How Pride Week builds a culture of belonging at RMIT Vietnam

This year’s Pride Week at RMIT Vietnam was a vibrant celebration of identity, inclusivity, and community spirit, bringing together students, staff, and allies to create a welcoming home where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued. Pride Week kicked off with energy and good vibes, setting an electric tone to celebrate freedom, love, and diversity as students gathered to engage, learn, and express themselves. The collective spirit echoed one clear message that RMIT Vietnam is a safe, nurturing space where every part of the LGBTIQAP+ community and its allies can come together with pride.

Celebrating every puzzle piece

This year’s Pride Week proudly embraced the theme “R-mazing You, R-mazing Us,” celebrating the diversity and unity within our community. Like colourful puzzle pieces, each uniquely shaped and reflecting the 11 hues of the progressive pride flag, we came together to form a beautiful, harmonious whole. This powerful symbol represents not only individual identity, expression, and inclusivity but also the deep connections and shared journeys that unite us all. Together, we honour the strength found in both personal authenticity and collective support, making Pride Week a meaningful celebration of who we are, individually and as one at RMIT Vietnam.

RMIT Vietnam Pride Week 2025 offered a rich tapestry of interactive and creative experiences. A standout event was the high-energy Pride Arena, brought to life by the PRIDE Club. Inspired by the six stripes of the rainbow flag, it featured movement-based challenges that encouraged connection, laughter, and vibrant celebration of Pride’s core values.

Besides, students could also join the Pride Fair, where they had the chance to get free Pride-themed cupcakes and donuts. They could also join workshops where they crafted keychains, bracelets, cardholders, and Vietnamese traditional conical hats, creating a welcoming space for self-expression.

Another highlight of the week was the "Resonance Exhibition," an interactive showcase at RMIT’s Hanoi campus that explored LGBTIQAP+ representation in the Vietnamese language, co-hosted by RMIT Queer & Alliance Club (RQAC) and the Student Council. This exhibition invited participants to step into stories of identity and community, fostering deeper understanding and reflection on queer voices and experiences within Vietnamese culture.

Following this spirit, the Library actively engaged the community through creative activities and an online game series from 18 to 31 August, offering a supportive space to connect and express.

As part of Pride Week, a colourful and creative on-site event was hosted under the theme READ, PLAY, SLAY: LIBRARY FOR PRIDE. Attendees could enjoy a range of engaging activities including DIY bookmark decorating, dried clay crafting, pride-themed book displays, and had the chance to score exclusive Library Pride tote bags.

A special day of solidarity was marked on 29 August, when students wore purple to show their support for the LGBTIQAP+ community and gathered at the RMIT Library for celebrations. These activities made Pride Week a meaningful and joyful experience across both the Saigon South and Hanoi campuses, setting the stage for continued celebration next year.

Connecting pieces, creating community

Pride Week was more than a series of events. It was fertile ground for a genuine connection. Numerous students shared how being part of Pride made them feel truly seen for the first time. In addition, safe spaces across campus allowed candid conversations that strengthened friendships and community bonds.

Le Ai Linh, a Professional Communication student, reflected, “Belonging means not having to hide any part of who I am. During Pride Week, that feeling was everywhere, in every smile, every conversation, and every hug.”

These moments of openness helped nurture empathy and solidarity, inviting everyone, regardless of identity, to embrace their own unique place within the RMIT family.

Pride’s ripple effect on campus life

The impact of Pride Week extended well beyond the week itself. Spirit on campus surged with renewed energy: barriers began to crumble, misconceptions were challenged, and a culture of allyship blossomed. Students reported feeling more comfortable celebrating diversity in daily life, empowered by Pride’s lessons of acceptance.

The RMIT community noted an encouraging shift in campus conversations toward inclusiveness and compassion, visible not only during campus events but in classrooms, common areas, and online spaces. Pride Week ignited crucial conversations that promise to propel RMIT’s diversity and inclusion movement forward.

Looking forward: Pride year-round at RMIT

While Pride Week 2025 has come to a close, the culture of belonging it nurtured is just the beginning. Plans are already underway to expand initiatives that promote inclusion throughout the year because Pride is not just a week, but a daily commitment.

The University invites everyone in the RMIT community to participate in these ongoing efforts, whether through joining new support groups, attending talks, or simply standing as allies. Together, the journey toward a truly inclusive campus continues, building on the foundations laid by this inspiring week.

Pride Week showed us that when we come together to celebrate every facet of our humanity, we do more than coexist, we thrive. Let’s carry forward this spirit, making every day at RMIT a celebration of love, respect, and belonging for everyone.

Story: Nguyen Minh Chau, Professional Communication student, RMIT Vietnam.

*This article does not reflect the views of RMIT Vietnam.