The Manse Pride week will be celebrated in Tampere from 10 to 15 June 2024. The main organiser of the event week is Sinuiksi ry. The City of Tampere is the main partner of the event. “Manse” is the Finnish nickname for Tampere.
– This human rights event is visible throughout the city, as is the Anti-Racism Week. The City of Tampere wants everyone to feel welcome and accepted and valued, says Mikko Ala-Kapee, Non-discrimination Coordinator.
The city is committed to equality and non-discrimination work, with the aim of positively influencing people's attitudes and dismantling discriminatory structures. Hate speech is campaigned against and discrimination is tackled through informed action. The work is still ongoing but the right direction is being taken.
– During Manse Pride week, the city will be flagging with their own 13-colour Pride flag. In this way, the city will show its appreciation for our rainbow community in the same way it has shown its respect for our other local minorities in Tampere, such as the Roma or the Sámi, Ala-Kapee continues.
Pride week gives visibility to the diversity of people, especially in terms of gender, sexuality and relationships. The Pride flag promotes human and fundamental rights, family and sexual rights, children's rights, the right to self-determination, equality on multiple grounds and equality between all genders.
– It is only justified to raise the Pride flag when a city has committed itself to systematic human rights work. Otherwise, it is a hollow gesture, says Ala-Kapee.
The classic 6-colour Pride rainbow flag was created in 1978 in San Francisco. Since then, different pride flags have been created for different sexual and gender minority identity groups. These flags reflect emphases on the diversity and self-expression of sexual identity, sexual and romantic orientation and gender identity, as well as the diversity of interpersonal relationships.
In 2022, Julius Jokikokko, a graphic designer at Sinuiksi ry, collected the colour codes of several dozen pride flags known at the time. All the colours from all the different identity flags were combined into a rainbow flag of Tampere. The layout and printing of the flag was done by the city. The flag is finished by the Tampere.Finland logo.
Thanks to the additional stripes, the flag reflects the diversity of the people even better. The colours have many parallel meanings.
– For example, grey is found on pride flags for asexuals and agender people. Black, on the other hand, refers not only to the leather-loving subculture, but also to polyamory and drag culture. In addition, the black and brown were added to the Progress Pride Flag to represent people of color (POC), says Ala-Kapee.
The Tampere Pride flag also features the colours of the Pride flag for people with disabilities.
– We are proud to say that Tampere's 13-colour Pride flag is one of the most inclusive pride flags in the world, says Non-discrimination Coordinator Ala-Kapee.
Tampere's own Pride flag can be seen in the poles at the Town Hall on 15 June 204, when the Manse Pride march leaves Keskustori Square. Many city departments will fly the flag throughout the Pride week.
In addition to its own Pride flag, Tampere has another tradition related to the celebration of Pride week. A Rainbow Peace has been proclaimed here since 2010. The first declaration of Rainbow Peace was made as part of the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) celebrations.
This year, Rainbow Peace will be proclaimed by Ilmari Nurminen, Chair of the City Council, at the main celebration of Manse Pride week, which will take place in Sorsapuisto Park on Saturday 15 June 2024, starting at around 15:00, when the Manse Pride march will have arrived at Sorsapuisto Park.
– It is a message that Tampere is a City for All, when the city flies its very own Pride flag and a city representative proclaims Rainbow Peace, says Non-discrimination Coordinator Ala-Kapee.
