The Global Risks Report 2025 highlights an increasingly fractured world, where escalating geopolitical, environmental, societal, and technological crises jeopardise global stability, peace, and progress.
In 2025, Finland assumes the Chair of the OSCE during a time of growing global insecurities. No region remains unaffected by these challenges. Fifty years ago, in 1975, the Helsinki Final Act was signed by 35 states, marking a significant milestone in the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, held in Helsinki, Finland. This agreement addressed critical global issues, had far-reaching impacts, and ultimately contributed to ending the Cold War.
Twenty years ago, Finland played a pivotal role in peace negotiations between the Government of Indonesia and the Aceh Independence Movement (GAM). Facilitated by a Finnish NGO, these talks culminated in the Helsinki Memorandum of Understanding, which ended 30 years of conflict in Indonesia.
Today, the world faces not only serious threats to peace and security in different regions but also an ongoing large-scale conflict in Europe. Under these pressing circumstances, fostering dialogue between conflicting parties is more vital than ever.
In this context, the Helsinki University Faculty of Social Sciences is hosting a special event and presentations addressing the ongoing war in Ukraine:
How to End the War in Ukraine? Concept Proposal for an Impartial Facilitator and Steps for a Peace Process.
Wednesday 29th of January, 2025 at 17.00-19.00
Think Corner (Yliopistonkatu 4, Helsinki)
Watch the event online: Live stream link
A recording of the event will be published on the Think Corner website.
Programme
Opening remarks: Jari Eloranta, Professor of Economic History, Vice Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki
Host: Hanna Wass, Associate Professor of Political Science, Vice Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki
Presentation I: The relevance of the Helsinki Process in 2025: advancing a peace framework for the Russia-Ukraine conflict - Heikki Patomäki, Professor of World Politics, University of Helsinki
Presentation II: The importance and role of the United Nations in peacekeeping, military observation missions, and peacebuilding - Tapio Kanninen, Former Chief of Policy Planning at the UN Department of Political Affairs
Presentation III: Concept proposal for an impartial facilitator and steps for a peace process - Juha Christensen, Chairman, PACTA Asia, Singapore
Remote note 1: Sundeep Waslekar, President, Strategic Foresight Group, Mumbai, India
Remote note 2: Bárbara Motta, Professor, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Brazil
Public comments and questions
Closing remarks: Hanna Wass, Vice Dean