The Embassy of Colombia in Ireland, as co-chair of the Diplomats for Equality group alongside the Embassy of Spain, and in their shared capacity as current co-chairs of the Equal Rights Coalition, is proud to have facilitated the adoption of a joint declaration by the diplomatic community in Ireland on the occasion of Dublin Pride 2026.
Bringing together a broad coalition of diplomatic missions and partners, this initiative reflects a strong and renewed commitment to advancing equality, celebrating diversity, and promoting the full enjoyment of human rights for all. It also highlights the importance of standing together against discrimination in all its forms and of continuing to support open, inclusive and vibrant societies.
The Embassy of Colombia is honoured to contribute to this collective effort and to join partners across the diplomatic community in celebrating the values at the heart of Pride.
The full text of the declaration is reproduced below:
The Ambassadors and Chargés d’affaires of the Diplomatic Missions of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and the Head of the European Commission Representation in Ireland would like to express our continued commitment in favour of diversity and inclusion as we celebrate Dublin Pride 2026.
We express our full and continuous support of LGBTIQ+ persons, the work of Dublin Pride (www.dublinpride.ie) to promote and celebrate equality, as well as other likeminded organisations and services advocating for equal rights for all. We are against discrimination on any grounds, including sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and we recognise the importance of addressing the multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination faced by persons belonging to this traditionally marginalised group including by eliminating the root causes of structural discrimination against them.
Everyone, everywhere, has the right to express themselves and to love without harassment, violence, discrimination, or retaliation. We are pleased to be part of the joint contingent of ‘Diplomats for Equality’ supporting the human rights of all LGBTIQ+ persons[1] during Pride Week, advocating for inclusivity, acceptance, freedom for all individuals, and guaranteeing all human rights, including sexual and reproductive health.
During Pride Week, we not only rejoice in the progress achieved but also reflect on the important work that still lies ahead. We reiterate our aspiration for a world where every person can live freely and authentically without fear. There continues to be instances of discrimination and/or criminalisation and persecution of LGBTIQ+ persons worldwide and we are deeply concerned to see the full enjoyment of human rights being rolled back across the globe in recent years. This includes hate-motivated violence, arbitrary arrest, and the application of the death penalty and prison sentences in some countries simply for being part of an LGBTIQ+ community or a supporter of persons belonging to a LGBTIQ+ community. By denying or jeopardising their political, civil, economic, social, and cultural rights, the whole of society is weakened.
We encourage states to take effective measures to prevent violence and all forms of discrimination, and to introduce or amend legislation, policies, and practices to remove structural barriers to protect LGBTIQ+ persons from all forms of discrimination and to protect their full enjoyment of human rights, as well as to promote their social and economic inclusion. Legal reform must be undertaken efficiently and be guided by international human rights law and aimed at ensuring a safe and enabling environment for all.
It is imperative to ensure that we do not take a step backward in our commitments to the rights of LGBTIQ+ persons, gender equality and the full realisation human rights for all. The progress achieved must be safeguarded and strengthened. Upholding these commitments is not only a matter of human rights but also a cornerstone for sustainable development, social justice, and global stability. Dublin Pride and Pride organisations around the world play a fundamental role in this work, in standing up for equal rights and addressing outstanding challenges.
“ONE STORY - MANY VOICES”, “SCÉAL AMHÁIN - GO LEOR GUTHANNA” is the theme of this year’s festival, evoking a shared legacy woven from countless individual journeys, honouring both the exuberant marches of today and the quieter, more cautious steps of earlier generations; it speaks of a community shaped by diverse identities, histories and ways of living, where every narrative -whether radiant, restrained, celebrated or still struggling to be heard- forms part of a larger constellation of solidarity, reminding us that Pride is not a single spotlight but a collective illumination in which each voice strengthens the whole and ensures that none of us ever stand alone.
We commend Ireland for progress made in the field of LGBTQI+ rights and for the efforts towards protecting individuals from violence and discrimination, including on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics.
As a diplomatic community, our diversity is our strength, and our unity is our power. Let us continue to defend freedom, equality, justice and love for all, and let us never waver in our commitment to building a more inclusive and accepting world for future generations.
[1] The term ' LGBTIQ+' is used in accordance with the terminology adopted by the Equal Rights Coalition www.equalrightscoalition.com