A recent AFP report stated that the Taiwan Gay Sports and Movement Association (TGSMA) would not be sending a delegation to Gay Games 11 Hong Kong 2022 due to the TGSMA’s concerns over the personal safety of participants from Taiwan.
As the organising team of the HK Games, we appreciate the concerns of our Taiwan friends. The personal health and safety of all participants, spectators and volunteers is our top priority, and we want to reiterate our strongest assurances that there are comprehensive systems, processes and plans in place to ensure everyone at the Hong Kong Games feel safe and protected.
Since the beginning of the Games in 1982, participants have been taking part in the Games on an individual basis, transcending national and geographic boundaries, based on the principles of Participation, Inclusion, and Personal Best. Everyone is welcome to attend, and no pre-qualification is required.
TGSMA is an official member of the Federation of Gay Games, the governing body of the Gay Games, and has participated in previous Games. We are glad to hear they remain supportive of the Hong Kong Games and have announced they will assist any Taiwan participants interested in attending on an individual basis. We warmly welcome our friends from Taiwan to join us at the Hong Kong Games.
The past few years have been a challenging era for many. We sincerely hope that through the unifying power of sports, the Hong Kong Games will help foster a culture of mutual respect and inclusiveness. With a theme of “Unity in Diversity”, the Games are non-partisan and non-political, and we encourage all participants and visitors to observe local laws and customs during their stay in Hong Kong.
We leave you with the words of Dr. Tom Waddell, founder of the Gay Games in 1982: “The message of these games goes beyond validating our culture. The Gay Games were conceived as a new idea in sport based on inclusion rather than exclusion. Since anyone from anywhere is welcome to participate in this event, we transcend the traditional problems of ageism, sexism, and racism, and just as importantly, nationalism. There are no competing world ideologies in these games.”
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About Gay Games 11 Hong Kong 2023
Gay Games 11 Hong Kong will take place in 3-11 November 2023, the first event of its kind in Asia. Under the theme “Unity in Diversity” the Games will feature a wide variety of sporting events, opening closing ceremonies, festival village, and arts & culture events. Supporting organisations include the Equal Opportunities Commission, InvestHK, BrandHK and the Hong Kong Tourism Board.
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About the Federation of Gay Games (FGG)
The FGG mission is to promote equality and social change for LGBTQ+ people through its quadrennial sports and culture event, the Gay Games. Conceived by Dr. Tom Waddell, an Olympic decathlete, the Gay Games principles are “Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best™” and it was first held in San Francisco in 1982. It is now the world’s largest quadrennial LGBTQ+ sports and cultural event open to all, that is organised and led by LGBTQ+ artists and athletes. Gay Games have been held in San Francisco (1986), Vancouver (1990), New York (1994), Amsterdam (1998), Sydney (2002), Chicago (2006), Cologne (2010), and Cleveland+Akron (2014). The most recent Games, in Paris (2018), involved over 10,000 participants from 91 countries, 3,000 volunteers, 36 sports, and 14 cultural events, and pumped 107.6 million Euros into the local economy.
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