Helsinki declares Pride Peace for entire month of June

To kick off Helsinki Pride Month, Pride Peace was declared throughout the city. The declaration was made by Mayor Daniel Sazonov and Chairperson of the Helsinki Pride Community Matti Numminen.

This was the third time Pride Peace was declared in Helsinki.

“To me, promoting equality and non-discrimination means taking determined action to create a Helsinki that is good for everyone. A truly equitable city needs each and every one of us to do our part, both during Pride Month and throughout the year,” says Helsinki Mayor Sazonov.

“Today is the first of June, which means the start of Helsinki Pride Month. Pride Month is celebrated to promote and defend the rights of sexual and gender minorities, through both vocal demonstrations and vibrant celebrations,” says Chairperson Numminen.

Helsinki Mayors support equity and diversity

All Helsinki Mayors wish to show their support for Pride. The Mayors are committed to an equal and equitable Helsinki.

“Equality and non-discrimination are core values and must be realised in the lives of all people. Helsinki must be a city for all of us, and every resident has the right to be themselves. This is a goal I work towards every day,” says Johanna Laisaari, Deputy Mayor for Urban Environment.

“The promotion of equality and non-discrimination must be the foundation of everything the City does. Pride Month serves as a good reminder of how much work still needs to be done in Helsinki, and it spurs us on,” says Paavo Arhinmäki, Deputy Mayor for Culture and Leisure.

“Everyone has the right to be treated with respect and seen as who they are in the City's health and social services. It is important that everyone is able to seek and receive the help and support they need without having to hide who they are,” says Maarit Vierunen, Deputy Mayor for Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services.

“This year's theme for Helsinki Pride is an important one: Growing with Pride. We want every child and young person in Helsinki to be able to grow up in peace and become their authentic self. Every child has the right to a safe environment in which to grow up,” says Shawn Huff, Deputy Mayor for Education.

Growing with Pride is this year's Pride theme

The voices and rights of LGBTQIA+ youth are at the heart of this year’s Helsinki Pride event.

The theme ‘Growing with Pride’ highlights the right of LGBTQIA+ youth to be their authentic selves without fear of discrimination or harassment.

The City of Helsinki is openly committed to promoting equity. The right of young people to grow up in peace is promoted in many ways by operators such as the Education Division and Youth Services. At Iris Helsinki, the City of Helsinki’s LGBTQIA+ youth centre, you can meet nice people, find a hobby and gain information and perspectives on LGBTQIA+ issues. LGBTQIA+ youth activities are organised all year round.

At daycare centres, schools and other educational institutions, equity is an important part of everyday safety. They take the rights of sexual and gender minorities into account as part of statutory equality and non-discrimination planning and the subject contents of national curricula. They also strengthen the staff's competence in matters of equality and non-discrimination through regular professional development.

This year's parade will include an accessible truck

Pride Month culminates in Pride Week (22–28 June) as well as the parade and park festival, which will be held on Saturday 27 June.

For the first time, the parade will feature an accessible truck. It will allow members of the LGBTQIA+ community who use assistive devices to participate in the parade safely and on equal terms. The City of Helsinki is the main partner of the Helsinki Pride Community in the implementation of the truck. Members of the LGBTQIA+ community from organisations such as Vammaiset tytöt ry and the Threshold Association have been invited to the truck.

The parade will be led by Metropolitan Area Transport’s Rainbow Tram, just like last year.

Management and staff from the City of Helsinki will participate in the parade, both riding in a truck and on foot. A DJ will help people march to the beat.

Queer-themed activities, especially during Pride Week

During Pride Week, Helsinki's cultural centres, libraries, City Museum and youth services will celebrate equity by hosting diverse activities, such as workshops and musical performances. More information about this programme will be provided at a later date.

Libraries' Rainbow Shelves highlight queer literature. Almost every library in Helsinki has a Rainbow Shelf featuring books and films related to sexual and gender minorities. The materials in the Rainbow Shelves provide important opportunities to identify with others and understand the diversity of gender and sexuality.

The Helsinki Pride Community is a non-governmental association and expert organisation whose aim is to eliminate inequalities in culture, language and society's structures, values and standards. The association carries out community, social and youth work throughout the year and organises the Helsinki Pride event annually.

The City of Helsinki is committed to promoting equality, non-discrimination and human rights in all its operations. The City of Helsinki will continue as Helsinki Pride’s main partner. Cooperation with Pride is part of the City's strong commitment to equality and non-discrimination. Its objective is to make Helsinki a good and safe city to live and be in for all residents, regardless of background or personal characteristics.