Provost's message

This coming Saturday 17 May 2025, is IDAHOBIT, the International Day Against LGBTQIA+ Discrimination. This date commemorates when the World Health Organisation removed homosexuality from the International Classification of Diseases in 1990.

Prior to this, homosexuality was classified globally as a mental illness.

IDAHOBIT celebrates the pride and allyship of the people who have worked to build equality around the world and raises awareness of the discrimination LGBTQIA+ people still face today.

At the University, IDAHOBIT provides an opportunity to reinforce our commitment to providing a safe and respectful environment for all members of our community to study and work. We each have an obligation to act in ways that enhance wellbeing and foster a respectful learning and working environment, and we rely on the whole community to work together to support one another.

To celebrate IDAHOBIT, join the morning tea on Monday 19 May between 11 am and 2 pm in Hub Central at the North Terrace campus. Colleagues will also celebrate at the Roseworthy campus Hub on Thursday 15 May from 12–1 pm and the Waite campus (lower ground floor, McLeod House) on Monday 19 May from 12–1 pm.

This week’s Campus Camera image, below, features the You Belong mural, which was launched last Monday on the North Terrace campus. You Belong is a visibility and education campaign that celebrates the right of every student to be seen, respected, and valued. It's fitting that this campaign and signature artwork have launched this year, the 50th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality, of which South Australia was the first State to do so in 1975.

These events and artistic expressions prompt opportunities to initiate conversations, share experiences, learn from each other, and listen without judgment. Diversity enriches our campuses; let’s celebrate it together.

Professor John Williams AM
Provost