Across countries and companies, colleagues from across RTL Group showed up to stand for visibility, inclusion and love in all its forms.  

Cologne Pride: dancing in the rain 

In Germany, Pride season began in Cologne, where more than 200 colleagues from across RTL Deutschland, UFA, and the Bertelsmann be.queer community joined the city’s famous Christopher Street Day* (CSD) parade on 6 July.  

Ahead of the parade, RTL Deutschland hosted a pre-Pride Party at its Cologne office, bringing colleagues together in anticipation of the weekend, with summer beats, cool drinks and a keynote by Brix Schaumburg, queer activist and actor, who shared a moving message about collective responsibility and showing up for one another. 

“The world is colourful – and especially in turbulent times, we need more, not less, commitment to justice, openness, and love. ” – Brix Schaumburg

Under the motto ‘Stay Visible! Stay Loud! Our strong voice for diversity’, colleagues marched through the Cologne streets despite pouring rain, cheered on by over a million visitors. 

Berlin Pride: Never silent again 

More than 500,000 people came together in Berlin for the CSD parade under the motto ‘Never silent again!’ Among them were more than 140 colleagues from across RTL Deutschland, UFA, We Are Era and Smartclip united on the be.queer float.

Each step through the heart of Berlin was a shared statement: we are here, we are proud, and we support each other. “Our team is as colourful and diverse as our content – and that's exactly what makes RTL Deutschland special. This isn't just an event, it's a clear commitment.” - Inga Leschek, Chief Content Officer of RTL Deutschland 

Drag queens Katy Bähm and Meryl Deep kept the energy high on the truck, while RTL News covered the parade live – with segments on NTV and reports on RTL Aktuell and Nachtjournal.  

What’s Christopher Street Day?  

• Named after Christopher Street in Manhattan, where the Stonewall Inn is located – the site of the 1969 uprising by LGBTQIA+ individuals against police violence and oppression.
  
  
• CSD events honour this pivotal moment, which marked the beginning of the modern LGBTQIA+ rights movement.
  
  
• Much like Pride parades around the world, CSD combines political activism and celebration – emphasising both progress made and ongoing struggles for equality.