(VNF) - An annual event, Viet Pride Hanoi 2016, to celebrate the freedom to love and freedom of expression regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity held from Friday to Sunday last week.

The event took place with a range of activities including film screenings and talks about lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgenders (LGBT), as well as musical events, speed dating, forum theatre, LGBT history exhibition, and a PFLAG panel.

The film screenings included My Friend from Faro (Germany), Contraccorriente (Peru), Laurence Anyways (Canada) and Bi, Don’t Be Afraid (Vietnam).

As a pre-event to the official opening on Friday, the presentation and discussion on LGBT mainstreaming was open to the public at the Goethe Institute on Thursday (Aug 18^th). It was led by Nguyen Hien Nga (founder of Women Who Make a Difference organization, Erasmus Mundus scholar).

There was an exciting array of activities: the opening on Friday night (Aug 19^th) with the presentation of the Viet Pride-Scholarship Award, the Work with Pride campaign and a screening of German LGBT film “My Friend from Faro”, as well as the PFLAG panel, an event for parents, families and friends of lesbians and gays, the film “Contraccorriente” from Peru on Saturday (Aug 20^th) and a film screening with a talk on Sunday evening (Aug 21^st).

Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Nienke Trooster (M) gave a speech on behalf of the international supporters

Viet Pride officially started on August 19^th night at the Hanoi Goethe Institute but various workshops, concerts and meetings have been organized since earlier this month.

The opening night saw the participation of Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Nienke Trooster, US Ambassador in Vietnam Ted Osius, Canadian Ambassador to Vietnam David Devine and several other representatives from many international organizations.

"The Dutch embassy has therefore been a supporter of VietPride from the start, five years ago. Promoting acceptance for each other is something for the long haul. We have to stand together on this and I am very happy that Vietnam is one of our serious partners on this issue in Asia.” Ms. Nienke Trooster said at the opening of VietPride.

A world renowned LGBT activist, Evan Wolfson, the founder and director of the organization “Freedom to Marry” also joined the event to talk about the marriage equality movement in the US.

The capstone activity, “Path of Pride”, took place on Sunday morning with a bicycle rally from Giang Vo Lake to the American Club, 21 Hai Ba Trung Street, Hanoi with hundreds of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Vietnam and their supporters participated.

The rally also saw the participation of the US Ambassador in Vietnam Ted Osius, Dutch Ambassador to Vietnam Nienke Trooster, several other embassy officials and representatives from many international organizations.

Viet Pride 2016 will continue to organize activities across the country this year./.

Some photos of the event held on August 21^st morning in Hanoi:

Minh Phuong