NEWS From 21 to 26 September, Pride on Campus will be held for the second consecutive year. Throughout the week, campus will be filled with lectures, discussions, social activities and rainbow flags to highlight issues of inclusion, human rights and equal worth. This year, Umeå University will once again take part in the Pride parade under its own banner.
Pride on Campus is organised in conjunction with UmePride and forms an important part of Umeå University’s work to promote equal rights and opportunities and to combat all forms of discrimination. During the week, campus will host activities that foster knowledge, community and engagement in LGBTQI-related issues.
The University will also fly rainbow flags across campus during the week of 21–27 September as a symbol of its commitment to equality and the equal worth of all people.
Jenny Saba Persson, Coordinator of Pride on Campus.
ImageHans KarlssonFollowing last year’s successful launch, the event has expanded, and this year’s programme offers a wide range of activities. Highlights include a rainbow-themed photo walk across campus, seminars on LGBTQI perspectives in education and working life, and a Pride social gathering featuring crafts and placard-making ahead of the parade, among many other events.
“Pride on Campus is a way of showing that Umeå University should be a place where everyone feels welcome, safe and respected. The rights of LGBTQI people are under considerable pressure in many parts of the world, and we are also seeing human rights and inclusion being questioned closer to home. That is why it is important for universities to take a clear stand for everyone’s right to be who they are,” says Jenny Saba Persson, Coordinator of Pride on Campus.
On Saturday 26 September, the week concludes with the official Pride parade through central Umeå. Umeå University will participate for the third consecutive year with its own banner and designated section in the parade. Last year, the University’s group attracted around 100 participants, including students, staff and others who wished to march together in support of equal rights and equal worth for all. The ambition is to achieve equally strong participation this year.
Since 2026, the University’s participation as an official part of the parade has been approved by the Vice-Chancellor.
“The University should be an open and inclusive place for students and staff. Through Pride on Campus and our participation in the Pride parade, we want to demonstrate our support for the democratic values on which academia is built and our belief that all people have the right to be treated with respect and provided with equal opportunities,” says Tora Holmberg, Vice-Chancellor of Umeå University.
Pride on Campus takes place from 21 to 26 September at several locations across campus as well as in digital formats. Alongside activities organised by Umeå University, coordinated by the Student Services Office and the Human Resources Office, the programme also includes contributions from the University Chaplaincy, the student unions and trade unions. All events are free of charge and open to everyone, although some require advance registration.