Multinational Migrants: Ways of Adaptation in the Nordic and Baltic Countries

The project seeks to help multinational migrants from Russia better navigate the cultural challenges associated with the preservation of their identity in Nordic and Baltic countries. The project aims to raise public awareness of a multicultural society and strengthen the civil societies of the host countries.

It is important to understand that there are no universal approaches and solutions to problems in the field of migration. The main goal of the project is to assist multinational migrants from Russia to better navigate the cultural challenges associated with preserving their identity in Nordic and Baltic countries. The organisation and holding of project events that raise public awareness of a multicultural society will strengthen the civil societies of the host countries. We are proud to encourage open dialogue and open space for different voices from various national communities of migrants from Russia.

We see our task as an exchange of experiences in preserving identity, both in terms of positive adaptation to the Nordic and Baltic states, and highlighting the main problems associated to it. Through our events strategy, the project aims to share our results with several stakeholder communities: host societies, multicultural communities of migrants from Russia, as well as other multicultural migrant communities in the Nordic and Baltic countries.  The project suggests that international bodies, non-governmental organisations, state officials, and scholars must engage more honestly with the problems of migrants from Russia, especially those related to the current international situation. Practical solutions begin with acknowledging the problem and involving the most affected people in finding solutions, learning from, rather than dismissing, their experiences. We need more inclusive, empathetic, and resilient societies to fight the lack of trust and intolerance.

The project partners are civil organisations from Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Lithuania, and independent partners in relation to Russia. The project participants include individuals and organizations who are actively engaged in research, advocacy, and support related to migration, cultural preservation, civil society, and democratic development. The participants are highly knowledgeable and motivated individuals who will contribute to the project's activities. 

Participants

  1. Dr. Sherzod Eraliev is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Sociology of Law, Lund University in Sweden. Dr. Eraliev has extensive publications on migration-related topics and is currently researching migrant integration in the Nordic context.
  2. NGO Erzya-Moksha Society of Culture "Syatko" is an independent non-profit organization representing Mordovian migrants from Russia. Their primary focus is on preserving and developing the language and culture of the Mordovians, who are a national minority in multicultural Estonia. Over the past 25 years, this organization has demonstrated the successful realization of national culture within an inclusive and multicultural civil society.
  3. NGO Reforum Space is a Lithuanian independent non-profit organization aiming to foster people-to-people cooperation in the region by supporting civil society and democratic development. They provide a free co-working space in Vilnius for journalists and activists from Russia, Belarus, and other countries who have been displaced from their usual environments and wish to continue their work. Reforum Space also offers advice from professionals such as lawyers, accountants, and psychologists.
  4. NGO "Civic Ideas NNLE, is an exile organization, based in Georgia, serveing as an "independent partner in relation to Russia" within the project. It is currently the world's largest organization dedicated to helping immigrants from Russia who oppose the regime and the war in Ukraine. The NGO also supports Russian emigrants in exile in the Nordic and Baltic regions. Volunteers play a crucial role in providing assistance.
  5. The Aleksanteri Institute at the University of Helsinki in Finland is a research institute promoting research-based knowledge of Russia, Eastern Europe, and Baltic countries. Their expertise encompasses various aspects of social, political, and cultural development in the region.

These participants bring valuable perspectives, expertise, and dedication to the project, ensuring its success and impact.

The project is funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers' application programme Prosperous Future 2022 for the period of 1 June 2023 - 31 October 2024. The project is led by Dr. Larisa Kangaspuro.

Events

Partner Meeting and Seminar on Migrant Adaptation in the Nordic and Baltic Countries, Riga, August 27, 2023.

Advancing Integration: Reflections from the Project For-In’s Final Conference by Larisa Kangaspuro, Vilnius, February 20-21, 2024.

Seminar Parallel Societies: Implications of Post-Soviet Immigration in the Nordic and Baltic Immigration Policy Changes, Vilnius, February 22-23, 2024.

Seminar on Integration Challenges for Russian-Speaking Residents in Finland, Helsinki, March 6, 2024.

Suome-Ugri Kultuuriõhtu, Pärnu Raekojas, May 12, 2024.

Presentation "Navigating Policy Shifts: Insights on Post-Soviet Immigration in Finland" by Dr. Sherzod Eraliev, conference Resisting Authoritarianism in Eurasia: Civil Society and New Solidarities, Helsinki, October 23–25, 2024.