The joint statement, which was published Monday (19 July), comes days before the Budapest Pride festival. “On the occasion of the 26th Budapest Pride Festival, we, the undersigned embassies and cultural institutes, express our full support for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI+) community and their rights to equality and non-discrimination, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and freedom from violence,” the letter said.
The embassies went on to condemn the current anti-LGBTQ+ laws and behavior from the government in Hungary. “Concerned by recent developments that threaten the principle of non-discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity, we encourage steps in every