CSDs were increasingly perceived by the general public in a positive light, and accompanied by positive coverage in the Swiss media. Thus, the attitude of the public to the concerns of gays and lesbians has changed for the positive, ultimately resulting in a gradual increase in equality. This is far more important in Switzerland, with its semi-direct democracy, than in the Federal Republic of Germany with its parliamentary democracy. Since 1997, the CSD-Stonewall-Award has been awarded annually at the Zürich CSD for outstanding achievement for LGBT rights. Due to the growing numbers of visitors and participants in the CSD in Zurich, it has become an increasingly important festival and a major tourist attraction for the city. After Europride 2009, at the General Assembly in November 2009, the association CSD Zurich renamed itself the Zurich Pride Festival, giving itself a name like similar events around the world. In addition to the Parade and the final rallies, there are four days of street festivals and cultural events with artists, political events, lectures, readings and parties. As a political demonstration, often with a policy-related theme, the CSD shows mostly in the form of demonstration parades and a subsequent rally. Often, the rally is supported by artists with performances on stage. In addition, the political message of the CSD is celebrated there. Since 1997, in addition to the CSD in Zurich there have been occasional Gay Prides in western Switzerland. It is held in a different part of French-speaking Switzerland every time, following the example of the LGBT demonstrations in the 1980s, which were held in a different part of German-speaking Switzerland every year. In 2018 for the first time a pride parade was held in Ticino. This year the parade in Lugano acted as both the national and the French-speaking parade. Other events In 1999, Claude Janiak was first elected to the National Council of Switzerland, becoming the first openly gay male member of the federal Parliament. 2000s Pride festivals The Gay Pride 2001 in Sion caused a sensation in particular, as the Valais Bishop Norbert Brunner condemned the relocation as a "teuflisches Spiel" ("devilish/satanic/diabolical/fiendish game"), triggering unimagined media coverage. In 2003 in Basel, a "Dreiländer-CSD" (three-country CSD) was held (Germany - France - Switzerland) together with the Alsace Mulhouse and the Baden Freiburg. The idea, however, fizzled out. In 2005, a CSDs was held in Lucerne (a Swiss German-speaking venue, as a