Latest news

Friends, while we are preparing new and exciting events for you, we invite you to take part in the events organized by our friends and partners.The beginning of spring in Helsinki has turned out to be rich in events related to Russian-speaking culture! 6 March at 17:00  — A concert and presentation of new songs by the wonderful Maria Konoshenko. Address: Fabianinkatu 24, Common Room (3rd floor). Free entry, more information: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVgMGxgjYVQ/ 7 March

Both Russian-speaking residents of Finland and Finnish- and English-speaking participants took part in the event, writing letters to Crimean Tatars as well as to Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war. In the space where the meeting was held, an exhibition of works on the theme of the Karelian epic Kalevala  by political prisoner Anastasia Dyudyaeva is currently on display. Today marks the 191st anniversary of the first publication of the Kalevala . Participants also wrote

Two years have passed since Putin killed Alexei Navalny — for his struggle for democracy, freedom, love, and hope for the citizens of Russia. Today in Helsinki, the film Navalny  was screened, a presentation about the creation of a memorial to Alexei Anatolyevich Navalny near the Russian Embassy in Helsinki was held, and flowers were laid at the site of the future memorial. Thank you to everyone who remembers Alexei and does not forget the words: “All that is necessary for th

On February 28 at 6:00 PM, we invite you to take part in a letter-writing evening for Ukrainian prisoners who are being illegally held in Russian prisons. During the event, participants will be able to explore information cards about political prisoners prepared by the “ Prisoners of Conscience”  project and read their stories in a language convenient for them: Finnish, English, or Russian. Pens, paper, and postcards will be provided so that you can write words of support to

On February 24 at 5:00 PM, the event The Light for Ukraine  will take place in Helsinki. This day marks exactly four years since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale aggressive war against Ukraine. Join us at Senate Square to express your support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. Please bring a candle — let its light be a symbol of solidarity with the Ukrainian people and a tribute to the victims of the war. The candles will be placed on the steps of the Helsinki Cathedr

On February 16 at 6:00 PM, a memorial evening for Alexei Navalny will take place in Helsinki. Two years have passed since the Putin regime killed its main opponent in prison — Russian opposition politician and founder of the Anti-Corruption Foundation. On this day, we will hold a presentation and speak about the process of creating a memorial to Alexei Navalny near the Russian Embassy in Helsinki. The opening of the memorial bench is planned for June this year. As part of the

From February 2 to March 20, an exhibition by Russian artist and political prisoner Anastasia Dyudyaeva will take place in Helsinki. The aim of the exhibition is to inform Finnish audiences about human rights violations in Russia and the persecution of activism and artistic expression. The exhibition features Anastasia Dyudyaeva’s works inspired by the Kalevala, as February marks the Kalevala Day. Throughout the exhibition, visitors will be able to write their impressions of

On February 11 at 6:00 PM , you are invited to attend the lecture “Russian War and Anti-War Poetry of the 20th and 21st Centuries.” Literary scholar and Doctor of Philology Oleg Lekmanov  will speak about Russian war and anti-war poetry of the 20th and 21st centuries. During the lecture, poems about war written during World War I, World War II, and in the present day will be compared in order to identify common patterns across these texts, as well as to highlight the specific

As part of the DocPoint Documentary Film Festival  in Helsinki, a wide range of important and compelling films will be screened. Antidote  is a film about people who oppose Vladimir Putin’s violent regime despite threats, repression, and the murder of political opponents. At the center of the film is the escape of a whistleblower involved in the development of poisons intended to eliminate the opposition, as well as the stories of journalist Christo Grozev  and politician Vla

On January 23 at 6:00 PM , we invite you to a screening of the documentary film Close Ones . The film tells the story of the final months of the life of Dmitry Zimin , an outstanding Russian radio engineer and philanthropist, who chose assisted dying shortly before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It is both an intimate personal story and a sweeping chronicle of 20th-century Russia, unfolding as a profound family saga. At the heart of the film is a thirty-year friends

On January 9 at 6:00 PM , we will gather to watch and discuss the documentary film “The Color of the Nation”  about Sergei Prokudin-Gorsky, a pioneer of color photography who, 120 years ago, undertook the crucial task of capturing the cultural and geographical diversity of the Russian Empire on the eve of the turbulent 20th century. In the film, we will see the wonder of pre-revolutionary Russia in color, along with comparative footage showing what once was and what it has be

On January 16 at 18:00 , we invite you to a lecture and discussion titled “Key Principles of Classical Liberalism.” Classical liberalism is a political and philosophical tradition centered on individual freedom, equality before the law, limited government power, and personal responsibility for one’s own life and choices. These ideas laid the foundation for modern democratic institutions, human rights, and the rule of law. During the lecture, we will discuss why the term “libe

Friends, we would like to start the New Year with a board games meetup! We invite you to join us on January 6 at 12:00  for a full day of gaming. 🎲 “Scientific Apocalypse” A board game created by science popularizer Alexander Panchin  and his team. Together we will learn the rules of this new board game and dive into a world of moral and spiritual degradation, frightening GMOs and vaccines, “healing” homeopathy, fears of a world government, and robot uprisings. 🔹 There will

We wish peace and love to all of us. Strength to those who remain in Russia to endure the current regime, and strength and success in integration to those who were forced to leave their homeland. May the new year bring wisdom to world leaders and see dictatorships fall. May wars end, borders open for everyone, and nations live in harmony, support one another, and freely share knowledge. In January 2026, we have planned a film screening with a discussion of the work of photogr

This week, the final event of the project “How has the Russian language changed in the 2020s?”  took place, featuring one of Finland’s most renowned scholars of the Russian language — Professor Arto Mustajoki. Arto Mustajoki spoke about how contemporary political, social, and cultural processes influence the Russian language. An unexpected example he mentioned was the word “скуф”  from Russian internet culture, which amused the audience. The professor explained that the term

We are pleased to present the dictionary “Russian Newspeak ”  — a Russian–Finnish dictionary of new words and expressions , created as part of the project “How has the Russian language changed in the 2020s?” . The dictionary is based on a series of discussions held in Finland and on additional research examining vocabulary that has emerged or changed under the influence of war, repressive laws, migration, internet culture, and other processes shaping contemporary Russian real

On December 11 at 18:00, Suomi–Venäjä-seura and Initiative FoReDi invite friends to our Pikkujoulut (Little Christmas) celebration. The event will be a relaxed, festive gathering aimed at bringing together Finnish- and Russian-speaking participants. The programme will take place in two languages — Finnish and Russian. You can expect music and singing, competitions, Christmas workshops, warm glögi and light snacks, as well as a bilingual — but fully united — Santa Claus / Joul

In Oulu , a performance titled “Putin is a terrorist. Freedom and peace are held hostage” was organized, where participants protested against the criminalization of the Russian opposition following the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to designate the Anti-Corruption Foundation as a terrorist organization. In Uusikaupunki , participants of the picket drew attention to the paradox: the Taliban — previously recognized as a terrorist organization — was re

Today, the organization “ European Choice for Russia ”  published an open appeal to the international community calling for the release of political prisoners in Russia. “In November 2025, discussions intensified about a possible ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, mediated by the United States. Unfortunately, neither the Trump plan nor the proposals by European politicians mention the fate of Russian political prisoners — citizens of Russia, Ukraine and other countries — o

Two years ago, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation  declared the “international public LGBT movement”  an extremist organization — thereby putting a large part of Russian society under the threat of criminal prosecution and changing the lives of LGBTQ+ people by depriving them of safety, support, and visibility. On 30 November , events will take place in Helsinki  under the slogan “Love is not extremism” , organized by Queer Asylum: FI  ( qa-finland.yhdistysavain.fi )