ITALY: HETEROSEXUAL AND GAY COUPLES GATHER TO MARK ST VALENTINES DAY WITH KISS TO SUPPORT GAY RIGHTS

Record ID: 278002

  • Title: ITALY: HETEROSEXUAL AND GAY COUPLES GATHER TO MARK ST VALENTINES DAY WITH KISS TO SUPPORT GAY RIGHTS
  • Date: 14th February 2004
  • Summary: SLATE INFORMATION (W6)ROME, ITALY (FEBRUARY 14, 2004) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF COUPLE KISSING GAY COUPLE KISSING VARIOUS OF PEOPLE ORGANISING PETITION TO APPROVE LAW RECOGNISING DE FACTO STATUS (SOUNDBITE)(Italian) SERGIO LOGIACOMO, PRESIDENT OF ITALIAN GAY ASSOCIATION, ARCIGAY, SAYING: "We hope many people will come along today, weather permitting, so that this political
  • Embargoed: 29th February 2004 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ROME, ITALY
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVABAC643BZ0VPEITGE2BHN1GX2R
  • Story Text: Heterosexual and gay couples have gathered to mark St Valentine's Day with a kiss to support gay rights.
    Some 1,700 enthusiastic couples gathered in Rome's Piazza Farnese on Saturday (February 14) - St Valentine's Day - to hold a simultaneous kiss in in the hope of persuading the Italian Parliament to pass a law recognising de facto couples.
    The Italian gay association, Arcigay, organised the kissing marathon Kiss2Pacs but both heterosexual and gay couples took part.
    "We hope many people will come along today, weather permitting, so that this political initiative will also have more support", said Sergio Logiacomo, President of the Italian Gay Association - Arcigay.
    The Civil Solidarity Pact (PACS), recognised in many European countries, including France, gives gay and heterosexual couples the same rights as married heterosexual couples for tax purposes, inheritance, donations and welfare benefits.
    Italy does not recognise de facto couples or same-sex unions. "Today's event, which is already a success because the square has filled up, means things are already changing here. Unfortunately they are changing faster in a cultural/social sense rather than in a legal and political sense" said member of Parliament, Franco Grillini.
    Apart from the political message, organisers also hoped to beat the record for having the most people kissing at the same time but seemed to have been outdone on that aspect.
    A significant attempt to break the the record for most people kissing simultaneously was held on Saturday (February 14) in the Philippine capital of Manila where organisers said there were 5,122 smooching couples.
    The current record was set by 4,500 couples in the Chilean capital Santiago last year.
    QUIRKY
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