Pekka Simojoki expresses surprise at ruling in Hämeenlinna compensation case

Gospel musician Pekka Simojoki expressed surprise at a recent ruling from the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Board, which determined that the city of Hämeenlinna must pay €1,500 in compensation to a non-religious child. This decision stemmed from an event where Simojoki performed, which the board identified as discriminatory against the student.

Simojoki explained that he incorporated faith-based music during an Easter concert because he believed it aligned with the theme. As a prominent gospel musician in Finland, Simojoki has collaborated with a local drug rehabilitation organization, which had invited him to perform at the concert last March. He noted that the organization requested an Easter-themed event, to which he agreed.

Simojoki indicated that the problematic situation arose from a lack of communication. He felt it was important to inform the organization in advance that spiritual songs would be included, mentioning that discussing Easter often leads to a religious context. He has written hundreds of songs over his four-decade-long career and has performed approximately 1,700 school concerts, marking this incident as the first to cause controversy.

He was unaware of any prior discussion regarding the concert’s content at the school and reported that the news of the compensation decision was unexpected. Despite the controversy, Simojoki plans to continue his performances in schools, emphasizing the importance of his young audience. His setlist at the controversial concert included songs that referenced Jesus or God, showcasing his commitment to creating spiritual music, which he considers his calling, despite the predominance of secular music among most composers.