Day One and it’s a day of arrivals full of nerves and trepidations as the 2017 Mr Gay Europe search gets off to a start. After meeting in the lobby of the Hotel Clarion Amarentan, the 2017 delegates wasted no time in putting names to faces and social media profiles soon turned into people, real people and the competition had begun.

The Mr Gay Europe Team wasted no time in setting the boys their challenges, the Social Media Challenge and the Team Challenge in which they all have to work together and produce a social media video featuring all the delegates with the main title theme being ‘Why Mr Gay Europe?’

After the formalities and introductions were over and done, it was time for the presentations.

The delegates all had to prepare a 15 minute presentation about their ‘campaigns’ and what they do as an activist in their own communities within their own countries. Passion was the driving force behind each delegate’s own unique campaigns, taking influence from challenges or obstacles they have overcome themselves in their own lives. There were presentations on bullying, fostering within the LGBTI community, equality in the Armed forces, being yourself and growing old in the LGBTI Community to name but a few.

There were tears, there was passion but most of all there was sincerity. The 2017 delegates, have a goal and drive to win the title of Mr Gay Europe and if this is day one, let’s wait and see what day two has in store.