Migrant Rights X Finnish Immigration Policies

We organised a public forum in Helsinki to discuss the effects of the proposed immigration laws in the government programme on the rights of diverse migrant groups in Finland.

The event brought together the public and experts, to help understand the implications of the programme, raise awareness of concerns, offer an opportunity for public dialogue, hear the opinions of experts and civil society, and develop a collective action plan on how to address the concerns. It consisted of informative talks and a panel discussion among experts, and an open mic and Q&A session, through which the public can ask questions and share their experiences, concerns, and ideas.

When: Friday 17:30 – 18:00, August 25th 2023

Where: Maijansali Hall, Oodi Central Library, Helsinki

Speakers:

Riina Bhatia, Deputy Councillor, City of Helsinki, Green Party

Erna Bodström, DSSc, Migration Researcher, University of Helsinki

Teemu Haapalehto, Director of Immigration Affairs, City of Espoo

Julia Ståhle, President, Swedish Youth of Finland

Nick Walters, PhD, Co-Founder & Chair, Helsinki LEFT ry

The event was organized by Prof. Nitin Sawhney (Trust-M), Dr. Johanna Leinonen (Mobile Futures), and Dr. Nick Walters & Ditmar Hasanaj (Helsinki LEFT ry).

Presentation Slides of the Event:

Summary Report of the Event prepared by Minna Horowitz (posted August 29, 2023)

Comments & Questions from the audience: https://presemo.aalto.fi/migrantsrights

Trust-M aims to create trustworthy digital public services for improved integration of migrants in Finland, hence strengthening Finnish society through increased inclusion and economic vibrance. The project is a partnership between Aalto University, University of Helsinki, Tampere University, and City of Espoo. https://trustmproject.aalto.fi

Diversity, Trust, and Two-Way Integration (Mobile Futures) is an interdisciplinary, action-oriented research project that strives to promote a fair and inclusive society through focusing on integration as a trust-based, two-way process. https://mobilefutures.fi

Helsinki LEFT ry is a new grassroots chapter of Left Alliance. It works to better represent and integrate minority groups—particularly immigrants—in Finnish politics, overcoming knowledge gaps and the language barrier, and raising the profile of immigrant issues in political discourse, in English. www.instagram.com/helsinkileft

Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/315713507491609/

Media (photos, podcast & videos) from the event:

Videos of the event from YouTube livestream and Zoom (unfortunately these are only partial recordings):