Call for end to homophobia

A call for a joint effort to make Malta a homophobia-free country was made at the second Pride March held by the Malta Gay Rights Movement.

Participants in the march on Thursday evening walked from Republic Square through Republic Street to Freedom Square, in Valletta behind a banner carrying the slogan No Homophobia... Imagine That!.

They blew whistles and played a djembe while carrying flags bearing six colours of the rainbow, the symbol of the international lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered persons' rights campaign.

The movement's coordinator Sandro Mangion said the Pride March will go on being organised year after year to hammer home the point that every person in the country has value.

Some people were still being treated as second-class citizens, he said.

He voiced the movement's solidarity with all those who he said were being marginalised, harassed, hurt and discriminated against because of their sexual orientation.

Mr Mangion also paid tribute to journalist Julian Manduca, who passed away a few weeks ago. Mr Manduca had taken part in last year's Pride March, carrying a banner with a message against homophobia.