The Åland Peace Institute is not an institute strictly limited to research, nor is it an activist organization. We call ourselves a "think-act-think" organisation as we build our knowledge on the basis of practice and practice peace work on the basis of knowledge.

The Åland Peace Institute works to gather in-depth knowledge  that will contribute to a peaceful development of the society. The Peace Institute satisfies the needs in Finland, on Åland and internationally of deeper discussion and research on autonomies, minorities, security and issues concerning the Baltic Sea region and the European development, subjects that are important to Åland and the surrounding region.

The Peace Institute's researchers and guest researchers focus on three broad subject areas; security, minorities and autonomy, including the ‘Åland Example'. The Institute regularly publishes books and reports in these areas. By arranging seminars and conferences and through a growing library that is open to the public, the Institute serves as a meeting-point for Åland, the Nordic countries and the Baltic Sea region. Autonomy and conflict management seminars are arranged with groups from conflict-ridden regions around the world.

In its practical work, the Åland Peace Institute primarily focuses on questions of gender and equality, youth work and mediation in criminal and other disputes. The work is carried out in cooperation with local partner organisations on Åland and with partner organisations in Latvia, Lithuania, Russia (Kaliningrad and Karelia) and in South Caucasus.

The activities of the Peace Institute also include youth activities such as youth exchanges and the sending and hosting of volunteers (EVS) in the framework of the EU Youth in Action programme. Local activities include peace education in schools, education for authorities, open seminars and lectures for the broad public and the Åland Mediation Office that offers mediation in accordance with the Finnish Act on Mediation in Criminal and Certain Civil Cases.

The Åland Peace Institute shares the results of its research, expertise and experiences from practical peace work through different forms of information- and influence work, for example through international visits, networking, seminars, conferences, publications, research articles, debate articles, digital newsletters, and through our homepage www.peace.ax.

Vision

The Åland Peace Institute shall:
- form a basis for knowledge about the Åland example and peace related questions
- affect the societal development through spreading of aforementioned knowledge through publications, reports, seminars and lectures
- work as a meeting point for both local and international actors for exchanges of experiences and knowledge