Write a commentSending congratulations to Newry Rainbow Community on their successful bid for Newry City to hold the UK and Ireland Pride in 2019, Cllr Pete Byrne has also called for Newry Mourne and Down Council to remove the Tourism Events funding cap for next year’s Pride in Newry Festival.
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Pride in Newry received confirmation of ther successful bid at an event in Glasgow at the weekend and plans are underway to make it a massive event for Newry City.
Byrne said, "This is fantastic news for the Newry Rainbow Community who have worked tirelessly to ensure a successful bid to host the UK and Ireland Pride 2019. I have had the privilege of working with and getting to know many members of the NRC committee over the last three years and their commitment to fostering a place which allows for visibility and inclusion for LGBT people is relentless. We cannot thank them enough for their efforts in delivering a message of hope and acceptance in our communities.
"Our attention must now move to delivering an extraordinary Pride In Newry festival in 2019. In the coming weeks I will be calling for the Tourism Events funding cap to be removed to ensure that the NRC committee has the resources that it needs to pull of an event which will be talked about for years to come. Newry has been given an opportunity to showcase itself and we must do all we can to support the NRC in its preparation for its festival next year."
At present funding from the Tourism Events budget from Newry, Mourne and Down Council is capped at £15,000.
The European Pride Organisers Association have also announced that they will be hosting their conference in Newry next March. Cllr Byrne added "I will be asking for Council to write to EPOA to offer its support ahead of their visit to ensure that they are fully accommodated. This is an exciting time for our district and a real opportunity to showcase the North as an open and inclusive society."
