City and Administration

The second draft of the Jyväskylä Master Plan 2050 has been published. The draft will be on display from 16th January to 16th February 2026, when residents can familiarise themselves with the plan and give feedback. The purpose of the master plan, which covers almost the entire Jyväskylä area, is to guide the development of the land use in the coming decades.

The date of the 17th Martti Ahtisaari Lecture in Jyväskylä has changed. The lecture will be held on Friday, January 30, 2026. The keynote speaker will be Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission. Virkkunen will give the keynote speech entitled "Technological self-sufficiency, security, and democracy in Europe." The lecture will be held on Friday, January 30, 2026, at 4 p.m. in the University of Jyväskylä's Great Hall.

During its meeting on December 2, the Jyväskylä Youth Council decided to explore the possibilities of group exchanges with Erasmus+ funding, approved the guidelines and rules for applying for project funding for 2026, and selected the Youth Council Member of the Month.

A new visitor study confirms that the impact of Finland’s FIA World Rally Championship event, Secto Rally Finland, on the Central Finland region continues on a steady upward trajectory. The rally is held each year on the iconic gravel stages of Central Finland, with Jyväskylä serving as the event’s host city.

Construction of new sports and exercise facilities at Jyväskylä’s Hippos area will start in December. All parties involved in the project confirmed their participation with agreements signed at the kick-off meeting held today, October 28, 2025. The investment of over €210 million in the Hippos center for sports, elite sports, research, and education is unique in Finland. Construction will take just over two years, and the total employment impact during the construction period is estimated at approximately 2,600 person-years. The construction site will be fenced off in November, and construction in the area will begin in December.

The population of Jyväskylä exceeded the milestone of 150,000 residents on Wednesday, September 24, 2025. Mathematically, the 150,000th resident of Jyväskylä was a baby girl born at Nova Hospital at 1:45 a.m. The city will commemorate the newest resident of Jyväskylä and her family at a time convenient for them at their home.

A group of young people interested in influencing decision-making will once again gather in Jyväskylä City Hall. At the Youth Council summit, which begins at 9.00 a.m. on Thursday, September 25, new representatives will be elected for the 2025–2026 term.

The City of Jyväskylä is updating its city strategy, which will guide the city's development from 2026 to 2029. To support the strategy's preparation, a residents' perspective was compiled during the spring by randomly inviting a panel of Jyväskylä residents of various ages. On 11 August, the panel submitted its views to the City Board on the themes that should be considered in the new city strategy.

A cultural block is planned for the centre of Jyväskylä, due to be completed by the turn of the 2030s. Work has started on the concept for the cultural blocks activities and facilities. The aim is that the City Council makes a decision on the cultural block in late 2025. The first public event will be held on 19 March at the Main Library and an online survey has been opened.

Jyväskylä is a lively city for international meetings, conferences and congresses.