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On September 20, from 12:00 to 16:00, a rally will take place in Helsinki outside the Russian Embassy on the day of the “elections.” In the upcoming elections, Russian citizens living abroad have already been deprived of the opportunity to vote for candidates in single-member constituencies. And after the Yabloko party was removed from the elections, voters have also lost the opportunity to support the only political force openly opposing the war. We are being asked to view w

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see a Russian-language film on the big screen in Helsinki! 🎬 As part of the Helsinki International Film Festival – Love & Anarchy, there will be two screenings of Andrey Zvyagintsev’s new film “Minotaur.” “Minotaur” is Zvyagintsev’s first feature film in almost ten years. It is a darkly humorous and politically sharp thriller about corruption in contemporary Russia, told through the story of a toxic marriage. The film won the Grand Prix at

On 19 September at 14:00, near Helsinki Central Railway Station, a demonstration will take place against the deportation from Finland of Russian anti-war activists, conscientious objectors, LGBTQ+ people, and members of persecuted religious minorities. We demand an end to the deportations of Roman Golikov, Nikita Belov, Olga Belova, Vasily Marinin, Boris Yudin, German Voetski, Vladislav Maslovets, Ekaterina Arapova, Egor Melnik, Anna Oleinik, Ivan Petrichenko, Valentin Sergie

On September 9 at 18:00 (Helsinki and Moscow time) and 17:00 (Berlin time), we invite you to the online event “Russian-Language Literature and Technology.” During the event, we will discuss which topics are becoming most relevant for contemporary Russian-language authors, talk about publishing and translation, and explore the impact of artificial intelligence and social media on literature. Our guest will be Georgy Urushadze, founder of Freedom Letters publishing house and th

On 13 September at 15:00, we invite you to a lecture in Helsinki entitled “Liberalism as a System of Peaceful Cooperation.” Why do societies choose cooperation over conflict, and what role do liberal ideas play in this? During the lecture, we will discuss how different principles of liberalism — from free trade, private property, and equality before the law to secularism, freedom of thought, and the advancement of science — contribute to peaceful coexistence between people an

On 5 September at 17:00, a meeting with Ilya Yashin, a Russian opposition politician and chairman of the Peaceful Russia party, will take place in Helsinki. The meeting will be held as an open dialogue about the future of a free Russia, democracy, and peace. We invite you to join the discussion on current issues and ask Ilya Yashin your questions. 👉 Admission is free with advance registration: Registration form 📍 Lapinlahden Lähde, Lapinlahdenpolku 8, Helsinki View on Googl

In Helsinki, near the new Kruunuvuorensilta bridge, we collected floating litter and waste from the shoreline. Altogether, we gathered 11 kilograms of rubbish. Until 26 August, anyone can use free kayaks or boats in Helsinki, Espoo and Oulu and help make Finnish nature a little cleaner. You can find more information and book a kayak or boat via the link.

On July 23 at 6:30 PM, a lecture titled “Historical Queer Artifacts in Our Homes” will take place in Helsinki. LGBTQ+ activist and founder of the Historical Queer Museum in Exile (St. Petersburg – Hamburg), Petya Voskresensky, will speak about the history of queer museums in Europe, the discovery of queer artifacts through the example of lesbian-themed porcelain, and how to find similar objects for your own home. Admission is free. Advance registration is required: https://ww

Today, members of Initiative FoReDi carried out a volunteer action in Espoo to remove giant hogweed, a harmful and dangerous invasive plant. Giant hogweed is far less widespread in Finland than in Russia. However, in our opinion, local authorities are not paying enough attention to this problem, which could eventually lead to the same serious consequences already seen in Russia. Finnish politicians have stated that Finland aims to eradicate giant hogweed by 2038. In practice,

🏳️‍🌈 Initiative FoReDi supports our friends from Queer Asylum: Finland and invites everyone to join their group at Helsinki Pride 2026. This year, the group is dedicated to people from Russia, Kazakhstan, and other countries where queer identities are persecuted by both the state and society. Many are forced to hide who they are, wear masks, and live according to rules imposed on them in order to avoid discrimination, violence, and persecution. During Pride, participants in

On 16 June at 18:00 in Helsinki, we invite you to a humorous poetry evening with writer Leonid Kaganov — a master of sharp and ironic words. The event will be held in Russian. In a warm and friendly atmosphere, Leonid will read his funny poems, which combine satire, absurd humour, irony and lyricism. Leonid Kaganov is a science fiction writer, poet, satirist and one of the wittiest authors of his generation. He is the author of dozens of books, the lyricist of several songs b

The summer season for cleaning the Gulf of Finland and the Gulf of Bothnia is starting. Unfortunately, coastal waters are heavily polluted with floating waste and suffer because of people who treat nature irresponsibly. But each of us can contribute to cleaning the Baltic Sea — for example, by taking an eco-trip by kayak or boat. You can join the project free of charge in Helsinki, Espoo and Oulu — just choose a suitable location, day and time. After registration, you will re

Many thanks to everyone who took part in the opening of the memorial to Alexei Navalny in Helsinki. We gathered not only to unveil a memorial bench, but also to say once again: the memory of Alexei lives on. His courage, his words, and his faith in a free Russia continue to unite people. If you are in Helsinki, please come to Tehtaankatu 1 to remember Alexei Navalny, bring flowers, or simply sit in silence. “Alexei, if you are arrested and put in prison, or if the unthinkable

Alexei Navalny was killed in prison by the Russian authorities because he defended the right of each of us to freedom, sought to bring democracy to Russia, and tried to open people’s eyes to what was happening. We wanted the memorial in Helsinki not only to pay tribute to Alexei Navalny, but also to show the international community that there are many Russian-speaking people who want to live in peace, freedom, and democracy. Our goal was to install the memorial by June 4, 202

On June 2 at 18:00, a discussion featuring Russian-speaking writers will take place in Helsinki. During the event, we will discuss the state of contemporary Russian literature, modern authors, and freedom of speech. We will talk about what it means to write outside one’s homeland and how the war affects literature. We will also address issues related to supporting writers abroad, opportunities for grants, and how willing European institutions are today to collaborate with aut

On May 22, a march in support of Roman Golikov and everyone facing deportation to Russia will take place in Helsinki. Anti-war activist and asylum seeker Roman Golikov has been detained by the police and is currently being held in custody. A court hearing regarding his detention prior to deportation is expected to take place today. According to Roman, police officers told him that he would be handed over to Russian authorities at the closed Brusnichnoye border crossing. Befor

On June 4 at 18:00, the opening ceremony of a memorial dedicated to Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny will take place near the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Helsinki — on the day when the outstanding Russian politician, killed in prison for his beliefs, would have turned 50 years old. More information about the memorial can be found here: https://www.foredi.fi/en/navalny Politicians, colleagues, and supporters of Alexei Navalny will speak at the opening cere

On May 29 at 18:00, a public meeting with Vladimir Milov — politician, economist, and energy expert — will take place in Helsinki. Vladimir Milov is currently a Research Fellow at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies (Brussels) and Vice President for International Advocacy at the Free Russia Foundation. The discussion will focus on possible visions for Russia’s future after authoritarianism. We will talk about positive scenarios for political change, democratizati

We are planning the opening on June 4 near the Russian Embassy in Helsinki — on this day, Alexei would have turned 50 💔 Colleagues and friends of Alexei Navalny will attend the opening, and Finnish politicians are also expected to participate. Stay tuned — in May we will publish the exact time and the program of the event.

On May 1, during the May Day demonstrations in Helsinki and Kemi, columns will take place in support of asylum seekers facing deportation. This is an opportunity to remind that behind bureaucratic decisions there are real people whose lives are now at risk. By joining these columns, we demand respect for human rights and oppose deportations to countries where people may face imprisonment or threats to their lives. 📍 Helsinki May 1, 10:45 Organized by Queer Asylum in Finland: