Israel’s Eurovision winner Netta to take part in Bulgaria’s Sofia Pride 2019
The singer Netta, who won the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest for Israel with the song Toy, will take part in the concert at Sofia Pride on June 8, the organisers said.
Netta Barzilai, her full name, will be on stage before the start of the event at 7.30pm and later the same day, will give a concert on the roof of the Walltopia building at Sofia Tech Park, as part of the Sofia Pride 2019 official after-party.
The after-party begins immediately after the end of the procession. Free transport will be provided, embarkation point the Soviet Army Monument.
Netta is the first Eurovision song contest winner to come to Bulgaria for Sofia Pride.
An adamant defender of the rights of women and LGBTI people all over the world, she recently said that it was absurd for gay people in their native Israel, the media statement said.
“I cannot believe that I can create a family with whom I decide, and gay people cannot,” Netta said.
“We all pay taxes, we are all obliged to serve in the army, and the government does not treat us as equal,” she told Attitude magazine.
“When you attack a community and tell them that they do not deserve the same thing as others, it is hard for them to believe in themselves and to respond to the blow. Many gay men are afraid to reveal themselves because they think they are inferior. We need to use the power of social networks and always put that discussion on. We have to have bigger Prides. Pride should become a national holiday, not a party for one community,” she was quoted as saying.
The message of the 12th annual Sofia Pride is: “Don’t give power to hatred, give power to love”.
The Sofia Pride 2019 event starts at 4.30pm with a concert at the Soviet Army Monument, and the procession begins at 7.30pm.
Participants in the musical programme before the procession include Galena, Mihaela Fileva, Errol Ibrahimov of Wikeda, Mila Robert, Ruth Koleva and the group IVA.
Information about the full programme of Sofia Pride 2019 is on its website.
Netta’s visit is made possible by the support of Absolut, the embassy of Israel, and the embassy of the UK. This year’s partners of Sofia Pride are Milan Pride, supported by Airitaly, the embassy of the US, Walltopia, Sutherland, VMWare, the embassy of Australia in Athens and InterPride.
