For the first time in Cyprus, LGBTQI+ organisations and communities across the island are joining forces for a Pride march, bringing about two Pride parades this year in Nicosia.

“United by Pride” will bring together people from all around Cyprus on June 18, to march for LGBTQI+ rights in Nicosia.

The event will start at 6pm with two separate marches in the capital. One will start from Eleftheria square and another from Kugulu park with both ending at the Home of Cooperation in the Buffer zone.

Organised by a newly emerged group called Queer Collective CY and Queer Cyprus association in the north, the event is also co-hosted by LGBT-PILIPINAS, LGBT Africa and LGBTQIA+ & Allies Students Club of University of Cyprus.

In light of the coming first Intercommunal Pride, Queer Collective CY is hosting a piQnic at 5pm on Sunday at the Nicosia municipality gardens where people were invited to “get their hands dirty” by making placards for the march.

The first Greek Cypriot pride parade, the annual event for the LGBTQI+ community, was held on May 31 2014 by Accept LGBT NGO which has since been organising the annual Pride parades.

This year, the NGO announced it will hold the Pride march on September 25.

Pride events are usually held in June in honour of the Stonewall riots in response to a police raid on June 28, 1969 at the Stonewall inn gay bar in New York city.