The International Meidän Jyväskylä event attracted a huge audience to the main library

"It's time for the dance performance! Annika Sibomana, the event host, announces. The Meidän Jyväskylä event featured performances from various cultures and styles.

Zin Bandana started the event with two traditional Nepalese dances. The first dance celebrated the beauty of nature and the arrival of spring. The second performance was a festive dance, performed with handkerchiefs twirling in hand. The full audience applauded at the end of the performance. 

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Mayor Timo Koivisto emphasized the importance of international residents for Jyväskylä's growth in his speech.

— Jyväskylä is an international city where every thirteenth resident speaks a language other than Finnish, Sámi, or Swedish as their mother tongue. Jyväskylä thrives when international talents find their place in this city. It is important for us to build a common Jyväskylä where everyone feels at home, says Jyväskylä's mayor Timo Koivisto.  

Strong cooperation is carried out in Jyväskylä among various actors providing services to immigrants. This cooperation ensures that the city has comprehensive services that support new residents in settling into the city as well as possible. The list of over ten organizers of the event is a testament to the breadth of cooperation across organizational boundaries, which is also visible to city residents using the services. 

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— In Jyväskylä, everyone has wanted to help me achieve a good life here. I have quickly integrated into the Jyväskylä community and am now studying the Finnish language. There are unlimited opportunities to study at vocational or higher education institutions here, and I feel that I can achieve my goals here. My dream is to open my own hair salon, says Nilab from Iran.  

Desie, a graduate of the University of Jyväskylä, praises the local services aimed at immigrants.

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— I heard about this event from the Multicultural Center Gloria and also received information from the International House Jyväskylä newsletter via email. Since graduating from university of Jyväskylä, I have participated in Jyväskylä city's Career Club aimed at highly educated jobseekers. All services have been free, efficient, and purposeful. There are also many events here, which is a good thing, says Desie.