On Thursday, June 7, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro marched in Tel Aviv’s gay pride parade. Speaking to a crowd of thousands of marchers, he acknowledged the achievements of the Israeli LGBT community for gaining equal rights and emphasized the work of the U.S. government to raise awareness of LGBT rights around the world. After the speech, Ambassador Shapiro marched with Embassy personnel for the full parade route to Tel Aviv’s Gordon Beach.
Ambassador Shapiro said during his speech: “I bring with me warm greetings from President Obama, Secretary of State John Kerry, and the American people. We are proud to be part of the tradition of the gay pride parade…There is no place better to celebrate than in Tel Aviv, the city known as the friendliest in the world for the LGBT community. Today is a day for celebration, for hope, for love, and above all, for pride.” He added, “We’ve learned from Israel how to let our soldiers serve in the military without having to hide who they love. We are not done yet, there's still a lot to do."
Embassy Flickr Album with Parade Photos: http://flic.kr/s/aHsjFR1LUg
Embassy YouTube Video: http://youtu.be/mNMmMbT77W4
