Participation in EuroPride Thessaloniki 2024

In June 2024, Sappho Women participated in EuroPride in Thessaloniki. This took place in a different context from our usual work in Skala Eressos, but it was relevant to us as an organisation that operates within wider lesbian and LGBTQI+ networks in Greece and beyond.

We held an information booth at the Pride Fair over several days. The booth functioned as a practical point of contact. People stopped to ask about our work, about Skala Eressos, and about how Sappho Women operates throughout the year. We also used this time to speak with other organisations, exchange information, and learn how different groups are working in their own local contexts. These conversations were informal, but useful.

Sappho Women was also invited to the main stage as part of a collective welcome involving Greek civil society organisations. Ioanna Savva represented the organisation and spoke briefly about the history of the lesbian community in Skala Eressos, and about the role long-term, grassroots organising has played there. The focus was on continuity rather than on individual events.

Taking part in EuroPride gave us the opportunity to place our work within a broader landscape. It also made visible, in a different setting, the identity and values that shape what we do in Skala Eressos. The contacts made and information gathered during that week are now feeding back into our ongoing planning and programme development.