United by Pride: A Historic First in a Divided Cyprus

On June 18, 2022, Cyprus witnessed something unprecedented: the first-ever intercommunal LGBTQIA+ Pride march, held in the buffer zone of Nicosia. Organised under the name United by Pride, the event brought together people from across the divide in a powerful and symbolic act of visibility, resistance, and solidarity.

Two parallel marches started on either side of the Green Line — one from Eleftheria Square in the South and one from Kuğulu Park in the North — culminating in a shared gathering at the Ledra Palace checkpoint. In the middle of a UN-controlled and militarised zone, the community sewed together two separate Pride flags carried from each side, creating a shared banner of unity that stood in defiance of borders, division, and homophobia.

What made United by Pride particularly historic was its setting: it is believed to be the first-ever Pride event held in a ceasefire territory under active United Nations control. In the heart of a divided capital, in a space designed to separate, the LGBTQIA+ community came together to reclaim visibility and demand equality across the whole island.

The event was co-organised by Queer Collective CY, Queer Cyprus Association, LGBT Pilipinas, African LGBTIQ+ Community Cyprus, and the LGBT+ & Friends UCY Student Club — bringing together queer and trans people from across communities, nationalities, and backgrounds. The gathering featured speeches, performances, and a celebration of queer life, culture, and resistance, sending a clear message: our lives are political, and our joy is a form of protest.

The march received both local and international coverage and was recognised not only as a step forward for LGBTQIA+ rights on the island, but also as a rare and powerful act of cross-communal cooperation in one of Europe’s longest-standing unresolved conflicts.