Cork becomes the first city in the world outside the US to exhibit the original Rainbow flag 20/08/2026 Cork has become the first city in the world outside the United States of America to host the original Gilbert Baker Rainbow Flag - the global symbol of LGBTI+ pride, visibility, inclusion and equality. This extraordinary piece of social and cultural history was unveiled at an event at Cork City Council’s Cork Public Museum in Fitzgerald’s Park on Thursday night where it will remain on public display for four months under the terms of a landmark loan agreement with the GLBT Historical Society in San Francisco. The large fragment of the original Pride flag was donated to the GLBT Historical Society in 2021 but this is the first time that the artefact has ever be loaned and exhibited outside the US. The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Damian Boylan, said the city is honoured to accept it. “Our city’s motto, "Statio Bene Fida Carinis", often translated as "A Safe Harbour for Ships", speaks of shelter from storms, a place of protection for ships, of the comfort of knowing that when you arrive here, you have reached a place of safety,” the Lord Mayor said. “As we accept the Gilbert Baker flag and become its custodians for the next four months, we should pause for a moment and reflect on those words - how our city provides a safe harbour not only for ships, but for people too. “The welcome we extend must be more than symbolic. “It must be more than words engraved on a crest or spoken from a platform. “A safe harbour is only a safe harbour if those who seek shelter feel that sense of safety.” He asked guests at the launch to consider how we can ensure a