A Major LGBTQ Community Summit: The Countown to World Pride 2014 in Toronto

WHAT's the Summit all about? 
The program will include a Briefing and Presentation on World Pride 2014, to get the word out, and to engage, activate, and harness the richness, creativity, input, and the diversity of our community in planning for World Pride 2014 in Toronto, the world's largest LGBTQ event . 

WHO's coming to the Summit? 
We have invited a wide range of groups, leaders, individuals, members, supporters, friends and participants from a wide range of Greater Toronto's LGBTQ community. We are asking each to send several members and/or representatives to a major Community Summit on Saturday morning, June 8, 2013. 

It's an important event and the invitations represent a very broad range of interests, areas, involvements, backgrounds, and focus. 

WHY are we doing it? 
We want to tap your ideas, energy, and enthusiasm regarding World Pride 2014; 
To show our community's strong, involved, and engaged in making it a great event; 
We want to get the message out regarding the plans, progress, and opportunities to be found with respect to World Pride 2014 in Toronto; 
We want the community to be energized and begin plans to celebrate World Pride 2014; 
We're seeking broad community involvement in World Pride 2014: from the broadest possible range of the LGBTQ community, including associations, groups, organizations, businesses, collectives, assemblies, congregations, gatherings, and leagues.

WHEN and WHERE?

Toronto City Hall, 3rd floor Council Chambers

Registration 9:30 a.m.

Presentation 10:00 a.m.

Networking and Social 11:30 a.m.

Please pass on the details and the invitation to this Summit to the networks, groups, associations, and/or affiliations to which you belong. Please come yourself; please encourage several others to join you; and please reserve a space today (they will go fast) by registering at:www.countdown2wp14to.eventbrite.com 

Toronto Wins World Pride 2014

The world will now get a taste of Toronto's famous Pride festivities, after the city won a bid to host the 2014 World Pride event.

World Pride promotes gay, bisexual and transgender issues internationally through parades, festivals and other cultural activities.

The world event will be hosted during Toronto's regular Pride week, but will have extra events including an opening ceremony, a human rights conference, and networking events, as well as Canada Day and U.S. Independence day parties.

Toronto beat out Stockholm with 78 per cent of the ballots in the second round of voting on Sunday.

Pride Toronto organizers say last year's Pride Week infused $136 million into Toronto's economy, created 762 jobs across the province, and drew close to 750,000 tourists for the festivities.

Pride Toronto's website says Toronto's Pride Week is one of the biggest in the world, with more than a million people turning out every year.

Organizers say they hope to attract tourists who may not have considered Toronto for their vacation.

London will host the world event in 2012, a few weeks before the summer Olympics will be held there. World Pride is expected to double London's usual number of participants to 1 million people.

The first World Pride was held in Rome in 2000.

Toronto was announced as the winner Sunday at the InterPride 2009 conference in Florida.