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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

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