Crisis is a reality for many and seen as a threat for even more. On the one hand, recent funding cuts to global institutions like USAID and WHO endanger the most vulnerable. On the other, these very institutions have long reinforced systemic inequalities. At the same time, an ageing and increasingly unwell society raises a pressing question: who will care for you in the years to come? It also revives the long-standing issue of exploiting labour from colonies and modern forms of slavery. And what about young people—children who struggle to conform at school, and families facing barriers to integration? How do processes of conformity and integration themselves create exclusion and marginalisation? And then, of course, the planet itself. This event moves beyond the usual headlines of decline, offering fresh perspectives, research, and practical insights that allow for rethinking, reimagining, and readdressing these challenges. What is possible? Let’s find out.
This panel will bring together local engaged scholars and practitioners to reflect on the themes of healthcare, humanitarianism, education and climate in Finland. The panel will introduce how cutting-edge scholarship and practice in Finland is engaging with these themes. Confirmed speakers include Docent Anna Rainio on Playworlds in Education (read more), Moona Merikallio, expert physician at Helsinki city (read more) and volunteer physician Global Clinic for undocumented migrants, (read more), Ruth Kaboi-Mattila on multicultural organizing in healthcare in Finland (read more), Otto Snellmann on the environmental justice movement in Finland (read more), and Khalil Betz-Heinemann on After Malaria (read more). The panel will be moderated by Reetta Mietola.
The session will conclude with plenary remarks from Meri Kulmala, Director of Helsinki Inequality Initiative (INEQ) and a live concert from singer Mandira Halder (soprano) and Seppo Varho (piano). Refreshments will also be served.
Thursday 10th April 2025
Plenary panel and remarks 16:00-17:00,
Reception and concert 17:00-19:00
Location: SocKom Fetsal, University of Helsinki, Snellmaninkatu 12, 00170 Helsinki.
Registration for the session is closed.
Born in India, Mandira Halder is a multilingual coloratura soprano and classical pianist who has been passionate about music and rhythm since the age of two. Currently, she is conducting postdoctoral research at INEQ, University of Helsinki, focusing on the role of the Swedish language in the social integration of non-white migrant families arriving in Finland from outside Europe.
The Finnish pianist Seppo Varho studied first in Espoo Institute of Music and later from the year 1992 with Konstantin Bogino periodically in Italy, France and Finland. Varho performs as a soloist, chamber musician and accompanist. He has had accompanying assignments, especially in the Espoo Music Institute, Helsinki Polytechnic Metropolia and the Sibelius Academy.