Get ready for Pride Week at UCalgary!

Pride Week is an important time of the year at the University of Calgary, where our community of students, faculty, staff and senior leadership come together in solidarity to celebrate the LGBTQ2S+ community and the university’s commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility.

This year, Pride Week takes place from Aug. 26 to Sept. 1, showcasing the campus community’s ongoing equity and human rights advocacy and activism that dates back to the 1960s. Our actions to support LGBTQ2S+ persons on campus and in the wider community underscores the university’s core values of fostering a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment for all.

These events are not just celebrations of the strides made toward inclusion, but they are also opportunities to strengthen the experiences of belonging on campus, says Dr. Malinda S. Smith, vice-provost and associate vice-president (research). 

“Pride Week is a time to recognize our progress, the work to be done, and recommit to mitigating biases, combating discrimination and building a community where everyone is valued and respected," says Smith.

Looking for ways to get involved? Check out our lineup of events and activities happening on and off campus throughout Pride Week.

LGBTQ2S+ equity, diversity and inclusion resource launch 

Interested in learning more about the LGBTQ2S+ community on campus, in Calgary and across Canada? The Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (OEDI) has launched a new educational resource. Learn about some of the key figures in the struggle for LGBTQ2S+ equity and human rights, supports on campus, and digital archives, books, films and podcasts of interest.

UCalgary Pride flag-raising ceremony

To kick off Pride Week in a meaningful way, UCalgary will host an on-campus Pride flag-raising ceremony on Monday, Aug. 26, from 12 to 1 p.m. The ceremony will be held at the south entrance of main campus (University Drive and 24 Ave., N.W.). The event is hosted by OEDI and will include welcoming remarks by Smith; a blessing by Elder Rod Scout of the Siksika Nation; and further remarks by Chancellor Jon Cornish, UCalgary President Ed McCauley, UCalgary Students’ Union Vice-President Naomie Bakana, and Dr. Tonya D. Callaghan, BA’90, BEd’96, PhD. There will also be a performance by Daniel Sanguinetti plus Pride cupcakes provided by alum-owned business Crave Cupcakes.

Pride and Glide at the Oval

Join us on Wednesday, Aug. 28, at 6:30 p.m. when the Olympic Oval hosts a spectacular Drag Show followed by public skate on The Fastest Ice in the World. Open to all ages, come and enjoy the music and join in on the celebration of Calgary LGBTQ2S+ voices and culture.

Courageous Conversations Speaker Series 

Learning Together: LGBTQ2S+ Inclusive Teaching, Research and Scholarship

On Thursday, Aug. 29, from 12 to 1:30 p.m., OEDI hosts a Pride-themed Courageous Conversations Speaker Series event that explores LGBTQ2S+ pedagogy’s role in creating inclusive and dynamic learning environments. Featuring speakers Dr. Safaneh Mohaghegh Neyshabouri, PhD, and Dr. Tonya D. Callaghan, it’s an essential event for anyone committed to fostering LGBTQ2S+ inclusivity in research, teaching and learning, and community engagement.

The Calgary Institute for the Humanities 

Ukraine, Russia and the struggle for LGBTQ Freedom event

The Calgary Institute for the Humanities will host Dr. Dan Healey, PhD, emeritus professor of modern Russian history at the University of Oxford, on Wednesday, Sept. 4, from 7 to 8:20 p.m. at the Calgary Central Library’s Patricia A. Whelan Performance Hall (800-3 St., S.E.). The lecture will delve into how Russian President Vladimir Putin’s anti-LGBTQ+ policies shape the Ukraine conflict and affect those communities. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with a reception to follow. Register to attend. 

Learn more about these Pride Week events.