Happy Tuesday!

Hopefully you all have enjoyed last week's Finnish May Day celebrations! If you want to celebrate more Finnish holidays, Mother's Day in Finland is this Sunday 11 May.

Does your heart beat for graphic design? Want fame and fortune? Now it is your chance to shine! There is still time to create a new cover design for ISYY's student calendar of next academic year 2025-2026. Let loose your creative self and win a 100€ gift card to S-Group. The competition ends on 15.5.2025.

Have a nice week!

Kind regards,
Elina
Coordinator of International Affairs and Administration

The Pool Event of the Student Union in Kuopio’s Market Square was full of students and other citizens! 

This year ISYY selected Eetu Holopainen and Moona Korhonen (in the picture) as Carries of Honor. The announcement was made during the traditional May Day Eve event at Kuopio Market Square. They had the honour to put the student cap on the head of Velj’mies after the statue was first washed. This honorary role is awarded annually to students who have actively promoted community spirit and student culture. Holopainen and Korhonen are especially known for fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and a positive atmosphere through their work in student associations.

The Immersed Professor of the year, Tapio Määttä, was thrown in the cold pool of Velj’mies statue. Määttä is known for his student-centered leadership, active presence on social media, and approachable attitude. Over the years, Määttä has been a strong advocate for students — not just in speeches, but in everyday campus life.

What will ISYY's Student Calendar for the next Academic Year look like?

The Student Calendar of ISYY is carried along daily by many students of UEF. Next autumn your design might be the cover of our popular calendar!

Does your heart beat for graphic design, drawing or photography? Want fame and fortune? Now it is your chance to shine! Let loose your creative self and win a 100€ gift card to S-Group. The competition ends 15.5.2025.

Instructions for the competition and details of the design can be found from ISYY website.

North Karelia Pride Parade and Park Festival on Saturday 17 May 

ISYY is participating in the Pride parade and in cooperation with Pohjois-Karjalan Seta ry and Fiktio ry organising the Park Festival in Joensuu on Saturday 17 May!

Equality and transparency are important values for ISYY. ISYY encourages all its members to take part in the Pride parade and park festival, as well as to wear student overalls to form a rainbow.

The parade starts moving at 3 pm from the yard of art museum Onni and ends at 4 pm at the Ilosaari park, which features a picnic, music, Drag workout and, of course, great company. ISYY and Qirjava ry have their own area in Ilosaari that brings together all students. In the picnic-area you can find ISYY’s glitter make-up station where you can decorate yourself with glitter for the evening's Pride party.

The first 150 students at the ISYY’s picnic-area will be given ISYY's Pride-Hemmo overall patch as a memory.

No to Conversion Therapy – ISYY Board Signed Seta's Joint Statement

ISYY Executive Board signed Seta ry joint statement calling for a ban on conversion therapy. Parliament has approved the Rikkomaton (Unbroken) citizens’ initiative, which proposes legislative action to prohibit conversion practices in Finland.

– Conversion therapy is a form of psychological violence and must not be tolerated. The government must now act to defend human rights and democracy, Noora Saramäki, Chair of the ISYY board, comments.

The statement is pusblished in Finnish on Seta’s website.

ISYY club meetings

ISYY clubs' meetings at Lukema (ISYY office in Studentia, C door):

• Thu 8.5. at 5 pm Kärmes (board game club)
• Sun 11.5. at 1 pm UEF Student Bible Club
• Tue 13.5. at 5 pm Kärmes (board game club)

Come to the closing event of the spring group exercise season in the first week of May

Wed 7.5. Spinning maraton at Kunnonsali

• 18.00-20.30

Thu 8.5. group classes at Snellmania

• 16.15-17.45 90’ Functional training 90’
• 17.45-18.15 Body overhaul30´

There are extra shifts for ball sports at Studentian in May.

May exchange application period still open!

In May, students may apply for exchanges during spring 2026. Application period is open until 3:00 PM, 15 May 2025.

Included in the application period are Erasmus+ Nordlys, YUFE, bilateral and ISEP exchanges. More information about applying is in Kamu’s calls for applications.

More information about student exchange options is in Kamu’s Study Abroad pages.

Apply and see the world!

Lullabies & Dreams Concert

Welcome to UEF Kuopio Student choir's spring concert, called "Lullabies & Dreams". As you might have guessed, there are some lullabies involved, which we all dream of at this time of year. The concert will be held at Kuopio City Hall (Tulliportinkatu 31) on May 9th at 19.00. Tickets for students are 8 euros, and you can buy them in advance from Kide.app or at the door.

Tickets and more info via the link below.

Join the Body, Landscape, Memory Art Project 

UK based artist Harold Offeh is looking for people based in Kuopio to contribute to a new live performance called Body, Landscape, Memory. Participants can either be lifelong residents or recent BIPOC migrants to the city. The artist will be in Kuopio on 16-17 May to meet with those interested. For more information, click the link below.

To join the project, contact katja@antifestival.com.

The performance is a part of ANTI – Contemporary Art Festival 9.–14.9.2025.

Nature excursions

Regional environmental protection services, welfare promotion services and the Kuopio Museum of Natural History organise guided nature excursions and volunteer events during the summer and autumn. Excursions are held from the middle of May until September. We invite you to join us!

The excursions are open to everyone and free of charge. The exceptions are boat and bus excursions, for which adults are charged a participation fee of EUR 10, payment in cash.

The tour language is generally Finnish, but guidance for some of the excursions can be offered in English as well (indicated with EN in the listing). Two excursions are held in English.

Excursions in May:

• Tue 21.5. at 18 – 20 (alternative date 22.5.) (FI, EN) Bird watching trip to Väinölänniemi

• Mon 27.5. at 15 – 17 (FI, EN), Trash collection trip

• Wed 29.5. at 17.30-19.30 (EN), Nature trip to Kolmisoppi Neulamäki

Library Language Cafés

The Library Language Cafés are open, relaxed events where you can practice speaking Finnish in a comfortable atmosphere. When you strike up a conversation, it’s easy to get to know new people and cultures. Of course, you can also participate just by listening!

Library staff will also take part in the games and conversations and collect ideas for future gatherings.

So come along, bring a relaxed attitude and a smile. You can take your whole family with you if you like. Coffee and tea available!

The events are free of charge, and need no signing up. Welcome!

Neulamäki Library Language Café:

• Juontotie 6, 70150, Kuopio
• Tuesday 27 May, 5PM – 6PM

AG League Of Legends OSM 2025

Prove your strength! The League of Legends OSM 2025 is here! Compete in Finland's largest League of Legends student tournament and earn your cut of the 1000€ prize pool!

The games will be streamed and casted on AG Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/aaltogamers

WHEN: Qualifiers - Saturday, 17.5 / Finals - Saturday, 24.5
WHERE: Online Qualifiers, AG Discord & Live Finals, Otaniemi

Rules and more info on the official tournament page: https://osm.aaltogamers.fi/ All skill levels welcome, but note that all team members must be university/AMK students or recent graduates (graduated after 1.1.2024).

Register with your full team here: https://aaltogamers.fi/link/osmsignup

More information about the event will be posted on Aalto Gamers Telegram
(http://aaltogamers.fi/link/telegram) & Discord
(https://discord.com/invite/QKcst3UBdB)!

Weekly Feed is the English language newsletter of the Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY). You are receiving this letter in your email because you are a member of ISYY and are studying at Kuopio campus or because you have joined the mailing list yourself.

Weekly Feed provides you with current information on matters related to the Student Union, UEF or other organisations close to students, such as FSHS. In addition, the newsletter provides you with information on events taking place at campus or the campus city.

Weekly Feed is published on Tuesdays during the academic year, with the exception of holidays and a few other days. If you do not want to receive the newsletter anymore, you can unsubscribe the letter via the unsubscription link located on the top of the letter.

You will find more information on ISYY's newsletters and data protection on ISYY's website.