A road in Sliema has been painted with the colours of the Pride flag ahead of the annual march in support of LGBTIQ+ communities.

The slogan ‘Malta Pride’ has been painted on Tower Road along with the Maltese cross as a ‘reminder of the ongoing fight against prejudice’. 

Organisers say it is the first road in Europe to be dedicated to Pride.

Sliema council, the Ministry for Transport and Infrastructure, Transport Malta, Allied Rainbow Communities (ARC) and the retail outlet NOOS all supported the initiative.

Clayton Mercieca from ARC said the LGBTIQ+ community would "walk proudly on this street."

He said the fact a rainbow flag was burnt in Balzan on Thursday showed "homophobia still exists". 

"The rainbow flag still triggers a lot of hate and this is why we need to keep on working together.

"Hopefully, one day this becomes something that everyone finds beauty in. There is a lot of work to be done, but we are on the right path.” 

The Pride march will take place on Saturday from 5pm at the Tritons Fountain in Floriana.

Tower Road is not the only street to showcase the rainbow colours. 

Triq Sant’ Anna, Floriana was the first street in Malta to get a set of colourful crosswalks in June 2018 in celebration of the first anniversary of legal same-sex marriages. 

Rainbow crosswalks in Floriana

A similar crosswalk was painted on the Triq Fortunato Mizzi in Victoria, Gozo, in April 2018.

Rainbow crosswalk in Victoria, Gozo

Streets in St Julian's and in Msida have also received the rainbow crosswalk in preparation to Malta Pride 2019, while colourful benches have been installed along the Sliema sea front.

Rainbow benches on the Sliema promenade