Our member European Network of Youth Centres (ENYC) has shared news from Croatia highlighting the importance of stronger international cooperation between youth centres, European institutions and civil society networks.
During the Youth Centres Capacity Building Activity, Gürkan Akçaer met with Luka Bogdan, a member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) representing its Civil Society Organisations’ Group.
The discussion introduced ENYC’s work in connecting youth centres across Europe and creating opportunities for cooperation, exchange of good practices and capacity building. Particular attention was given to strengthening connections between local youth centres and European-level institutions and civil society networks.
The meeting also explored opportunities for wider cooperation. Akçaer shared experiences from Anna Lindh Foundation Türkiye activities and the recent Heads of Network meeting in Berlin, opening discussions about potential synergies between youth centres and broader European civil society networks.
The exchange reflects the value of building stronger international networks where youth organisations can share knowledge, develop partnerships and strengthen the role of youth centres in European cooperation.
Our member Diakonissalaitos is expanding its work to strengthen young people’s well-being in Oulu by launching Katutaso, a new service supporting young people under 25 who use substances. The activities will begin in October 2026, with four social and healthcare professionals working directly with young people.
The service combines outreach street work and a low-threshold meeting place, allowing professionals to meet young people in the environments where they spend their time, including streets, shopping centres and areas near schools. Support will be based on each young person’s individual needs, including help in accessing services and dealing with challenges in everyday life.
The expansion responds to growing concerns about young people’s well-being and substance use. A 2025 survey in Oulu found that more than half of respondents considered drugs easily accessible and increasingly visible in everyday environments. Young people also expressed a need for more opportunities to receive support and openly discuss substance use, mental health and everyday pressures.
Through Katutaso, Diakonissalaitos aims to strengthen young people’s well-being and equality, reduce stigma and prevent drug-related deaths. The approach places particular importance on reaching young people early and providing support without unnecessary barriers.
The new service adds to Diakonissalaitos’ growing youth work in Oulu, where it has also opened an Olohuone activity for multicultural young people alongside its Vamos youth services.
Our member Kirkkopalvelut ry has published a new blog highlighting the wider impact that supporting fathers can have on families, children and communities.
In the article “Yhden isän ympärillä on kokonainen rihmasto” (“Around One Father Is an Entire Network”), Mari Ahtiainen from the Erityisesti isä initiative compares family relationships to the hidden network beneath a forest. A father may appear to be one individual, but around him are children, partners or former partners, parents, friends and sometimes grandchildren. What happens to one person can therefore affect many others.
The article particularly focuses on fathers affected by substance-related challenges. It stresses the importance of meeting fathers with respect and without stigma, creating space for them to speak, seek support and strengthen their role as fathers. Even small changes, such as reconnecting with a child or being present during an important moment, can have a wider positive impact on family relationships.
The message is simple but important: supporting a father is rarely about supporting only one person. Strengthening one part of a family network can contribute to stronger relationships, greater well-being and positive change that reaches far beyond the individual.
Our member KULTA ry – The Central Organization for Finnish Culture and Arts Associations has published its Election Manifesto ahead of Finland’s 2027 parliamentary elections, highlighting the essential role of culture, art and cultural heritage in building a sustainable, democratic and economically strong Finland.
Under the message “Culture is the solution”, KULTA ry calls for strengthening public investment in culture, with the goal of increasing cultural funding to one percent of the state budget. The manifesto stresses that implementing Finland’s cultural policy report should be a key priority for the next government.
The manifesto highlights several priorities, including strengthening Finland’s international cultural cooperation, supporting growth and employment in the creative and cultural sectors, and ensuring equal access to culture across the country. It also emphasizes the importance of culture for democracy, diversity and social resilience.
A particular focus is placed on children and young people, with KULTA ry advocating for every young person to have opportunities to experience, create and participate in culture and the arts, regardless of their financial situation or where they live. The organisation also highlights the contribution of cultural participation to inclusion, learning, self-expression and well-being.
Through its 2027 Election Manifesto, KULTA ry brings culture firmly into the discussion about Finland’s future and calls on the next government to recognise culture not simply as an expense, but as an investment in democracy, sustainable growth, well-being and a vibrant society.
HELSINKI, Finland — February 20, 2026 – A prominent Finnish advocacy organisation has called on the government to take stronger diplomatic action to prevent what it describes as de facto annexation of the West Bank and to oppose attempts to undermine a United Nations human rights expert’s work.
In a letter sent to Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen on 17 February, the Arabikansojen ystävyysseura (Arab Peoples’ Friendship Association) urged Helsinki to go beyond verbal criticism and adopt concrete measures in response to recent Israeli policy decisions affecting the occupied West Bank.
The association described a series of Israeli administrative changes to land registration and property control in the West Bank as effectively paving the way for annexation, a move critics say would deepen an occupation that much of the international community regards as unlawful under international law. Similar warnings have been issued by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Francesca Albanese, who described expanded land measures as steps toward permanent annexation and urged states to withhold recognition or assistance for actions that would entrench the occupation.
In its appeal, AKYS urged Finland and other EU states to take firm steps including:
• Suspending trade involving illegal settlements and reconsidering existing EU association agreements; • Recognising a Palestinian state in pursuit of a sustainable two-state solution; • Defending the independence of UN human rights mechanisms against political attacks.
The letter specifically criticised recent calls by some European politicians for the resignation of Special Rapporteur Albanese, which Amnesty International and other rights groups have condemned as unjustified attacks rooted in misrepresentation of her remarks. International organisations have argued that attempts to discredit UN experts undermine impartial application of human-rights law and distract from alleged violations on the ground.
AKYS warned that without firmer diplomatic engagement, the situation risks eroding international legal norms, entrenching discrimination, and jeopardising the prospects for peace in the region.
Finland’s official position on Middle East issues emphasises respect for international humanitarian law and humanitarian access, with previous national statements calling for negotiated solutions and protection of civilians.
I’m Amir and I’m joining the Mirsal office this year working on two different projects. UNMUTED is a global education project funded by Fingo’s CGC – Connect for Global change, planned and implemented together with Sumud ry – The Finnish Palestine Network. CELEBRATE is a Cultural Heritage project funded by The Finnish Heritage Agency, planned and implemented in cooperation with the Migration Institute of Finland.
UNMUTED is a joint project by Sumud – The Finnish Palestine Network and Mirsal. The project strengthens civic participation among under-represented young adults in Finland – especially among Arabic-speaking diaspora and other marginalized groups. Over one year, 24 participants learn how Finnish decision-making works and carry out their own advocacy action. action. The project operates trilingually in Finnish, Arabic and English. UNMUTED prioritizes young adults with fewer opportunities due to language, education, income, discrimination, or living outside the capital region.
CELEBRATE will establish a platform for the Finnish-Arabic community to preserve, transfer, and archive their culture for future generations. It seeks to empower the community to recognize their rich culture as part of the diverse cultures in Finland, support them in transmitting this heritage forward, and encourage them to take an active role in representing themselves in Finnish society. Incorporating Finnish-Arabic cultural heritage into Finnish cultural heritage collections will enrich understandings of Finnish cultural diversity.
Working alongside the Finnish-Arabic community, CELEBRATE will plan and implement a one- day event centered on a specific UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage theme, dancing and singing as a form of celebration. The heritage will be recorded in a workshop event, followed by interviews with participants and performers and archived to the Archive of the Migration Institute of Finland.
The Finnish Institute in the Middle East (FIME) is recruiting a doctoral or postdoctoral researcher for a fixed term of 1.5.2026–30.4.2028 (2 years). The position is located at the Institute in Beirut, Lebanon.
The Finnish Institute in the Middle East is an academic institute that focuses on the study of Middle East in contemporary and classical periods within a variety of disciplines in humanities, social sciences, law, theology and education. The Institute supports Finnish research on the Middle East and offers teaching in cooperation with universities. The institute also brings research-based perspectives to public discussions on the Middle East. The Finnish Institute in the Middle East operates in the whole region with an office in Beirut, Lebanon. Working in FIME offers an excellent vantage point for research on the Middle East in Finland.
The position is intended primarily for a Finnish researcher or a researcher working in Finland in a suitable field. The salary for the position is determined according to the level of post-doc or doctoral researcher, but researchers who are further along in their careers can also apply for the position.
The work tasks and duties are demanding, and previous experience in the following is considered an asset:
scientific, academic, and popular publishing
organizing international events
the Middle East and working in a multicultural environment
communications
Excellent English and decent Finnish skills are mandatory. Arabic skills or knowledge of another major language of the MENA region are also appreciated. Researchers are expected to conduct independent research. Success in the role requires initiative, unprejudiced attitude, flexibility, and patience.
Work tasks, salary, housing benefits, duration of the term
50% of working time will be devoted to one’s own research. The other 50 % will include administrative duties, teaching, external communications, organizing courses and events as well as other tasks assigned by the director of the institute.
Salary of a postdoc or more senior researcher is 3 266 euroa/kk per month (gross). Salary of an advanced doctoral researcher is 3025 euros per month (gross). In addition, the costs of living in Beirut are compensated up to 500 euros per month (taxable housing benefit).
The position is fixed-term and begins in spring 2026.
Application
Job applications with attached letter of motivation, curriculum vitae (max. 4 pages), list of publications and research plan (max. 5 pages) are to be submitted via online form by 1st March 2026 at 23.59 Finnish time. We also ask you to provide contact details for two referees. Doctoral researchers must include dissertation supervisor’s letter indicating academic progress.
Interviews will be held via Zoom the week of March 2, 2026. The Foundation’s Board of Trustees will make a decision on the selection at its meeting on March 25, 2026.
For any questions, do not hesitate to contact the Director of the Institute Dr Susanne Dahlgren (name.surname@fime.fi).
Helsinki, Finland — Finnish writer and blogger Ariel (Ari) Rusila continues to shed light on international conflicts and crisis management through his long-running blog “Conflicts by Ariel Rusila”, published at arirusila.wordpress.com.
Rusila, who has professional experience in development projects and peacebuilding, writes analytical articles on current events and global political challenges. His work often focuses on regions such as the Balkans, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe, where political transitions, ethnic tensions, and social change continue to shape international relations.
“My goal is to help readers understand the deeper background behind conflicts — not only what happens, but why it happens,” Rusila explains in his blog’s introduction.
With a background in social sciences and philosophy from the University of Jyväskylä, Rusila combines academic insight with practical experience from fieldwork in areas like Kosovo, Serbia, and the Barents region.
His blog covers a wide range of topics including:
Peace processes and international diplomacy
The role of civil society in post-conflict recovery
Regional tensions in the Middle East and the Black Sea area
Humanitarian issues and development cooperation
Rusila’s writings have attracted readers from Finland and abroad who value his independent voice and long-term perspective on complex global issues.
The blog “Conflicts by Ariel Rusila” continues to serve as an accessible platform for anyone interested in geopolitics, conflict resolution, and global development — offering clear explanations and reflections beyond daily news headlines.
Liity seuraamme tämän erityisen tilaisuuden parissa, joka on osa MAFF Arabian Nights -iltaa – elokuvan, kulttuurin ja kansainvälisen yhteistyön juhlaa.
Norah on koskettava ja visuaalisesti vaikuttava elokuva 1990-luvun Saudi-Arabiasta, ohjaajana Tawfik Alzaidi. Se on voimakas tarina unelmista, rohkeudesta ja halusta kuvitella toisenlainen tulevaisuus.
