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Our fellow Anna Lindh Foundation Finnish Network member, Wider Security Network (WISE), is organising its annual Security Policy Academy 2026.

📅 11 November 2026, 9:00–16:00
📍 Botta, Museokatu 10, Helsinki

The Security Policy Academy is WISE’s annual high-level event focusing on security policy and current security-related discussions.

The full programme and registration details will be announced later.

ALF Finland Network Member WISE Announces Security Policy Academy 2026

Our fellow Anna Lindh Foundation Finnish Network member, Wider Security Network (WISE), has announced the date for its annual Security Policy Academy (Turvallisuuspoliittinen akatemia) 2026.

The Security Policy Academy is WISE’s high-level annual event focusing on security policy and current issues affecting society and international security. The event provides a space for learning, discussion and exchange between people and organisations working across different sectors.

📅 11 November 2026
🕘 9:00–16:00
📍 Botta, Museokatu 10, Helsinki

The detailed programme and registration instructions will be published by WISE later.

As part of the Anna Lindh Foundation Finnish Network, we are pleased to highlight the work and opportunities offered by our fellow network members. Events like this also demonstrate the diversity of expertise within the network, connecting organisations working on intercultural dialogue, youth and civil society with wider discussions around peace, security, democracy and resilient societies.

Save the date: 11 November 2026! 💙

The City of Vantaa is organising Little Stars Shine and Move, a free and interactive cultural workshop for young children and their families as part of the Vantaa Culture Kids (Kulttuurilapset) programme. The workshop will be facilitated by Arti Sudhindra from Saksham Performing Arts.

Taking place on 19 November 2026 from 11:00 to 11:35 at Hakunila Family Centre in Vantaa, the workshop is designed for children aged 0–3 and their accompanying adults. It brings together storytelling, music, dance, movement and play, creating a joyful space where children and adults can experience culture and creativity together.

The main language of the workshop is English, and the facilitator also speaks Finnish, Hindi, Kannada and Rajasthani. The multilingual approach makes the activity accessible to families from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds and encourages participation across language barriers.

Parents and other accompanying adults are welcome to participate together with their children. Older siblings may also join, and grandparents are especially encouraged to take part, bringing an intergenerational dimension to the experience.

The workshop lasts approximately 35 minutes and is free of charge. Participation is intended for children registered in the Vantaa Culture Kids programme, and advance reservation is required.

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.

Read the full news from ENYC:
Croatia Hosts Discussion on Youth Centres and International 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.

Read the full news from Diakonissalaitos:
Diakonissalaitos expands its work strengthening youth well-being in Oulu

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.

Read the full article by Kirkkopalvelut ry:
Yhden isän ympärillä on kokonainen rihmasto

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.

Read KULTA ry’s full 2027 Election Manifesto:
Parliamentary Elections 2027 – Election Manifesto

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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.