Rave The Planet - Love Is Stronger!

After dealing with some airport disruptions, my friends and I successfully arrived in Berlin. Here’s a glimpse into the vibrant atmosphere of one of the largest electronic music events - Rave The Planet. This year marked its third edition, with the crowd estimated at around 200,000 to 250,000 by organizers. Let’s pause to consider its roots. The original Love Parade happened in 1989, brought to life by Dr. Motte, who continues to be one of the most renowned DJs globally. Joining him was another pioneer in electronic music, Westbam, and together they continued to organize this phenomenon. The first event had only 150 people, but this quickly changed, and in the following years, the number of attendees grew drastically, reaching from thousands to over a million!

Love Parade started with the idea of being a kind of political protest against hatred, gender discrimination and identity, skin color, and class division. Every year, Dr. Motte and Westbam would create an anthem, which also served as the festival’s motto - One World One Future, Music is the Key, Sunshine, You Can't Stop Us, and others.

Since the festival was free, as it gained popularity, many big companies began sponsoring it, helping it survive over the years. Everything came to an end in 2010 when 21 people died, and over 400 were injured. Motte and Westbam decided not to organize the parade anymore. The reason was that the procession passed through a tunnel, and in the panic, it led to clashes and suffocation. In Bulgaria in 2001, there was a similar incident in one of the most iconic clubs globally, according to international DJs who regularly played there in front of 2,000 people - Club Indigo. During a children’s disco, 7 kids died in a stampede as they tried to enter a hip-hop concert.

After a long pause, the festival started again in 2022, but with a new name - Rave The Planet. The energy at this event was truly powerful. Endless crowds, not only from Germany but from all over the world. Many smiling faces, colorful clothes, and costumes specially made and chosen to fit in - just like the continuation of the Love Parade when people prepared specifically for it.

The procession started at the Brandenburg Gate and reached the Victory Column, a monument topped by a tall statue of the goddess Victoria. Originally, it was located at the Royal Square, but in 1939 the authorities decided to move it to the Großer Tiergarten park.

So here we are this year, with the motto Love is Stronger.

About 20 trucks and double-decker buses passed from 2 PM to 10 PM. Each truck had its own music, with DJs changing at set times.

Dr. Motte

Just to mention, to get on one of the trucks, the price varied from 100 to around 300 euros...

My friends and I were on the ground))) Each truck had a different focus, with styles ranging from House, Techno, Trance, Tech House... in general, something for everyone.

There were truly a lot of us, and as I said, with an incredibly colorful presence.

Here are some of the people I captured.

Rave The Planet orbits within its own realm. It’s as if you’re not on Earth, but on another planet - one that fills you with happiness and lets you enjoy everything around you!

When you go there, you leave behind all prejudices and backward thinking. You're guided only by freedom, music, and love.

The festival is a place solely for people who understand the rules, and anyone who shows even a moment of intolerance is immediately removed.

There are no boundaries, and no one cares how old you are. What matters is the community.

Even if you’re not a fan of techno culture, Rave The Planet is worth experiencing.

People are smiling, there’s no aggression, and everyone can express themselves without fear of judgment.

It’s a multi-hour journey through all your senses, leaving you with nothing but a great feeling and lasting memories.

And as we all know, love is the driving force, and without it, the world is just an empty space.

Love Is Stronger!