For the fourth year running, W Hotels, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of 30 extraordinary hotel brands, celebrates its longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion as a major sponsor of The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. W Hotels’ theme for WorldPride this year celebrates the fact that – no matter who or where you are, at a W Hotel, there’s always ‘Room For You’.
“W Hotels has always been passionate about providing a platform for self-expression and celebrating LGBTQIA+ communities to create an environment that is authentically welcoming for all,” said Jennie Toh, Vice President, Brand Marketing and Brand Management, Marriott International Asia Pacific. “Inclusivity has consistently remained at the heart of W’s DNA, creating a space where all feel free to be – genuinely and openly.”
“Our good friends and partners at W Hotels are such brilliant supporters of both Sydney WorldPride and the LGBTQIA+ community as a whole; providing a platform for activism and authenticity that is welcoming for all. From their Mardi Gras float entry, to their consistently inclusive messaging, we’re thrilled to have them with us across this Festival season,” said Kate Wickett, CEO of Sydney WorldPride.
“For the past four years we’ve partnered with W Hotels as we welcome visitors to Sydney for our annual Festival. We’re proud to continue this partnership into Sydney WorldPride and to see their fearless visibility and dedication to inclusive spaces for the LGBTQIA+ communities”, said Albert Kruger, CEO of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
W Hotels will be part of a display of self-expression and LGBTQIA+ pride at the Mardi Gras Parade on Sydney’s Oxford Street, February 25. Teaming up with a crew of LGBTQIA+ talent who breathe the W philosophy and have profoundly impacted the music, art and fashion world, W Hotels will celebrate the change these pioneers in their fields have initiated in their communities.
Parading on board the W Hotels float in the Mardi Gras Parade will be Sri-Lankan born contemporary artist Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, whose highly celebrated artwork has been displayed globally at the likes of the NGA and Dark Mofo. A strong voice in the LGBTQIA+ community, Ramesh’s art is a nod to thinking beyond binaries and valuing cultural difference – core values shared by W Hotels.
