President Michael D. Higgins wishes “equality, respect, and love” for Pride 2025

President Michael D. Higgins has issued a statement for Pride, offering his “warmest greetings to all those marking Pride 2025.”

Acknowledging Pride as an “annual celebration” and “a vital affirmation of the rights, dignity, and joy of our LGBT+ communities,” the President also said that it was a time for remembrance and gratefulness for “the courage of those who paved the way for progress when marching was not safe, who gave voice to truths that were long silenced, and who set the foundations for the inclusive Ireland that we continue to strive towards today.”

He also put forward the progresses that have been made in advancing the rights and recognition of LGBT+ people in Ireland, quoting the 10th anniversary of the Marriage Equality referendum, “a moment that spoke of the kind of Ireland we aspire to be: inclusive, generous, an Ireland that is unafraid to affirm the equal worth of all of our citizens.”

However, the President also acknowledged that “the journey is not complete. A truly inclusive society is one where all can live authentically and creatively, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression, where all can participate fully, and where all voices are not only heard but valued, in all their richness and diversity.

“In a time when hard-won rights are being questioned in many parts of the world,” he continued, “such vigilance and unity are more vital than ever.”

On his last year as President, Michael D. Higgins reflected on the “creativity, resilience, and generosity of spirit shown by Ireland’s LGBT+ community.

“In so many aspects of Irish life,” he added, “including the arts, activism, education, community-building and public life, your rich and varied contributions have helped to enrich our society immeasurably, widening the circle of belonging for us all.”

Finally, he concluded by wishing for this Pride to “be a time of joy, of solidarity, and of renewed hope as we work to craft a future together that is peaceful, just and inclusive – a future defined by equality and participation of all citizens across the world in all their wonderful diversity.”