The Philosophical Faculty’s Filo Day was dedicated to remembering Janne Pietarinen, who passed away in late winter, and to fostering a sense of community.
“Today, we honour Janne’s life’s work in two ways. We will unveil a community artwork created in his memory and announce how the Janne Pietarinen Memorial Fund, established in the spring, will be used.”
With these words, Dean Ilkka Huhta opened this year’s Filo Day.
“The money raised for the memorial fund will be used to strengthen research in our faculty. From next year onwards, each department will be able to present a small monetary award to one recent graduate who has written a high-quality master’s thesis and is planning to pursue doctoral studies. The first awards for aspiring researchers will be presented at Filo Day in 2027.”
Filo Day is an annual event bringing together the faculty’s staff, students and alumni. This year’s theme was “What moves us forward?” The event also commemorated the well-liked former dean, Janne Pietarinen, in many ways.
200 commemorative tiles in a community artwork
“The news of Janne’s death came as a tremendous shock to us all, and we talked about it a great deal within the community, both in our own department and across the faculty. Those conversations soon led us to feel that it would be good to do something as a community,” says Jussi Mäkelä, University Lecturer in Art Education.
With skills and arts subjects strongly represented in teacher education, working with their hands came naturally to members of the community. They therefore decided to create a community artwork, giving everyone an opportunity to remember Janne and reflect on his lasting influence.
“We chose clay, which is quite a therapeutic material in itself. It is also easy to work with, and we have considerable experience of using it in our teaching,” adds Teijo Karhu, University Teacher in Art Education.
The idea was warmly received, and staff from several units took part. Around 200 tiles were shaped for the artwork, which was unveiled last week.
“Each one reflects a personal experience shared with Janne.”
According to Mäkelä, community art can be a valuable tool and activity for coping with grief or other significant life events. Talking is easier when you can do something at the same time.
“Working with clay seemed to bring up memories for many people. Some arrived with a clear vision of what they wanted to do, while others developed their ideas through conversations with one another.”
Overall, the memories shared while creating the artwork have been warm and positive.
“And in the process, we too have learnt more about Janne’s influence on the community.”
Educa now has “Janne’s Lobby”
Although the artwork is complete, there are still opportunities to contribute artistically. Beside the artwork is a blank copper plate against which anyone can press their palm.
“As the plate is uncoated, it will gradually develop a patina, revealing the ‘phantom handprints’,” Karhu explains.
Janne Pietarinen touched many lives. The artwork seeks to continue this theme of touch.
Both pieces were deliberately placed in the lobby of the Educa building on the Joensuu Campus: the very lobby Janne so often passed through. It has now been renamed “Janne’s Lobby”.
“It would be lovely if the name caught on so that everyone knew what we mean when we talk about Janne’s Lobby. Previously, it was more or less a space without a name, but now it is a space to remember Janne and his influence on this community,” Mäkelä concludes.
Filo Day awards
In addition to the unveilings and shared memories, Filo Day also featured the presentation of annual awards. The recipients were selected through a vote open to all staff and students in the faculty. The awards recognised high-quality research and theses, outstanding supervision and activities supporting research within the faculty.
The day also provided an opportunity to pause and recognise the achievements, forms of collaboration and insights that underpin the faculty’s work. A key message was that everyone’s contribution is an important part of the collective whole.
The awards were presented to:
- Doctoral Researcher Award: Päivikki Liukkonen
- Master’s Thesis Award: Sinja Ylisiurua
- Bachelor’s Thesis Award: Ville Vestman
- Bachelor’s Thesis Award: Sara Hassinen
- Supervisor Award: Jaana Viljaranta
- Filo Member of the Year 2026 Award: Lena Fayt.
“The day showed that coming together helps us recognise expertise, encourages interaction between units and strengthens our sense of belonging to the same community. These encounters also highlighted the impact of our work and created space to share our successes,” said Vice Dean Heidi Hyytinen, Professor of University Pedagogy.