“Every Sámi has the right to be themselves” – The Sámi Parliament in Finland bids us all a good Pride month!

Utsjoki Sápmi Pride in 2021. Photo: Ville Fofonoff / The Sámi Parliament in Finland

Equality is an important value for the Sámi Parliament, as its strategy for 2024–27 highlights equality as one of the values the Parliament upholds in its activities.

The agenda for the Sámi Parliament’s electoral period 2024–27 includes a decision on drawing up a rainbow-political programme. The Youth Council of the Sámi Parliament also aims to finish the translation of a rainbow vocabularly during this term.

According to Pirita Näkkäläjärvi,President of the Sámi Parliament in Finland, Rainbow Sámi are an important part of the Sámi community.

– Every Sámi has the right to be themselves. We at the Sámi Parliament need to develop a policy that creates an atmosphere of acceptance in the Sámi community. Including a rainbow-political programme in our strategy for the term 2024–27 sends a clear message that the Sámi Parliament supports the Sámi LGBTQ+ community and wants to strengthen its voice in the Sámi community, says President Näkkäläjärvi.

This year’s Sápmi Pride will be arranged in Norway

Sápmi Pride is arranged annually in different parts of Sápmi. This year, the Pride parade will be arranged in the Norwegian part of Sápmi in Bodø, Nordland, from October 11 to October 13.

There will also be a separate Pride event in Inari in the Finnish Sápmi. Inari Pride – the third one in its history – will take place on June 29. The Sámi Parliament will fly the flag by the Cultural Centre Sajos to honour Inari Pride both with the Sámi and the Finnish flag, as well as the Sámi Pride flag.

The Sámi Parliament will have representatives both at the Sápmi Pride and Inari Pride.