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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:

A decision has been made to suspend the deportation of the Belov family, for whom we have been advocating over the past four days. They have been released from detention and have now returned to the Finnish city where they previously lived. Briefly about their story. Olga and Nikita Belov left Russia after Nikita, a design engineer, refused to participate in a military project and received direct threats from his superiors. In Finland, they applied for asylum and waited three

Tomorrow, April 29 at 17:00, Amnesty International Finland will organize a rally in support of the defendants in the “Vesna” case. Russian authorities claim that the activists are members of the youth democratic movement “Vesna” and have charged them with, among other things, participation in an “extremist organization,” threats to national security, and organizing mass unrest. In reality, these young people opposed Russia’s war and the repressive regime of the Kremlin. They

We have received numerous messages from people concerned about the fate of anti-war activists Olga and Nikita Belov, who are facing deportation from Finland to Russia through a closed border. On behalf of our human rights organization Initiative FoReDi, we have taken the following actions: — We brought the situation into the public sphere and secured media coverage in both Russian and Finnish outlets. — We connected our clients with lawyers, including Gleb Gerber, Karinna Mos

On May 9 at 14:00, a discussion will take place in Helsinki on the consequences of the state’s monopoly over the monetary system. The Austrian School is a school of economic thought that explains inflation and crises differently. In simple terms, its proponents argue that inflation is caused by an increase in the money supply, excessive government intervention often leads to crises, and “cheap money” creates economic bubbles. The focus is not on abstract indicators but on rea

On April 28 at 8:00 AM, a support rally will take place in Helsinki for anti-war activist and Initiative FoReDi member Roman Golikov, who is facing deportation to Russia through the closed border. Despite the Finnish-Russian border being closed since 2023, the police are considering handing Roman directly over to Russian border authorities. He was also effectively denied the opportunity to discuss his situation with a lawyer. Roman is an outspoken opponent of the war: he has

On April 29 at 18:00, an online lecture titled “The Role of Trade Unions in Working Life in Finland” will take place. The aim of the lecture is to increase awareness of working life in Finland among people who have moved from other countries. During the session, we will discuss the role of trade unions in supporting employees, working conditions and employment contracts, working hours, as well as dismissal conditions. At the end, there will be an opportunity to ask questions

A new exhibition space, Suomen kansalaismuseo , has opened at Helsinki Central Railway Station. According to the organizers, the new space makes culture as accessible as public transport and brings Finnish art and design to everyone — right where people naturally are. Currently, the space features works by Ulyana Novak , an artist born in the Russian city of Ulyanovsk and living in Finland since 2010. In 2025, she ranked 1st in the “Top 100 Emerging Women Artists” by Arts to

On April 16 at 18:00, a presentation of the book “Behind the Facade” by our friends—local historians—will take place in Helsinki. Local history is not about boring dates from textbooks, but about living stories of houses, streets, and people. It’s when you look at an old entrance hall and suddenly realize it is more than a hundred years old and has its own memory. In Saint Petersburg, local history has become part of the city’s culture. Almost every building holds its own st

💬 Friends, this Friday, April 3 at 19:00, we invite you to a new format of our meetings — debates! The first important topic we want to discuss: Should the state punish speech that does not call for violence but may be perceived as offensive or dangerous? Format: a moderator asks a question, after which two participants present their positions in turns, debate, and ask each other questions. Then everyone is welcome to join the open discussion. The most important thing is to

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