The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland
Menu
The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland
30.04.2025
In Joensuu and Kuopio we once again heard the speeches of the Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY) on Vappu Eve (May Day).
After ISYY’s Vappu Parade in Joensuu at the Students’ Vappu Event in Ilosaari, we heard the speech held by Ville-Pekka Timonen, the Chair of ISYY Representative Council, and in Kuopio at the ISYY’s Pool Event in Kuopio Market Square the speech was held by Miika Hiltunen, the vice Chair of the ISYY Executive Board.
Both speeches were first held in Finnish and then briefly in English. Below you can see the part in English of both speeches.
Dear friends, if the Finnish Government doesn't treat Finnish students well, they have completely forgotten our international students. We constantly hear from their fancy speeches, how our society has need for international talent. However, Finnish policies for international recruitment seems to tell the sad reality.
Recent experiment made by Yle shows that in Finland, job applications with European non-Finnish name will get 30% rate of replies and applications with non-European name only 10% reply-rate compared to 90% reply rate for applications with Finnish name.
And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Structural racism is so common in our culture, that we are blind to these injustices in our own system.
And everything starts from connecting with each other. We have to be the change what we want to see in the future. It is the core principle of academic world and we are more than capable of doing it. Lets not allow us to be in the way of ourselves.
When we aim to make systematic change in this world, together we can use our network to evolve local change to global change!
Happy May Day for everyone, Thank you!
Ville-Pekka Timonen, the Chair of the ISYY Representative Council
Dear fellow students, citizens of Kuopio, and the May Day crowd in general!
First, I want to warmly welcome you all to listen to the traditional May Day speech of the Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland, and to witness traditions that have now continued for over five decades here on the edge of the center of the universe or “mualiman napa”.
This May Day, I have been granted the honor of delivering this traditional speech. I would like to begin by thanking every member of our university community — from first year students to the rector — for the past academic year. But most of all, I want to express my deepest gratitude to all our student activists.
Student activists, those involved in the activities of the university, the student union, and student associations have once again spent hundreds of hours of their own time organizing student events, collaborating with local businesses, and ensuring in countless ways that every member of our community has the opportunity to make the most of their student life. Especially in a time when financial security is a struggle for many students, it is truly remarkable that so many active students selflessly give their time for the benefit of others. For that, each and every one of you deserves special recognition.
This brings us to an important point: how does a student manage the balancing act of everyday life — when the mind is filled with worries about academic success, financial circumstances, and social relationships? Upon graduation, many face decades of working life, which is why ensuring students have peace of mind during their studies becomes crucial. This peace allows them to fully embrace both their studies and everything that surrounds them during these years.
University life must provide more than just academic knowledge and a degree. It’s about discovering new possibilities and experiences, many of which are unlikely to come again after these years are behind us. I want to encourage every student to explore these opportunities and embrace the experiences offered to you. The more space you allow student life to take in your heart, the more you will gain from it.
I’ve had the chance to witness our student union’s May Day traditions a few times myself, in different roles—often still a bit tired from the previous night’s Savo-Karjala excursion. Despite that, the decades-old traditions — from the ceremonial dedication to knowledge, to greetings from subject organizations at the pool event, the symbolic immersing of the Professor, and other rituals — have remained deeply meaningful and unforgettable memories for me.
Student life is a community that endures and evolves with time. Every year, it welcomes fresh-faced freshers, while we more seasoned veterans begin transitioning into working life. So I hope you remember to pay attention to the people around you and to this wonderful community you are part of. And remember to offer new faces the same opportunity to be embraced by the community that once welcomed each of us.
Lastly, I want to follow an important piece of advice I received from my parents: keep your speech short enough so people don't spend too much time staring at the clock.
So without further ado, I wish every one of you, but especially students a very joyful May Day! Thank you!
Miika Hiltunen, Vice Chair of the ISYY Executive Board, Chair of the Kuopio Campus Board