June is a time to honour human rights – the Pride season begins with Disability Pride
June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate human diversity and everyone’s right to be themselves. In Tampere, the festive season begins on Saturday, 6 June 2026, with the Disability Pride event. The City of Tampere’s Disability Council and the Tampere for All development programme are also involved.
On Saturday, 6 June 2026, the Disability Pride event will take place. The event highlights disabled people as part of Finnish society and reminds us that disability is not something to be ashamed of, nor are disabled people somehow “wrong” or invisible.
This year, the main theme of Disability Pride is invisible disabilities and disabling conditions.
– Disability takes many forms. It may relate to mobility, the senses, learning, mental health or brain function. Not all disabilities that affect everyday life are visible, says Katja Metsävainio, Chair of the Tampere Disability Council.
– Disability is not rare. Most of us likely know people with an invisible disability or a disabling condition, even if we are not aware of it or do not think of their characteristics or conditions as disabilities, Metsävainio continues.
Parade and celebration
The Disability Pride march sets off from the fountain at Keskustori at 1 pm. The march will follow an accessible route along Hämeenkatu to Hämeenpuisto, and from there continue to the Artteli partnership house premises on Mustanlahdenkatu.
At Artteli, the programme continues with speeches giving voice to representatives of different disability groups. The speeches will be interpreted into sign language. The event will conclude with a disco.
– Disabled people, their families and assistants, as well as anyone who wishes to show their support for the human rights and equality of disabled people, are warmly welcome to join the march and celebration, says Metsävainio.
Before the march begins, representatives of the City of Tampere will distribute colourful Tampere fo All balloons to participants.
– We want everyone in Tampere to feel safe and to know they are accepted just as they are, says Jaakko Laurila, Programme Manager of the Tampere for All development programme.
The Disability Pride event is organised by volunteers from Amnesty’s Tampere group.
