The main event of Ahtisaari Days 2015 will be held in Rovaniemi on 12 November. The programme features a forum dealing with conflicts and their resolution. The session will take place in Fellman Hall at the University of Lapland from 2:30 to 4:30 pm and is open to the general public. The language of the event will be Finnish.

At the session, Lecturer Tapio Nykänen will interview President Ahtisaari, taking up themes such as the war and refugee crisis in Syria. President Ahtisaari is well known for his achievements in brokering peace, particularly in Aceh (Indonesia), Kosovo and Namibia, but he has also closely analysed the situation in the Middle East.

The interview will be followed by a panel discussion on minorities in the North addressing the position of the Sámi, non-mainstream religious communities, immigrants and asylum-seekers. Representatives of these groups have clashed with majority populations, but also within the groups one sees disagreements that may develop into conflicts. The panel will explore means for mediating such disputes.

The members of the panel will be Professor Veli-Pekka Lehtola, Adjunct Professor Aini Linjakumpu, Professor Vesa Puuronen and Researcher Nafisa Yeasmin. President Ahtisaari will provide comments on the panel’s contributions and the audience will also have an opportunity to ask questions.
Ahtisaari Days receives support from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.


Additional information:

Olli Tiuraniemi
Director, Communications and External Relations Unit, University of Lapland
olli.tiuraniemi (at) ulapland.fi
Tel. +358 400 695 418