Summer Festival 2026 – Our Recap

07/27/2026 -

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Two people hold a large poster in front of themselves, covering their bodies and showing only their faces through two circular cutouts. The poster features two cat heads with black fur and white markings at the top. Large text at the top reads: 'HENRY & THE GANG AGAINST HARASSMENT'. Below, a box contains the text: 'Follow the 5Ds'. To the right, five terms are listed: 'DIRECT', 'DISTRACT', 'DELEGATE', 'DELAY', 'DOCUMENT'. At the bottom, the poster displays: 'SchuDs' and underneath: 'Zentrale Beratungsstelle zum Schutz vor Diskriminierung und sexualisierter Gewalt'. Trees and sunlight are visible in the background.

At this year’s TU Dortmund University Summer Festival on July 9, the Office for Equal Opportunity, Family, and Diversity was on site together with the Gender Equality Office and the Queer*Peers. Through interactive activities focused on equality, diversity, and anti-discrimination, we invited visitors to engage in conversation in a playful way, take a stand, and learn more about our work.

Amid sunshine and a relaxed atmosphere, students, staff, and guests gathered on July 9 for TU Dortmund University’s annual summer festival. The Office for Equal Opportunity, Family, and Diversity was also represented with booths, together with the Gender Equality Office and the Queer*Peers.

We brought along various activities designed to encourage participation, reflection, and discussion on topics such as gender equality, diversity, anti-discrimination, and work-life balance.

Together with our Feel-Good Manager and campus cat Henry, many visitors took a stand against harassment at our photo spot that day: #HenryAgainstHarassment. Information on practical steps people can take was also available. Next door, visitors could then test their knowledge of different forms of discrimination with the XXL crossword puzzle.

The game “Ride the Leaky Pipeline” was also very popular. Here, players had to use their coordination skills—and work under time pressure—to overcome or circumvent institutional hurdles on the academic career path and guide the FLINTA* character all the way to a professorship. The game highlights the hurdles that women, lesbians, inter*, non-binary, trans*, and agender people in particular often face on academic career paths.

Whether alone or in a team, visitors could test their knowledge in the “Know-It-All” quiz. The categories “Not So Fun Facts” and “Mind the (Gender) Gap” were particularly popular, sparking lively discussions and the occasional “aha” moment.

No one who participated left empty-handed: Small gifts were handed out in the form of buttons, stickers, emergency whistles, and DIY bracelets featuring queer-feminist slogans. Many visitors thus took home not only a memento of the 2026 Summer Festival, but also a visible symbol of diversity, respect, and equal opportunity.

We’re thrilled by the great interest, the many conversations, and the positive feedback. It was great to have you there!

You can find more information about our topics, programs, and activities related to equal opportunity, family, and diversity on our website: https://stabsstelle-cfv.tu-dortmund.de/ and at the Office for Equal Opportunity.

See more highlights from the 2026 Summer Festival in the photo gallery: