A Taiwanese group on Saturday took part in this year’s Pride in London parade, holding banners reading “First Country in Asia” to publicize the nation’s judicial passage of marriage equality in May.
The first official Pride in London event was held in 1972 and attracted 2,000 people. It is now the biggest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) parade in the UK and attracts thousands of participants every year as it winds through the bustling areas of Soho and Trafalgar Square.
This year, the parade attracted 26,000 participants and numerous onlookers, with rainbow flags hanging on shops and outside government buildings along the route, which was marked in rainbow colors on Google Maps.
Photo: CNA
A group of 100 Taiwanese organized by Taiwanese students in London also took part in the parade to promote the nation’s status as the first in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.
The Council of Grand Justices in May ruled that the law must be changed to allow same-sex marriage, paving the way for its legalization and cementing the nation’s status as a beacon for LGBT rights.
Since no significant progress had been made toward marriage equality when last year’s parade was held, the group had called on the government to pass legislation to allow same-sex unions, a member of the group said.
However, this year the situation changed dramatically, so it focused on celebrating the nation’s achievement and produced a video in support of marriage equality, the group said.
A British man named Kai and his Taiwanese partner, A-wei (阿瑋), said that after the law comes into effect, they will return to Taiwan to register their marriage.
The parade also attracted a wide variety of groups, companies and organizations in the UK, including Facebook, Walt Disney Co, the British Parliament, London police, Muslim LGBT groups and the post office and fire departments.
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
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