United by Pride, the intercommunal Pride that brings together marchers from both sides of the Cyprus divide, will take place on Saturday 10 October 2026 at 17:00. Marchers will set off from two starting points: Eleftheria Square and Kugulu Park. Seven acts will perform at the event, which the organisers describe as entirely self-funded and independent from corporate money and political parties.

Starting points and time

The event begins at 17:00 from Eleftheria Square and Kugulu Park. It keeps the format that has defined United by Pride since its first edition in 2022: two marches, one from the north and one from the south, converging at the UN buffer zone in Nicosia.

The artists

Seven acts are on this year's line-up:

A Man To Pet
Caramel
Gravity Grave
Karagöza
Nana
Nicholas
Tuti Calamari

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In line with the event's principles, the stage centres queer Cypriot artists on the island and in the diaspora, along with everyone who has made a life in Cyprus.

What United by Pride is

United by Pride describes itself as Cyprus's first-ever intercommunal Pride. When the two marches met in the buffer zone in 2022, the organisers say, it was something that had never been done on the island. They describe it as a political act.

According to the organisers, it is the only Pride in the world held within UN-controlled territory. It is also the only one in the region that is entirely independent from sponsors and public funding. The event brings together LGBTQIA+ people and allies from across the island, in what the organisers describe as the EU's last divided capital.

The organisers say the community has turned out every year. Artists have performed in solidarity, and volunteers have returned year after year.

The event has also come at a personal cost. According to the organisers, three of the four editions so far ran at a deficit, and they covered every shortfall out of their own pockets. What began as an idea between two organisations now, they say, belongs to everyone who has marched, performed, volunteered or stood in the buffer zone.

The founding principles

The organisers have set out seven founding principles that define the event and form the basis for joining its Open Organising Committee.

The first principle sets out the event's purpose: to bridge the division of Cyprus rather than ignore it. The convergence of the two marches at the buffer zone is the political statement itself. The document says that peace, reunification and queer liberation are inseparable.

The second principle extends the event to every queer person living on the island. This includes Turkish-speaking and Greek-speaking Cypriots, migrants and refugees, students and workers, and people with or still waiting for papers.

The third principle rules out corporate sponsors and politicians. United by Pride accepts no corporate branding or corporate money, and allows no politicians on its stage. The document states that "money that comes with strings attached is money that decides what we can say." It adds that refusing such money keeps the event political rather than programmed.

The fourth principle places Cypriot and island queer communities in the lead. The event is organised and performed by those communities.

The fifth principle commits the event to intersectionality. The document states that "queer liberation that leaves people behind is not liberation." The organisers declare their solidarity with Palestine and all people facing occupation, displacement and genocide. They say they march against racism, sexism, colonialism, militarism and all forms of discrimination.

The sixth principle declares trans rights non-negotiable. The organisers commit to keeping trans visibility and trans voices at the centre of the programme and politics, including when doing so is inconvenient.

The seventh principle keeps the event grassroots and open. United by Pride is built each year by the people who come to build it, and anyone who agrees to the principles can join them.

More than a celebration

The organisers describe United by Pride as both a celebration and a political statement. They say it demonstrates what is possible when communities come together for peace, reunification and inclusion. It showcases local and Cypriot diaspora talent and amplifies marginalised voices, and it highlights the resilience, joy and creativity of LGBTQIA+ communities across Cyprus.

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The event, the organisers say, affirms that peace, inclusion and human rights are non-negotiable.

Rosemary #