Crisis Management NOW – Serving peace 70 years and beyond
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs, together with its partners, will organise Crisis Management NOW event highlighting crisis management and peacebuilding on Tuesday, 5 May in the main building of the University of Helsinki. Beneath you can find the general programme that takes place in the Great Hall of the university and workshops that take place in Johan Ludvig Runeberg (U2089). One of the workshops requires registration in advance, and the others are limited to the first 25 attendees.
Programme
9:30-10:00 Opening Speech
Language:
English
Speaker:
Elina Valtonen, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland
Video greeting:
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, United Nations
10:00-11:15 Seventy Years of Crisis Management: Lessons from a Changing World
Language:
English
Moderator:
Outi Holopainen, Under-Secretary of State, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland
Panelists:
Juhana Aunesluoma, Professor of Political History, University of Helsinki
Douglas Carpenter, Head of Division, Civilian Operations Headquarters, European External Action Service
Sari Rautarinta, Police training Officer, UNMISS (South Sudan)
Esapekka Vehkaoja, Colonel, Director, International Centre of the Defense Forces (FINCENT)
11:15-11:30 Break
11:30-12:45 The State and Challenges of Global Crisis Management in 2026
Language:
English
Moderator:
Johanna Sumuvuori, Director, European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management
Panelists:
Vianney Bisimwa, Advisor, CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation
Marko Lehti, Research Director, Tampere Peace Research Institute.
Mia Rahunen, Specialist in Civilian Crisis Management
12:45-13:45 Lunch
13:45-14:30 Practitioners on stage – Diverse Career Paths in Crisis Management
Language:
Finnish
Moderator:
Anniina Vesteri, Human Resources Specialist, CMC Finland
Speakers:
Oskari Eronen, Programme Director, CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation
Jyri Haimakainen, Peacekeeper
Christa Jakobson, Gender Adviser, EUAM Central African Republic
Mikael Lohse, visiting Expert Senior Adviser for External Oversight, EUAM Ukraine
Eveliina Valtonen, Team Leader, Specialized Police Team on Sexual and Gender‑Based Violence, UNMISS (South Sudan)
14:30-14:45 Break
14:45-16:00 The Future and Possibilities of Comprehensive Crisis Management (panel in English)
Language:
English
Moderator:
Katariina Mustasilta, Senior Research Fellow, Finnish Institute of International Affairs
Panelists:
Mikael Antell, Deputy Director General, Political Department, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland
Janel Galvanek, Head of Department, Berghof Foundation
Andreas Hirblinger, Senior Research Fellow, Norwegian Institute of International Affair
Camilla Ojala, Coordinator, Finnish Youth, Peace and Security Network
16.00-16.15 Closing Speech:
Language:
English
Speaker:
Janne Kuusela, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence of Finland
Workshops and Information Sessions
10.00-11:00 Safeguarding the Rule of Law in the Enlarging EU
No pre-registration is required for the workshop – participation is limited to the first 25 attendees.
Language:
Finnish
Organiser:
Ministry of Justice of Finland, Rule of Law Centre
Contact person:
Johanna Valenius, Rule of Law Centre, johanna.valenius@helsinki.fi
11:00-11:15 Break
11:15-13:15 Conflict Analysis Workshop for Youth and Students
Language:
English
Organiser:
CMC Finland, SaferGlobe, UN Women Finland, Women, Peace and Security Network of Finland
Yhteyshenkilö:
Nanna Hallikainen, CMC Finland, nanna.hallikainen@cmcfinland.fi
Sign up for the workshop here: https://www.cmcfinland.fi/conflict-analysis-workshop-for-youth-and-students/
13:15-13:30 Break
13.30-14.30 Climate and Environmental Safety Dialogue
No pre-registration is required for the workshop – participation is limited to the first 25 attendees.
Language:
Finnish
Organiser:
Savonia University of Applied Sciences
Contact person:
Jyri Wuorisalo, EU Climate Ambassador, Savonia University of Applied Sciences, jyri.wuorisalo@savonia.fi
14:30-14:45 Break
14.45-15.45 Gender Equality Work in Today's Conflicts
No pre-registration is required for the workshop – participation is limited to the first 25 attendees.
Language:
Finnish
Organiser:
Women, Peace and Security Network, UN Women Finland and CMC Finland
Contact person:
Veera Nurmenniemi, UN Women Finland, Women, Peace and Security Network, veera.nurmenniemi@unwomen.fi