Jani Ryhänen of SDP’s Pink Rose, this week on Radio Free Finland
Join us tomorrow night at 21.00 (GMT +2) on Radio Free Finland for the live interview with Jani Ryhänen, President of the Social Democratic Pink Rose organization, a political LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans gender) organization in Finland. We’ll be discussing LGBT issues in Finland. Some info about Jani…
Studying Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management at the Laurea University of Applied Sciences. Organization and Training Officer of the Social Democratic Youth in Finland. The president of the first political LGBT organization in Finland, Social Democratic Pink Rose. Active in the politics - member of the Finnish Social Democratic party and several NGO’s. Appreciates friends, good restaurants, art and running. Easy going guy.
Tune-in Monday night for the live interview, all you need is Skype to listen-in and a micrphone if you wish to participate. If you don’t want to ask your questions live, you can e-mail us (info >>AT>> radiofreefinland dot net) before the show or send a text chat to us during the show, and we’ll read your comments live on the air.
Click below to read more about the Pink Rose organization…
PINK ROSE:
Press release: The first political LGBT association founded in FinlandTHE FIRST POLITICAL LGBT ASSOCIATION - SOCIALDEMOCRATIC PINK ROSE -
FOUNDED IN FINLANDThe first political LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi and transgender)
association, Pink Rose, was founded in Finland during the Helsinki
Pride 2006 -festival, on Saturday 1st of July 2006. Association Pink
Rose is based on Socialdemocratic values and its aim is to enhance
discussion about the rights of sexual minorities in Finland,
especially among the Socialdemocratic Party (SDP). Altough the
position among sexual minority in Finland is rather good, tolerance
and attitudes toward LGBT-people are still sometimes hard.One of the founder and the president of Pink Rose, Mr Jani Ryhänen,
says that association that is focused only for LGBT-rights, has been
much needed among SDP. â€ÂBackground work for Pink Rose has been done
since 2003, after three years of hard work, time to found association
finally cameâ€Â. Although one of the main values for SDP is equality and
mutual respect of each other, there are still some individuals who do
not consider LGBT-issues as part of the equality work. â€ÂThe founding
of the Pink Rose is an excellent example of a work what people can do
by themselves to promote equality in our party†Ryhänen adds. Ryhänen
hopes, that comrades in other countries, where there are not yet
LGBT-association based for socialdemocratic values, would follow the
excample and found their own associations.Pink Rose is open for everyone dispite persons sexual orientation. In
this way Pink Rose wants to stress that fight for LGBT-rights is
everyones task, not only for sexual minority themselves. Interest
toward new association has been huge: the day Pink Rose was founded,
the second vice president of the Finnish Socialdemocratic Party and
Minister of Labour, Mrs Tarja Filatov, joined the association. Member
of the board of Pink Rose, member of the Finnish Parliament, Mrs
Susanna Rahkonen, emphasizes the importance of the association. â€ÂThe
way how Pink Rose gather people together also outside SDP is an good
example of how to modernize old party strugtures†continues Rahkonen.For the vice president of the Pink Rose was chosen Mrs Sanna Vallinen,
other members of the board are Miss Hanna Isbom, Miss Emma Kuntsi,
Miss Anna Mäenpää, Mr Nicce Mäkinen, Miss Piia Vaara and Mrs Kaarin
Keski-Korhonen Miss Mira Tenhunen, Mr Henri Ruuskanen and Mr Oscar
Ortiz-Nieminen. Treasurer for the association was chose Mr Anssi
Pirttijärvi, who has been another striving force behind the Pink Rose.For more information about the Pink Rose give the president of the
board, Mr Jani Ryhänen. Tel. + 358 (0)50 537 23 48 or e-mail
jani.ryhanen(a)janiryhanen.com / Helsinki, Finland.
“Laurea University of Applied Sciences”
They like to call themselves “universities” but actually they’re polytechnics.
Comment by Ã…boy — Mon, Oct 30th, 2006 @ 12:36 am
“They” call themselves that because that’s what “they’ve” been told to call “themselves”
It’s a silly name change and serves no real purpose.
That however wasn’t the point of your comment was it? But maybe it did make you feel that little bit superior.
Comment by Jukka — Mon, Oct 30th, 2006 @ 3:29 am
So Phil, did you tell your guest that his party is like, “so gay?” I remember a couple of years back you getting in some trouble on a BB for comments like that.
Comment by superiorinferior — Mon, Oct 30th, 2006 @ 2:50 pm
“It’s a silly name change and serves no real purpose.”
Yes, it is silly. The purpose of it is to try and identify with the academia, to create the image that they’re part of the academic world. That’s because academic education is highly thought of and because polytechnics have always suffered from inferiority complex in this regard.
Comment by Ã…boy — Mon, Oct 30th, 2006 @ 3:10 pm
“They†call themselves that because that’s what “they’ve†been told to call “themselvesâ€Â
Not true. It was their own decision to use that name. Officially these institutions should be called polytechnics as the ministry of education does.
I agree that it’s a stupid name and it may cause a lot of misconceptions about the nature of these organisations. University refers to scientific institution but polytechnics are mainly meant to provide practical education.
Comment by Zach — Mon, Oct 30th, 2006 @ 11:06 pm
I’ve worked with colleagues who graduated from polytechnics, and I found them to be highly qualified in their respective fields. They have a more focused and practical approach to solving problems, whereas university types sometimes get muddled in theoretical concepts. Of course, different problems require different methodologies.
What I find interesting is that, in Europe, a Bachelor’s degree usually implies a polytechnic education; whereas, in the US, it designates the undergraduate portion of a university education. There’s a difference:
The 4-year, US Bachelor’s degree encompasses a stronger theoretical foundation—every bit as strong as the foundation of a European 5-/6-year university Diploma; even stronger in some cases—but it doesn’t necessarily round-out those 4-years with a synthesizing experience. For that, it’s necessary to continue-on for a Master’s.
Conversely, a polytechnic Bachelor’s degree has an abbreviated theoretical foundation. However, it DOES have a synthesizing experience that usually takes the form of a ‘thesis’ (although, I’m not sure if it’s called a thesis, per se).
Incidentally, I know a few people who’ve made it to both middle and top management positions with European polytechnic educations. Many times, good communicational, interpersonal and organizational skills can count more than theoretical knowledge.
Comment by Kristian (in Espoo) — Tue, Oct 31st, 2006 @ 4:11 am
“it DOES have a synthesizing experience that usually takes the form of a ‘thesis’ (although, I’m not sure if it’s called a thesis, per se)”
It is not a thesis and is not called such. In finnish it’s “lopputyö”.
Comment by Ã…boy — Tue, Oct 31st, 2006 @ 1:39 pm
#7
Ã…boy—Yes, I know it’s usually not the same as what one might do for a university graduate degree, although I know a polytechnic guy in Germany who came pretty close to it.
Anyway, I couldn’t think of a proper term. Maybe a ‘graduation project?’
Incidentally, in German it’s called ‘Diplomarbeit.’ It’s the same word for both polytechnic and university.
Comment by Kristian (in Espoo) — Wed, Nov 1st, 2006 @ 12:14 am