Argentina's sixteenth Pride event is great success

Argentina celebrated its sixteenth annual Gay Pride ceremony last weekend.

The event was held in Buenos Aires, which recently won the trophy in the Gay World Cup, also held in the Latin American country.

According to Reuters, Cesar Cigliutti, President of the Argentine Homosexual Community said at the event: "After sixteen years our motto is celebration.

"This party is a demand, for there to be gays and lesbians dancing in the street is a demand."

During the evening the event, which took place near the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedeal, attracted crowds of Catholic demonstrators, but they were kept separate from the fun by police.

Speaking to Wikinews, Marнa Josй Lubertino, Chairwoman of the National Institute Against Discrimination, Xenophobia and Racism said: "This is an advance for democracy, that we can gather so many people to celebrate diversity.

"We must work against all types of discrimination and especially on this day against homophobia, and also pursue the rights not afforded to us; for example, the identity of transsexual people."

The city was the first in South America to legalise same sex unions, in 2002.