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen, and the Opera, Panora and Inkonst in Malmö are organising hundreds of events alongside over 100 other cultural partners, including performances, film, debates and immersive activities.

Malmö Live becomes WorldPride House, the hub of activities in Malmö, while Folkets Park becomes WorldPride Park. YouthPride is a safe and nourishing space for young LGBTI+ people to feel comfortable and free to express themselves. There will be seminars, workshops, and lectures, and other special activities.

We recognise that not everyone who wants to come to WorldPride and EuroGames can do so and we have therefore organised live-streaming or digital broadcast of more than 100 sessions at 25 events including concerts, conferences and seminars. The iconic Drag Night Concert is being streamed to entertainment magazine Time Out’s website in several countries.

Rainbow flags and decorations are appearing across Copenhagen and Malmö. The Øresund Bridge pylons and the Ørsted wind turbines at the Avedøre Power Station will be illuminated in the rainbow colours from tomorrow (Thursday 12) evening.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will project a rainbow into the sky towards Christiansborg, the seat of the Danish parliament, in a collaboration with artist Båll & Brand. The work is called Timbre – and the vertical oblique angles of the light are 55,40,34°, which is a reference to the latitude of Copenhagen. The light will be on from sunset till sunrise, but will most probably be visible from around 2200  – 0400, so when dark sets in..

All events are taking place within the current pandemic guidelines and restrictions, and we have liaised with municipalities, health authorities and police to ensure events can take place safely. Information on testing and rules is published on our website, and in a leaflet to be available to visitors at all venues.

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