University of Jyväskylä and Student Union JYY are celebrating Pride week 1–7 September 2025
The theme of the Jyväskylä Pride week this year is “Let your voice be heard, let your colors shine!”, and its aim is to promote unity and solidarity. The University and the Student Union have been involved in Pride Week for five years now. Rector of the University of Jyväskylä Jari Ojala believes that it is important for the University to participate in the campaign: "The University must continue to be a place where every member of the community has the right to be treated equally, regardless of their background, status, or identity. We want to do our part promoting equality, courage, discussion, and empathy."
Venla Suosalo, Chair of the Student Union Board, agrees on the importance of participation: "It is important that we in the University community are committed to promoting the values of equality, and that is why the work for equality must continue throughout the year. As a student union, we are once again excited to be involved in Pride Week."
How are queer people being met in the university community? Come and listen to the panel discussion
The panel discussion organized in Ruusupuisto during Pride Week brings together representatives from different parts of the university community to discuss the importance of hearing sexual and gender minorities voices. The panel will include Vice Rector Marja-Leena Laakso, researcher Virpi-Liisa Kykyri, chair of Jyväskylän Sateenkaarevat opiskelijat Mirka Huhtelin, Anders Huldén from QueerMieli project, and JYY's specialist in social affairs Karri Kekkonen. The panel discussion is in Finnish.
“People have a fundamental need to feel accepted and to experience a sense of belonging. The university community is an important reference group for both our students and staff and a significant part of their well-being. The feeling of being accepted and the experience of belonging arise in everyday encounters, whether in teaching situations, in the coffee queue or in the corridors of the buildings. It is extremely valuable that we discuss how we encounter each other in our own community and what kinds of encounters, structures, or practices support everyone's sense of being a valuable and important part of our university community," says Marja-Leena Laakso, Vice President responsible of education.
Mirka Huhtelin represents the newly established Jyväskylä Rainbow Students Association in the panel discussion. Huhtelin says that the organisation wants to offer LGBTQIA+ students in particular a safe place and community where they can meet others, learn new things and receive support and joy alongside their studies and other aspects of their lives. The organisation also aims to promote the interests and equality of rainbow students in the activities of Jyväskylä's higher education institutions. All local university students who identify as part of the rainbow community or who want to promote the rights of the rainbow community in academic communities are welcome to join the organisation.
Pride Week is visible across campus
The event week features a wide range of programmes organised by various parties, culminating in the Pride parade on Saturday 6 September, where we will march for equality in a joint section organised by the university and the student union. After the parade, you can meet JYU and JYY staff at the Lounaispuisto park party.
In addition to events, Pride is also visible on campus by flying the Pride flags in front of the Main Building, the University Library Lähde and the Liikunta building. As usual, Pride-themed pins will be distributed on campus starting on Monday, September 1. Pins will be distributed at Lähde, Ruusupuisto, Agora, and Ylistö near the janitor stations, as well as at the JYY office in Ilokivi. There is a limited number of pins available, so be sure to grab yours quickly! DIY enthusiasts can also make their own pins: JYU will organise a pin-making workshops at JYY's pop-up shop in Ilokivi Venue on Thursday and at the Lounaispuisto park party on Saturday. Come and get crafting!
