Glasgow's Pride festival has begun with a call to improve inclusivity in Scotland's schools.

Thousands are set to take part in the annual event, which kicked off with a mass parade through the city centre on Saturday afternoon.

This year's theme is inclusive education in support of a campaign for a Scottish Government commitment to tackle high rates of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in the country's schools.

In June, a £20m funding boost was announced for projects which fight against inequality and discrimination in Scotland.

Organisations including the LGBTI Helpline, Equality Network, Inclusion Scotland and the Scottish Refugee Council have benefited from the additional funding.

Equality Network director Tim Hopkins said: "The event is themed around the vital importance of making our education system LGBTI-inclusive, to address prejudice and ensure that LGBTI young people know that their identity is fully respected and valued.

"We also very much welcome the Scottish Government's commitment to bring our gender recognition law up to international best practice and we look forward to helping the government ensure that Scotland retains its place amongst Europe's leaders on legal equality for LGBTI people."

The event comes two months after the homophobic terror attack at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, in which 49 people died.

Equalities minister Angela Constance, who spoke at the Equality Network's float, said: "Pride Glasgow is an opportunity to celebrate LGBTI communities and to present a unified front by standing and marching together against hate crime.

"Showing this solidarity is even more important in the wake of recent atrocities in Orlando and the persecution LGBTI people in other parts of the world face on a daily basis."

Prior to the celebrations getting under way, Scottish politicians recorded messages of support for a YouTube video.

Scottish secretary David Mundell, who came out as gay in January, said: "I want to wish everybody a great Glasgow Pride. I'm sorry I'm not going to be able to take part this year - I had a great time at EuroPride in Amsterdam a couple of weeks ago.

"I think it's very important at this time that we throw solidarity across the LGBT community, show that people do, in our country, have the right to love the person that they love.

"We've come a long way in Scotland, a long way in the UK, but there's more to do here and there's most certainly more to do across the world."

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also recorded a message wishing "every success" to Pride Glasgow.

She added: "Events like Pride are so important because they allow all of us to celebrate LGBTI and equality, but also because they allow all of us to stand shoulder to shoulder with the LGBTI community and challenge discrimination and prejudice wherever it still exists.

"I'm delighted that the Pride flag will fly above Scottish Government buildings to mark this event and I wish everybody taking part all the success in the world."

In a statement ahead of the festival, Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie MSP said: "The Scottish Greens want to wish everyone at Pride a great day and to restate our commitment to the goal of fully inclusive education - the campaign which is leading this year's parade.

"Far too many young people in Scotland still get a second class experience, simply because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex. It's vital that schools meet their needs in full.

"It's also past time that we ended the hypocrisy that allows political leaders to claim credentials with the LGBT community, while still selecting candidates opposed to our equality and human rights. All parties should be challenged to end that."