The letter of intent is to be submitted during a board meeting in Lisbon of the European association responsible for EuroPride, EPOA.

Portugal’s secretary of state of citizenship and equality, Rosa Monteiro, will be present at this ceremony.

In a statement to Lusa, Monteiro said that this type of event is foreseen in Portugal’s National Strategy for Equality and Non-Discrimination.

“It will reflect the decisive political steps country has taken in this area, that the approval of the law of self-determination of gender identity is a striking step,” Monteiro said.

For her, this is an initiative that clearly shows how the country is committed to combating all forms of discrimination.

On the other hand, Monteiro said that this event will have a very considerable financial impact, because of the number of people it attracts and the economic dynamism it raises, or by the dissemination of the country as a destination.

After the letter of intent, the next step is to hand in the final document and the budget until July, after which the winner is known in September.

Portugal is competing against two Spamnish cities - Barcelona and Maspalomas - and Belgrade, the capital of Serbia.

According to the Portuguese association, this could mobilise between 500,000 and 1 million people, with an expected financial return of 15 times the amount invested.