Photo: Contributed

The parade marshal for this year's Pride March in Kelowna had to hide his true self before coming to Canada as a Syrian refugee.

The Kelowna Pride Society announced this week Anas Qartoumeh will be the marshal for Saturday's parade.

As a gay Syrian refugee, Qartoumeh exemplifies Kelowna Pride 2018's theme: Pride in Diversity.

“Anas has been on an extraordinary journey to get to here,” says spokesman Dustyn Baulkham. “He reminds us of what is still unfortunately happening to LGBT2Q+ people in some parts of the world. At Pride, we march for those who are not able to live as their authentic selves."

Qartoumeh hid his identity growing up in the conservative culture of Damascus, where being gay is a criminal offence.

When war broke out in Syria, the risks of being gay escalated, some were thrown off buildings by ISIS.

He finally fled to Lebanon, then Iraq, and came to Canada via Vancouver non-profit group Rainbow Refugees to connect with his sponsor, the Central Okanagan Refugee Committee.

He arrived in Kelowna Nov. 23, 2017, and has a new life as an accountant at KPMG.

“I would love to deliver this message to conservative parents in the Middle East and across the world: Being gay is not a choice. And some of your kids might be afraid to come out to you. Please learn from Canada. Embrace and accept your kids and let them choose you as the first person to come out to," says Qartoumeh.