About 150 People Attended Gay Pride Parade In Bucharest

Participants waved flags and banners, danced and sang, celebrating diversity. Some of the male attendants wore colorful evening gowns and high heels.

The march was joined by a few dozen people from the U.S. Embassy and ambassador Mark Gitenstein, UK ambassador Martin Harris, Swedish ambassador Anders Bengtcen, officials of the Romanian Council Against Discrimination and of Amnesty International.

U.S. ambassador Gitenstein said he is honored to take part in the parade, adding it is important to show the value of diversity which has taken the U.S. to where it is today in terms of freedom and diversity. Swedish ambassador Bengtcen said it is important to hold events advocating human rights, freedom and diversity, while the Amnesty International official called on Romanian authorities to actively promote diversity.

The eighth annual edition of Gay Fest, organized by "Accept", an NGO defending the rights of sexual minorities, took place on May 30 - June 4 and included a debate on the freedom of movement of gay couples in the EU, film screening, including the oldest gay film in the history of cinematography, an electro concert and an event on gay literature.

Earlier Saturday, dozens of members and sympathizers of far-right nationalistic group Noua Dreapta held a march of their own, "for normality" and against homosexuality.

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