Aleksei Navalny
Memorial Bench
in Helsinki
Implementation of the memorial bench project in honor of Russian opposition politician Aleksei Navalny in the capital of Finland.
Alexei was murdered in prison by the Russian authorities because he defended each of our rights to freedom, sought to bring democracy to Russia, and to open people’s eyes to what was happening.
We want the memorial in Helsinki not only to honor Alexei Navalny but also to show the international community that there are many Russian-speaking people who want to live in peace and freedom.
Our non-profit organization, Initiative FoReDi ry, received official permission from the City of Helsinki to implement a memorial project in Neitsytpuisto, next to the Embassy of the Russian Federation on Tehtaankatu.
The memorial bench was designed in a minimalist Nordic style. Its most distinctive feature is the pair of red-painted legs, forming the Cyrillic letter "Н" – the first letter of Alexei Navalny's surname.
The memorial concept was created by Taisia Vladimirova, whose proposal won the open design competition organized by Initiative FoReDi ry.
The bench bears a memorial plaque featuring one of Alexei Navalny's best-known quotes:
"If I am killed, don't give up."
The plaque also contains information about the memorial in four languages: Russian, English, Finnish, and Swedish.
On 1 October 2025, Initiative FoReDi ry launched a public fundraising campaign to finance the project. The campaign was officially authorized by the Finnish Police under permit RA/2025/1398.
The fundraising campaign was successfully completed ahead of schedule on 27 October 2025.
The project received financial support from 114 donors representing 23 countries, raising a total of €10,180.19.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who supported this project.
In 2026, all funds raised through the public fundraising campaign were used exclusively for their intended purpose: the construction of the Alexei Navalny Memorial Bench in Helsinki.
The project also received additional targeted donations from members and supporters of Initiative FoReDi ry. These contributions were separate from the public fundraising campaign.
Project expenses
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Manufacturing of the memorial bench (Ilmajoen Teräsputkikaluste Oy) – €4,417.60
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Installation of the bench (Georos Oy) – €4,894.50
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Paint purchase (Venice International / Michał Grabowi) – €565.86
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Banking and postal expenses – €251.39
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Permit for excavation works issued by the City of Helsinki – €602.40
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Production of three memorial plaques – €747.98
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Materials required for the memorial unveiling ceremony (fabric, microphones, and other necessary equipment)
The memorial was officially unveiled on 4 June 2026, the day on which Alexei Navalny would have turned 50 years old.
Among those attending the ceremony were Vladislav Romantsov, Executive Director of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), founded by Alexei Navalny; Kimmo Kiljunen, Member of the Parliament of Finland; Heidi Hautala, human rights advocate and politician; members and supporters of Initiative FoReDi ry; and residents of Finland.
The memorial, located next to the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Helsinki, commemorates a Russian politician who believed in the possibility of democratic change in Russia and devoted his life to defending freedom, human rights, and democracy.
Alexei Navalny was killed in prison, but his ideas continue to live on and inspire people around the world.
Many thanks to Michael Nacke, Ilya Yashin, the anonymous donor from the Netherlands, and everyone who contributed — even €5 brought us closer to making this project a reality!
Special thanks for informational support to Fyodor Krasheninnikov, Abbas Gallyamov, Zalina Marshenkulova, Ivan Zhdanov, Ilya Gantvarg, Olya Guseva, Alexey Kovalev, Olga Galkina, Lucy Green, Helga Pirogova, Leonid Volkov, Ksenia Fadeyeva, Danil Belyakov, Ilya Sergeev, Dmitry Nizovtsev, Ivan Filippov, Maxim Reznik — and to everyone who helped spread the word about the project!
Our sincere gratitude also goes to all media outlets for covering and supporting our initiative!
