Guadalajara will co-host Gay Games 2023 – Puerto Vallarta Daily News

On the International LGBTQ+ Pride Day, the Government of Jalisco, through the Ministry of Tourism (Secturjal), the Ministry of Culture, CODE Jalisco, and the Directorate of Sexual Diversity in collaboration with the Guadalajara Convention and Visitors Bureau, announced that Guadalajara will be the co-host venue, together with Hong Kong, of the Gay Games 2023, which expects to gather around 24 thousand people from more than 50 countries from November 3 to 11, 2023, with an economic benefit of 600 million pesos ( mdp).

This will be the first time in more than 40 years that this international sporting and cultural event will be held in Mexico and Latin America. During the 15 days that the event lasts, which is organized in collaboration with the Gay Games Guadalajara 2023 Committee, the Governor explained, the presence of around 8 thousand athletes and 16 companions is expected, which reflects the magnitude of the products, services, and attractions that they need and that can be covered by hoteliers, restaurateurs, and local merchants.

In addition, he stressed that the main reason why the city was selected as the venue for this event was because of the work that the Government of Jalisco has carried out on agendas in favor of the recognition of sexual diversity and the protection and fulfillment of its rights.

“We are going to be up to the challenge, having competed with cities like the ones we saw on this entire list, speaks of who we are, who this city is and the greatness of Guadalajara and Jalisco,” he emphasized.

Alfaro Ramírez added that the most important message of these games is not only the event as such, but the cause that made the state capital and Jalisco worthy of advancing in respect for the rights of all people regardless of their sexual orientation.

The Secretary of Tourism, Vanessa Pérez Lamas, said that the importance of the Gay Games will be one of the most important events in the city, where everyone can be included to enjoy the sports fair that will leave millions of pesos, a great promotion of the tourist destinations of Jalisco and its hotel and sports infrastructure, which will be discussed in the short term by the athletes themselves, their coaches and companions.

The director of CODE Jalisco, Fernando Ortega Ramos, said that in order to deal with the sports infrastructure that is required, the State will implement a strategy of re-equipping and adapting the sports venues that were built for the Pan American Games in Guadalajara so that the quality in facilities is guaranteed in accordance with the rules of each sporting discipline.

“In Jalisco, we have facilities that were a legacy of the 2011 Pan American Games and we have worked hard to search through different programs and special projects, recover their functionality and equipment and relocate them to the possibility of hosting international level events”, highlighted the director.

Andrés Treviño, head of the Directorate of Sexual Diversity of the Government of Jalisco, affirmed that in addition to celebrating this announcement, it is 40 years since the entity held the first public protest in defense of the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as the progress in public policies in Jalisco.

“Jalisco is one of the few States that has a serious job in recognizing the LGBT+ community, and also from the Directorate of Sexual Diversity, we have implemented awareness workshops on this issue for public officials and people from the private sector, which it further opens the door to respect for the sexual diversity that exists in the entity and in the world”.

The Gay Games are considered the Olympic Games of the LGBT+ community and take place every four years. Also, it has the same categories as the Olympics, but includes other skills and skill disciplines such as darts and bowling, dance, and cheerleader.

Director of the Visitors and Conventions Office, Gustavo Staufert, explained the application process in which Jalisco applied for the first time to the capital of Guadalajara as the venue for these games in 2017.

And he added: “No country, neither in Asia nor in Latin America, had ever been the venue, and now we are going to be both Hong Kong and Guadalajara and the purpose is very clear, in Jalisco, it is about giving a message of diversity, inclusion, solidarity, celebrate brotherhood and inclusion”.

There will also be a program of cultural events that will take place during the games, to which the Secretary of Culture of the State, Lourdes González Pérez, mentioned:

“It is not surprising that in cultural matters our city and our State are poles of attraction for international events such as the one we have to announce today. One of the commitments that we have from the Government of Jalisco, and of course from the Ministry of Culture, is to work for all communities so that each person from Jalisco sees himself reflected and feels part of the arts and culture of this State. During the 11th edition of the Gay Games, the heart of the Cultural Village will be located in the Center, in Plaza Liberación. From the Center, a whole cultural offer will emerge that will include conventional spaces such as museums and theaters but also urban forests and public spaces, the entire cultural infrastructure will be at the service of the athletes and inhabitants of our city, mentioned the head of Culture.

The event will have the participation of more than 50 countries and around 8 thousand athletes in various disciplines such as: Athletics, Basketball, Wrestling, Swimming, Volleyball, Diving, Softball, Water polo, Badminton, and Tennis, among others.

The program of sports, cultural and tourist activities will be carried out in different places.

Among the sports venues are: Code 1, Code Atlas Paradero, Bolerama Tapatío, Parque Metropolitano, El Cielo Country Club, Minerva Course, Revolución Unit, Ávila Camacho Unit, Aquatic Center and Telcel Tennis Complex.

The cultural venues are the Degollado Theater, the Ex-Convent of Carmen, the Art and Culture Forum, the Cabañas Museum, the Government Palace, the Popular Art Museum, the Arronis Building, the Urban Forests Network, the Jalisco Crafts House, the Alarife Martín Casillas Theater, Paseo Mayor and Plaza Liberación (Gay Games Cultural Center).

And as for the tourist venues, they participate: Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Costalegre, Tlaquepaque, Tequila, Chapala, Mazamitla, Tapalpa, Talpa de Allende, Mascota, San Sebastián del Oeste, Lagos de Moreno, Ruta Wixárica and Ruta Altos.

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