Amsterdam hosts WorldPride 2026 under UNITY theme

Amsterdam is hosting WorldPride for the first time in its history from 25 July to 8 August 2026, positioning the Dutch capital at the centre of global LGBTQ+ visibility and advocacy. Under the theme “UNITY,” the city will welcome activists, allies and communities from around the world for two weeks of cultural events, political dialogue and public celebration.

The programme features a series of major events:

• Pride Walk from Dam Square to Vondelpark (25 July)
• Pride Park in Vondelpark (25 July)
• Arts & Culture programme across the city (25 July – 8 August)
• Open Air Film Festival at Mercatorplein (29–30 July)
• Senior Pride Concert at Nieuwmarkt (30 July)
• Street Parties at more than 12 locations (31 July – 2 August)
• Canal Parade along Nieuwe Herengracht, Amstel and Prinsengracht (1 August)
• WorldPride Village on Museumplein (4–8 August)
• UNITY Concert on Museumplein (4 August)
• Human Rights Conference at Beurs van Berlage (5–7 August)
• Wedding Party XXL on Museumplein (6 August)
• WorldPride March from Martin Luther King Park to Museumplein (8 August)
• WorldPride Closing Concert on Museumplein (8 August)

Amsterdam’s role as host city carries particular symbolic weight. In 2001, the world’s first legal same-sex marriage took place in the city. In 2026, the Netherlands will mark 25 years of marriage equality, alongside multiple milestones in LGBTQ+ organising and rights:

• 15 years of the Declaration of Amsterdam
• 20 years of Workplace Pride
• 25 years since the opening of civil marriage to same-sex couples
• 30 years of Pride Amsterdam
• 55 years since the abolition of article 248bis, which criminalised same-sex relations with young people at a lower age of consent
• 80 years of COC Netherlands, one of the world’s oldest LGBTQ+ organisations

The UNITY theme is expressed through three core values: tolerance, connectedness and love. The WorldPride 2026 logo presents unity as a key tool in confronting intolerance. The visual identity uses a fan or kaleidoscope motif to combine patterns drawn from centuries of cultural exchange in ceramics, textiles and folk traditions.

WorldPride Amsterdam 2026 is framed as both a celebration and a catalyst. Organisers emphasise full inclusivity and the creation of new partnerships across movements and borders. The ambition is for participants to return home energised, connected and ready to strengthen LGBTQ+ emancipation and activism in their own contexts.

Pride Amsterdam itself has grown considerably since its launch in 1996, when it began as a summer initiative to attract more LGBTQ+ visitors. It now spans nine days with more than 300 activities across the city and is recognised as one of the largest Pride celebrations globally. WorldPride 2026 is set to expand that impact further, combining public celebration with political engagement and cultural reflection.

For professionals, allies and organisations seeking to build stronger, more inclusive workplaces in the run-up to WorldPride and beyond, platforms such as myGwork provide ways to connect, recruit and collaborate with LGBTQ+ talent and partners worldwide; those interested in deepening that engagement can sign up via myGwork to take part in this growing global community.