QUEEN’S BATON RELAY GUEST OF HONOUR AT PRIDEHOUSE TORONTO

MAY 1, 2014, TORONTO – On October 9, 2013, The Queen’s Baton Relay was launched at Buckingham Palace at a ceremony where Her Majesty The Queen placed her message to the Commonwealth into the baton. Over a period of 288 days, the baton will visit 70 nations and territories, and cover 190,000 kilometres. On July 23, 2014, Her Majesty The Queen will remove her message and read it aloud, officially declaring the Games open.

Today, the Queen’s Baton Relay was in Toronto, and this morning took part in a 1.5 kilometre relay featuring members of Toronto’s lesbian, gay, bi and trans (LGBT) communities and their allies. Led by PrideHouseTO, the Relay highlighted the inclusion of LGBT people in sport and the diversity of our communities.

“The Glasgow 2014 Games will have a PrideHouse”, said Mathew Cutler, Project Director for PrideHouseTO”, and we were proud to create a connection with those Games through today’s “Relay for Inclusion”. The Queen’s Baton Relay team were enthusiastic participants in our event today, and together, we created a historic and special moment for our community.”

Dozens of participants including families, drag queens, vogue performers, LGBTQ refugees and athletes took part in the event, with the Queen’s Baton leading the way through downtown Toronto streets.

“We are proud to have worked with PrideHouseTO on this event,” said Commonwealth Games Canada President Dr. Andrew Pipe. “Glasgow PrideHouse will provide a welcoming place for the LGBT community at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and today’s “Run for Inclusion” helps highlight the importance of inclusion in not only sport, but everything that we do.”

ABOUT PrideHouseTO

Committed to the belief that there is a place for all in sport, PrideHouseTO is a coalition of organizations working to ensure the 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games are the most LGBTQ-inclusive multi-sport games in history. PrideHouseTO is a member of a movement of PrideHouses that includes PrideHouse Glasgow during the XX Commonwealth Games.

ABOUT COMMONWEALTH GAMES CANADA

Commonwealth Games Canada (CGC) is the franchise holder for the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth movement in Canada, and an active, contributing member of the Canadian sport community. The mission of CGC is to strengthen sport within Canada and throughout the Commonwealth by participating in the Commonwealth Games and by using sport as a development tool. Visit www.commonwealthgames.cafor information.

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For additional information:

PrideHouseTO
Project Director
Matthew Cutler
(647) 828 1653
MCutler@PrideHouseTO.ca

Commonwealth Games Canada
Communications Chief
Sylvie Bigras
(613) 298 1625 (c)
sylvie@magma.ca