Crisis Management NOW – Serving peace 70 years and beyond

This year, Finland celebrates seventy years of engagement in international crisis management. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs, together with its partners, will organise an event highlighting crisis management and peacebuilding on Tuesday, 5 May at the University of Helsinki’s main building (Aleksanterinkatu 5).

The event can also be followed live online on the University of Helsinki’s website.

Programme

Location:
The Great Hall of the University of Helsinki’s main building, enter from Aleksanterinkatu 5

Registration:
No advance registration required. The event is open to all and free of charge.

9:00 Doors open

9:30-10:00 Opening speech

Speaker:
Elina Valtonen, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland

Video greeting:
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, United Nations

Video greeting: 
Pekka Haavisto, Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Sudan, United Nations

Language:
English

10:00-11:15 Seventy years of crisis management: Lessons from a changing world 

Moderator:
Outi Holopainen, Under-Secretary of State (Foreign and Security Policy), 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 Advisor, UNMISS (South Sudan)
  • Esapekka Vehkaoja, Colonel, Director, International Centre of the Defense Forces (FINCENT)

Language:
English

11:15-11:30 Break

11:30-12:45 The state and challenges of global crisis management in 2026 

Moderator:
Johanna Sumuvuori, Director, European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management

Panelists:

  • Vianney Bisimwa, Advisor, CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation
  • Petteri Kajanmaa, Colonel (ret.), Special Researcher, National Defence University
  • Marko Lehti, Research Director, Tampere Peace Research Institute (TAPRI)
  • Mia Rahunen, Specialist in Civilian Crisis Management

Language:
English

12:45-13:45 Break

13:45-14:30 Practitioners on stage – Diverse career paths in crisis management

Moderator:
Anniina Vesteri, Human Resources Specialist, CMC Finland

Speakers:

  • Oskari Eronen, Programme Director, CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation
  • Jyri Haimakainen, Peacekeeper
  • Christa Jakobsson, Gender Adviser
  • Mikael Lohse, visiting Expert Senior Adviser for External Oversight, EUAM Ukraine
  • Jyri Rantanen, Disaster Management Specialist, Red Cross
  • Eveliina Valtonen, Team Leader, Specialized Police Team on Sexual and Gender‑Based Violence, UNMISS (South Sudan)

Language:
Finnish

14:30-14:45 Break

14:45-16:00 The future and possibilities of comprehensive crisis management

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 Affairs
  • Camilla Ojala, Coordinator, Finnish Youth, Peace and Security Network

Language:
English

16:00-16:15 Closing speech

Speaker:
Janne Kuusela, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence of Finland

Language:
English

Expo of crisis management organisations

Crisis management organisations will present their work at the University of Helsinki’s Agora Hall from 9:00 to 16:00.

Ministries, authorities and organisations working in the field of crisis management will be present to showcase their activities.

Equipment display

The equipment display will take place at Senate Square, from 9:00 to 16:00.

The display offers an opportunity to learn more about the work of the Police, the Finnish Defence Forces, the Finnish Border Guard, and Customs – and to meet a customs dog.

Workshops and information sessions

The workshops will be held in the Johan Ludvig Runeberg Room (U2089) at the University of Helsinki.

10:00-11:00 Safeguarding the rule of law in the enlarging EU 

Registration:
No pre-registration is required – participation is limited to the first 40 attendees.

Organiser:
Rule of Law Centre at the University of Helsinki

Contact person:
Johanna Valenius, Rule of Law Centre at the University of Helsinki, johanna.valenius(a)helsinki.fi

Language:
English

11:00-11:15 Break

11:15-13:15 Conflict analysis workshop for youth and students 

Registration: 
Sign up for the workshop through this link

Organiser:
CMC Finland, SaferGlobe, UN Women Finland and the Women, Peace and Security Network of Finland

Contact person:
Nanna Hallikainen, CMC Finland, nanna.hallikainen(a)cmcfinland.fi

Language:
English

13:15-13:30 Break

13:30-14:30 Climate and environmental safety dialogue

Registration:
No pre-registration is required – participation is limited to the first 40 attendees.

Organiser:
Savonia University of Applied Sciences

Contact person:
Jyri Wuorisalo, EU Climate Ambassador, Savonia University of Applied Sciences, jyri.wuorisalo(a)savonia.fi

Language:
Finnish

14:30-14:45 Break

14:45-15:45 Gender equality work in today's conflicts

Join a diverse group of experts to discuss how gender equality can be promoted through crisis management in today’s conflicts in practice, and to explore the challenges and opportunities associated with this work.

Registration:
No pre-registration is required – participation is limited to the first 40 attendees.

Organiser:
Women, Peace and Security Network, UN Women Finland, CMC Finland and SaferGlobe

Contact person:
Veera Nurmenniemi, UN Women Finland, Women, Peace and Security Network, veera.nurmenniemi(a)unwomen.fi

More information on UN Women website. 

Language:
Finnish