**About the Rainbow March Sapporo

The Rainbow March is a parade for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender/Transsexual people (LGBT) and their supporters. The Rainbow March began in Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido Prefecture in 1996,.and now in its 13th year, holds the record for being the longest, continuously run LGBT parade in Japan.

The purpose of the Rainbow March is to honor the LGBT population, normally repressed in Japanese society, by marching through the heart of downtown Sapporo, asserting their existence, and expressing their feelings and ideas. Though the march started with people living in Hokkaido, participants now come from all parts of Japan and abroad.

The “Rainbow” in Rainbow March comes from the 1978 San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade, where it became the first symbol used by homosexuals to represent themselves. Since then, it has become widely used in LGBT events all over the world. The six-colored rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet) represents a respect for diversity and a call for harmony.

The Rainbow March begins at the 6 Chome Square in Odori Park and proceeds through Odori, Susukino and the downtown area for an hour and a half. Participants dress in any way they like and march alongside decorated cars and trucks.

Every year, the mayor of Sapporo addresses the marchers in a rally following the parade and, since last year, the prefectural governor of Hokkaido has contributed a special message to the official Rainbow March guidebook. The Sapporo Rainbow March is the only LGBT event in Japan to receive such support from local public officials.

Parade participants are not limited to the LGBT community; rather, everyone who supports our cause is encouraged to join. We hope you will join us too.

**Goals of the Rainbow March Sapporo

1) To express our existence as LGBT to those around us and to appeal for acceptance and respectful coexistence.

2) To spread information and materials that help LGBT members who feel different or isolated to accept themselves and to appeal for an end to discrimination based on prejudice and novelty.

3) To make a widespread appeal to all levels of society to include the existence of LGBT as a prerequisite to the construction of social institutions via the influence of administration, enterprise and education. To advocate for diversity and the change to a multifaceted society where every person ’s individuality can be respected.

**The 13th Annual Rainbow March Sapporo

Date: September 21th, 2009

Assembly point: now adjusting…
Time: Reception begins at 11:30; Parade sets out at 13:00 and returns at 14:30
Course: now adjusting…

**Contact information

The 13th Annual Rainbow March Sapporo Executive Committee
TEL/FAX 011-533-7251. Email info@rainbowmarch.org
URL http://www.rainbowmarch.org