Employees at OsloMet and the University of Oslo gathered at Tøyen Hovedgård before the parade. Photo: Skjalg Vold
OsloMet marked Pride
OsloMet participated in the Pride Parade under the slogan "Fearless Knowledge," Together with the University of Oslo. Read Pro-Rector Tanja Storsul's speech at the event.
Dear everyone,
It is a great joy and honor to stand here today – together with students, colleagues, friends, and allies – to celebrate Oslo Pride 2025. For diversity and love, with pride.
I am very happy and proud to live in a city where the city’s two universities – the University of Oslo and OsloMet – stand together to celebrate diversity and love. We do so under the banner of "Fearless Knowledge."
Fearless knowledge is not something we can take for granted. When we look around the world, we see that in many places, knowledge and the pursuit of truth are under pressure – and in some cases, under attack. Among the areas of knowledge most affected are LGBTQ+ rights and issues.
In the United States, words such as woman, diversity, gay, queer, LGBTQ, sex, and trans are now banned from publicly funded research. This halts important knowledge about discrimination, identity, health, and exclusion. At the same time, schoolbooks are being censored to prevent children and young people from learning about homosexuality.
These are attacks on LGBTQ+ people, attacks on knowledge, and attacks on society as a whole.
That is why our celebration of Pride today is not only about promoting diversity and love here in our city – it is also a show of support for all those fighting for their rights – and for fearless knowledge – everywhere in the world.
Knowledge and science are perhaps the strongest tools we have against ignorance, prejudice, and hate. As universities, we have a responsibility – and a privilege – to contribute knowledge and to foster an open, safe, and inclusive society.
That is why we need more queer knowledge.
- Because knowledge creates change.
- Because our students will meet the entire population – and need to understand the whole person.
- Because queer lives, experiences, and stories belong in academia.
- Because education and research without diversity are incomplete.
As universities, we bear a special responsibility.
Oslo Pride is a celebration – a festival for love, diversity, equal rights, and human dignity.
And it is also a fight and a reminder that rights can never be taken for granted – a fight for everyone to feel safe.
Today, we march for freedom. We march for love. We march for human dignity.
We march together. And we march with pride.
Happy Pride!
Translated using Sikt AI Chat.
