Seminars |
International Conference on the Åland Example
On Tuesday 1 November 2011 over a hundred participants from different parts of the world gathered in Mariehamn Åland for the international conference with the title "The Åland Example and its components - Relevance for International Conflict Resolution". The conference was organised by the Åland Islands Peace Institute, as a closing conference of the research project ”The Åland Example: Still of Global Interest and Relevance?” Simoultaneously a publication including the results of the research was launched.
Pictures taken at the conference by photographer Lukrecija Bielskyte
Discussion on demilitarization, 24th of March 2011
On the occasion of the upcoming Åland demilitarization day (March 30th) the ÅIPI will arrange a discussion (in Swedish) on the theme of "Demilitarization and neutralization, open questions and current challenges". The discussion will be held in Hotel Pommern in Mariehamn on March 24th at 6 p.m.
The director of the ÅIPI, Dr. Sia Sia Spiliopoulou Åkermark, Associate Professor in international law, will give an introduction followed by comments of Dr. Elina Pirjatanniemi, professor in state and international law, Peter Lindbäck, Governor on Åland, and Mr Harry Jansson, member of the Åland parliament.
Debate on the prevention of sexual violence, March 7
On March 7, 2011, just before the International Women's Day, a debate was organized by the Åland Islands Peace Institute in the auditorium of the Åland Parliament at 6 p.m. The debate was about how to prevent sexual violence and it was organized in response to the current debate on rape and sexual crimes legislation on Åland. The Åland debate has centered on sexual crime laws, but not as much on society's perception of sexual violence, the norms associated with gender, on gender equality and on how to prevent sexual violence.During the debate on March 7th to the Åland Islands Peace Institute was offering a forum to "talk about it", and follow up the debate on sexual crimes legislation and, above all, to broaden the debate in order to discuss sexual violence as a social phenomenon, as well as to discuss how sexual violence can be prevented.
For more information read the invitation and program.
In that sense Mia Hanström, gender consultant, who works as an educator in the Peace Institute's project Challenging gender roles to prevent trafficking has launched a petition to change the Finnish legislation on sexual crimes. The petition will run until April 15. You can read and write it here.
Seminar on prevention of genocide
On Saturday 30th of October 2010 the Åland Islands Peace Institute and UNIFEM Finland arranged a lecture on how to prevent genocide, in the city library of Mariehamn, on Åland. The lecture was given by Helena Ranta, professor at Helsinki University and chairperson of UNIFEM Finland. Helena Ranta's Power Point presentation you can download here (in Swedish).Seminar on the right of linguistic minorities to recieve education in and of their own language
On Thursday 21st of October 2010, the Åland Islands Peace Institute and the Multicultural society of Åland will arrange a seminar on the right of linguistic minorities to recieve education in and of their own language at the city library in Mariehamn, Åland. The seminar, that is held in Swedish, will start at 3 p.m.
Key note speaker is Mr Kristian Myntti, researcher at the Law department of Åbo Akademi University. A report on the same topic, written by Mr Myntti, was recently published by the ÅIPI.
At the seminar Ms Ingrid Iremark, general consul of Sweden on Åland, will compare Finnish and Swedish jurisdiction in the area of minority education. Mr Jouko Kinnunen participate in a discussion about the situation of linguistic minorities on Åland.
Peace Institute contributes to the Conference on multilingualism in the Nordic countries
The Peace Institute co-organizes together with the Research Center for Social Development, the University of the Faroe Islands the conference "Four or more languages for all: Language policy challenges of the future", which will be held on 22-24 August 2011 in the Nordic House in Tórshavn, the Faroe Islands. This conference is based on a broad understanding of multilingualism and language policy.
The organizers are currently looking for scientific contributions to the conference. Read their call for papers in the summary below or in pdf here: english, danish and faroese.
More information can be found at the webpage of the Research center for social development.
ÅIPI contributed to seminar on demilitarization
On the 7th of September 2010 the Peace Institute Director Ms. Sia Spiliopoulou Åkermark participated in a seminar on the demilitarization of Åland in relation to new European challenges that was held in the Parliament of Åland. Key note speaker was Mr Alexander Stubb, Foreign Minister of Finland.
Seminar on Scottish devolution
On 16th of June 2010 at 13.00-15.00 a seminar with Dr. Eve Hepburn on Scottish devolution was held in the Parliament building of Mariehamn. The organizers were the Åland Parliament and the Åland Islands Peace Institute. The seminar was held in English, with the option of asking questions in Swedish.
The theme was the following: Scotland's parliament is now over a decade old. The Scottish nation has been irrevocably changed by the devolution settlement in 1999, but the need for further constitutional change continues to dominate the political agenda. The lecture explored three main questions. First, why did devolution take place? Second, what are the main features of the devolution settlement, in terms of institutions and powers for Scotland? And finally, what are the consequences of devolution? Has it been a success or a failure? And is it really a stepping stone to independence?
A summary of the seminar can be found here.
More information on Dr Hepburn can be found here.
Seminar: Ålandic contributions to peace
On the 30th of March 2010, at the day of the demilitarization of Åland, a seminar on peace workwas held at Ålands handelsläroverk in Mariehamn. At the seminar persons who have contributed to peace related work abroad shared their experiences. The possibilities to use Ålandic experiences in peace work was discussed, with the Åland example as a point of departure.
The seminar was held in Swedish.
Download Tom Asplund's presentation of CMC here. (pdf)
Seminar on EU strategies
On Monday 11 January 2010 the seminar "Strategic options for Åland in the EU" was held in the town library of Mariehamn. The seminar is based on the researcher Sarah Stephan's report "Regional voices in the European Union - regions with legislative power and multi-level-governance. Perspectives for the Åland Islands."Sarah Stephen demonstrates how different ways of looking at the EU can have effects on the methods for influence chosen by regions. She also indicates that there are more ways of gaining influence than those normally considered, and since these methods do not need to be expansive they can also be useful for smaller regions with limited resources.
A few possible alternatives for Åland is to increase the presence in Brussels, to offer expert knowledge within special areas of expertise, and to increase the knowledge of Åland at a national level as well as at a European level through for instance civil service exchanges.
Maria Ackrén: The self-governance of Åland in global comparison, 2009
Maria Ackrén recently defended her doctoral thesis ”Conditions for Different Autonomy Regimes in the World - A Fuzzy-set Application” at Åbo Akademi in Turku. In her thesis she maps the territorial autonomies of the world and shows how the fuzzy-set method can be used in the field of comparative politics. On 1st of December 2009 at 2p.m. in the auditorium of the Åland Parliament, she gave a lecture in Swedish on her thesis, mainly focusing on findings interesting from an Ålandic perspective.
The event was arranged by the Åland Parliament and the Åland Islands Peace Institute jointly.
Seminar on identity and attitudes towards immigration
About 40 people came to the city library in Mariehamn, Åland, on the evening of the 8th of September 2009 to listen to researcher Bogdan State presenting his report "Strangers by degrees: Attitudes toward Immigrants in the Åland islands".
Local media, as well as the Swedish-speaking newspaper Huvudstadsbladet in Helsinki, have reported on the report and its results.
Links to some of the reports (in Swedish) can be found below.
Nya Åland - Bra svenska det vikitgaste för att bli ålänning 9.9.2009
Ålands radio - Bättre svenskundervisning ger lyckad integration 8.9.2009
Tv 24 - Åland 24 den 9:e september 9.9.2009
Seminar comparing Åland and Okinawa
On the 1st to 2nd of September 2009 the Åland Islands Peace Institute, together with the Japan Local Government Centre (London), organized a seminar on the theme "Transforming the relationship with Central Government", in Mariehamn, Åland. The purpose was to compare the two island regions since they show interesting similarities and differences. The invited speakers from Okinawa, Japan, and Åland, Finland, discussed issues concerning economy, peace and politics.
The comparison focuses on the self-governing, demilitarized Åland region and the Ryukyu islands southwest of the Japanese mainland in the Pacific Ocean. The islands with 1,4 million inhabitants are a popular tourist resort and have a language and culture distinct from the mainland. The U.S. military presence in Okinawa after World War 2 has had great impact on Okinawa's social, economic, and cultural development. For the self-sustaining development of Okinawa, Okinawa is setting up a centre for IT industry accumulation and an institute of science and technology. Okinawa has a special free trade zone since 1999 to promote industry and trade.
Download the seminar programme here
The organisers have written a report from the event, that can be downloaded here.
Aud-Lise Norheim: How can a small country make a difference for peace? 2009
The Norwegian ambassdor in Beirut, Lebanon, Aud Lise Norheim, will give a public speech at the City library in Mariehamn, Åland, on the 18th of August at 13.30-15.00. The ambassador will speak on the importance of continuous dialogue as a prerequisite for peace making and will share her experiences from a long career around the world, including work in the Middle East and South Africa. The name of the lecture is 'How can a small country make a difference for peace?'.
A summary of the lecture can be downloaded here.
Seminar on European security policy
The common security and defence policy of the European Union is rapidly being developed and is also a central part of the security of Finland. How does the Finnish account of security and defence policy meet the challenges of the future? What will be Sweden’s priorities for the presidency? What will this mean for Åland?
On 1 June at 13.00 the Europe Information, in cooperation with the Åland Islands Peace Institute, arranged a seminar on security policy in the town library of Mariehamn. The lecture was held by Markus Lyra, Under Secretary of State for the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Nils Daag, Deputy Head of Unit at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Sia Spiliopoulou Åkermark, director of the Åland Islands Peace Institute, acted as discussant. Read more about the seminar here (in Swedish).
Åland's demilitarisation - self-evident or threatened?
What effects does European security cooperation have on Åland's demilitarisation? The Åland Islands Peace Institute invited the public to discuss this question at the seminar "Åland's demilitarisation - self‐evident or threatened?" where both the threats and opportunities of enhanced security cooperation were discussed.
Around 35 persons came together at the Handelshögskola in Mariehamn to participate in the seminar on Monday evening, March 30th - Åland's Demilitarisation Day. Among the issues discussed were Thorvald Stoltenberg's recent report on enhanced Nordic security cooperation, the European security cooperation, enhanced by the Treaty of Lisbon, Finland's partnership for peace with NATO and a possible future Finnish Nato membership.
A summary of the content of the seminar can be found here.
Seminar on Åland's demilitarization
On the Day of the demilitarisation, 30th of March, the Åland Islands Peace institute was arranging a seminar on Åland's demilitarization - self evident or threatened? Is the demilitarization and neutralization of Åland affected by the security co-operation within Europe? The seminar was held in Swedish in Ålands Handelsläroverk at Östra Skolgatan Monday 30th of March 2009 at 6.00 p.m.
Seminar on the Lisbon treaty
On 24 February 2009 the Åland Islands Peace Institute organized a seminar on the Lisbon Treaty in the auditorium of the Ålandic parliament. The first speaker at the seminar, Janina Tallqvist, EU law‐making secretary at the Ministry of Justice, gave an overview over the changes to the current set‐up and functioning of the European Union to be implemented by the Lisbon Treaty. Susanne Eriksson, director of the Ålandic parliament, explored which implications these changes will have for the Åland Islands. Andreas Backfolk, special adviser of the Ålandic government in Brussels, discussed the changes in the decision‐making process. Read more about the seminar here .
Jan Eliasson: Reflections on mediation and conflict resolution, 2008
On the 8th of October 2008 Jan Eliason held a lecture in Mariehamn, Åland on "Reflections on mediation and conflict resolution, personal experiences from mediation in the conflicts Iran/Iraq, Nagorno-Karabach and Darfur".Until July 1, 2008 Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for Darfur. Jan Eliasson has a distinguished career as Swedish diplomat and finishing as Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2006. Eliasson was the President of the UN General Assembly 2005-06. Eliasson was the Swedish Ambassador to Washington 2000-05, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs 1994-2000 and UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, 1992-94. Earlier, 1988-1992, he was Sweden's Ambassador to the United Nations in New York.
Jan Eliasson was invited by the Åland Island Peace Institute through Betil Jobéus, Consul general of Sweden on Åland and member of the Peace Institutes' board.
Seminar on civil crises management
On may 9th 2008 at 10.00-13.30 the Aland Islands Peace Institute and the Crisis Management Center Finland held a seminar about civil crisis management at Ålands lagting in Mariehamn. Among the topics discussed were the civil crisis management at the Aland Islands, internally displaced persons and crisis management, experiences from field work in the Western Balkans and civil-military coordination, and Crisis Management Centre and Finland in the context of EU and United Nation civilian crisis management activities.
The speakers from the Aland Islands were county governor Peter Lindbäck, minister Roger Eriksson, director of the Aland Islands Peace Institute Sia Spiliopoulou Åkermark and researcher Rhodri Williams, also from the Aland Islands Peace Institute. Participants from the Crisis Management Center Finland were director Ari Kerkkänen, research director Kirsi Henriksson and senior researcher Jari Mustonen.
Roma people in Europe
The Åland Islands Peace Institute arranged in cooperation with the Åland Peace Association, the Red Cross, the Multicultural Society of Åland and the Workers' Educational Association a seminar about the situation of the Roma people in Europe. The seminar took place on Monday 28th April in the Parliament Building in Mariehamn.
Contributors at the seminar were Ingrid Schiöler from the Red Cross in Sweden and Gunnar Jansson, first deputy speaker of the Åland Parliament and former chairman of the Roma Delegation in Finland.
Ingrid Schiöler gave an insight to the historical and cultural background of the Roma people and said that the persecution and discrimination they have experienced, and still are experiencing, makes many Romas suspicious of the representants of the majority people. Gunnar Jansson, who talked about European Roma politics, stressed that the Roma must be given opportunities to participate in decisions concerning themselves, especially on a local level where most everyday matters are resolved. They both pointed out that problems emerge when people in welthy societies react to the living standards of newcomers, still, the housing situation and the possibility to provide for themselves can for the newcomers be much better here than in their homeland.
New report about the right of domicile
The Åland Islands Peace Institue has published a new report about the right of domicile in Åland.
In the report, Anna-Lena Sjölund (Researcher at the Åland Peace Institute) focuses on the right to conduct business, and own and/or be in possession of real property in Åland. She compares these rights with the non-discrimination principle of the EU.
Anna-Lena Sjölund will present her conclusions at a seminar in Mariehamn at Högskolan på Åland (Navigationsskolegränd 2) April 28th at 14-16.30. The seminar is arranged in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce.
The report "Ålandsprotokollet och EG-rättens icke-diskrimineringsprincip" (in Swedish) can be downloaded here [436 K]
Seminar on the integration of immigrants
On Thursday 7th February 2008 at 16.00-17.45 (Hotel Savoy, Nygatan 12, Mariehamn), the Åland Islands Peace Institute together with the Multicultural Association on Åland arrange the seminar Immigrant Integration in the Åland Islands. Åland Peace Institute's report Immigrant Integration on Åland – an exploratory study will be presented (in English) by the author of the report, Bogdan State.Comments by Kaveh Bahar, the Multicultural Association on Åland.
Discussion.
Warmly welcome!
Minoritetsseminarium i Uppsala
Den 16 november 2007 ordnar Ålands fredsinstitut ett seminarium om minoritetesfrågor i Östersjöområdet. Seminariet "Minority Policies in Transition" är en uppföljning av forskningsprojektet och boken International Obligations and National Debates: Minorities around the Baltic Sea (red. Sia Spiliopoulou Åkermark), som fredsinstitutet gav ut 2006.
Medarrangörer är Centrum för multietnisk forskning vid Uppsala universitet och det s.k. Gamla torget-samarbetet vid Uppsala universitet. Seminariet finansieras med stöd från Nordiska kulturfonden och Gamla torget-samarbetet.
I seminariet medverkar 16 minoritetsexperter från hela Österjöområdet. OSSE:s kommissionär för nationella minoriteter Rolf Ekeus kommer att hålla ett inledningsanförande.
Programmet kan laddas ner här.
Constitutions, Autonomies and the EU, Seminar 24th October 2007
On October 24th 2007, the Åland Islands Peace Institute arranged a seminar about the position of autonomous regions within the EU. The seminar focused on the development of the autonomy legislation in Spain and on the challenges of the Ålandic autonomy. The seminar was arranged in the Parliament Building in Mariehamn, Åland Islands. The seminar was conducted in English.
Kjell-Åke Nordquist: Reconciliation - a political reality? 2007
On 10 September 2007 at 18.30 Kjell-Åke Nordquist held a lecture in the town library of Mariehamn entitled ”Reconciliation – a political reality?”
The lecture dealt with reconciliation in both theory and practice. Nordquist unravels the concepts surrounding processes of reconciliation after war, and discusses what reconciliation could be and the ideas behind it. In recent years peace treaties have all the more often included elements of reconciliation, and the appointment of reconciliation commissions are often included in peace treaties. This is a relatively recent development in the history of peace processes. Twenty years ago reconciliation commissions barely existed. The process of reconciliation in South Africa, and its reconciliation commission, is perhaps one of the examples that have attracted the most attention.
Kjell-Åke Nordquist has himself worked with processes of reconciliation in, among others, East Timor and Colombia, from which he will also share his experiences. Kjell-Åke Nordquist is an associate professor in peace and conflict research at Uppsala University as well as a research developer at the Stockholm School of Theology.
Kjell-Åke Nordquist is a member of the board of directors of the Åland Islands Peace Institute as well as the chair of the institute’s research council.
Pär Stenbäck: International conflict management, 2007
The Åland Islands Peace Institute has invited Pär Stenbäck to hold a lecture entitled “International Conflict Management” in the town library of Mariehamn on 2 August at 18.30. Pär Stenbäck is a member of the board of directors of the Åland Islands Peace Institute. He has significant international experience from his time as the Foreign Minister of Finland and from innumerable international missions. He is, among other things, a board member of International Crisis Group.
International Crisis Group is an international non-state organisation with 130 employees on five continents. In addition to offices in Brussels, London, New York and Moscow there are twelve regional offices in conflict areas around the world. International Crisis Group analyses the situation on the ground, after which they compile reports and give concrete suggestions for measures that are required in order to solve or prevent conflict in the area at question.
Additionally the organisation publishes a monthly newsletter with updated information on international conflicts and risks of conflict. The organisation has recently published a peace plan for Sudan that attracted a lot of attention, as well as reports and commentaries on the situations in Papua, Haiti, Sierra Leone, Nepal, the Congo, Sri Lanka and East Timor.
Pär Stenbäck will discuss the work of the organisation in a range of current conflicts. In conjunction with the lecture there will also be an opportunity to discuss international conflict management.
Seminarium om hembygdsrätten
Seminariet HEMBYGDSRÄTT - NÄRINGSRÄTT - MEDBORGARRÄTT: HÖRNSTENAR I DEN ÅLÄNDSKA SJÄLVSTYRELSEN ordnas i Helsingfors den 14 juni 2007 kl. 13-17 i samband med Ålandsdagarna den 14-16 juni. Seminariet ordnas vid Helsingfors universitet, Unionsgatan 34, auditorium XV i universitetets huvudbyggnad. Arrangörer är Ålands langting och arrangörskommittén för Ålandsdagarna 2007, medan Ålands fredsinstitut och Centrum för Norden-studier vid Renvall-institutet står för planering och ledning av seminariet.
Hans Blix: The cold peace - time for disarmament, 2007
On 14 – 15 May 2007 Hans Blix visited Åland on invitation of the Åland Islands Peace Institute. Together with his wife Eva Kettis Hans Blix visited the Åland Islands Peace Institute, the Åland parliament and the Åland government. A trip was also made to Bomarsund and Kastelholm. On 14 May Hans Blix held a lecture at the town library of Mariehamn entitled “The Cold Peace. Time for Disarmament”.
Hans Blix is the chair of the International Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission, which initiated its work in 2004, and presented its report Weapons of Terror in May 2006. The report includes, among other things, sixty suggestions for nuclear disarmament. More information about the work of the commission can be found at www.wmdcommission.org.
Read a summary of the lecture, the reporting of Nya Åland on 15.5.2007, the interview and editorial of Nya Åland on 16.5.2007, as well as the column of consul general Bertil Jobeus in Västervikstidningen on 21.5.2007 (all in Swedish).
Seminarium om människohandel
Den 12 april 2007 kl. 14-15.30 ordnar fredsinstitutet ett eftermiddagsseminarium om människohandel (i lagtingets konferensrum 3). Huvudtalare vid seminariet är Marianne Eriksson, tidigare EU-parlamentariker och jämställdhetsexpert. Under sin nio år långa EU-karriär publicerade hon ett flertal rapporter om jjämställdhet, trafficking och mäns våld mot kvinnor. Marianne Eriksson har fått stor internationell uppmärksamhet för sittt betänkande om konsekvenserna av sexindustrin i EU. I seminariet medverkar även representanter för polisen och gränsbevakningen. Ladda ner programmet . Läs Nya Ålands artikel från seminariet.Seminarium om partier och ideologier i de nya EU-medlemsländerna
Seminarium i Mariehamns stadsbibliotek den 22 januari kl. 18-20 om partier och ideologier i de nya EU-medlemsländerna.
Föredrag: Susanne Jungerstam-Mulders
Moderator: Sia Spilopoulou Åkermark
Hur har de politiska partierna och det politiska livet utvecklats i de nya EU-medlemsstaterna? Vilka politiska ideologier och institutionella mönster förekommer i de baltiska staterna, i Polen, Ungern, Slovakien, Slovenien och Tjeckien? Har de politiska partierna i dessa länder utvecklats efter de mönster som de politiska partierna i Västteuropa följer?
Vilka skillnader och likheter har forskarna funnit? När Europeiska unionen som fredsprojekt omfattar länder där etniska späningar och uppdelningar förekommer, hur stor roll spelar regionala, kulturella och ideologiska frågor i det politisk livet? Vilken roll åtar sig de politiska partierna som förmedlare av medborgarnas åsikter och preferenser?
Susanne Jungerstam-Mulders är pol.dr.och t.f. forskningsledare vid Svenska yrkeshögskolan i Vasa samt styrelseledamot i Ålands fredsinstitut. Hon har nyligen redigerat och publicerat boken Post-Communist EU Member States - Parties and Party Systems, där forskare från de nya EU-länderna skriver om ovannämnda frågor.
Sia Spiliopoulou Åkrermark är direktör vid Ålands fredsinstitut.
Åland och andra problembarn i Europa - ett seminarium om autonomier och internationell rätt på Åland
Ålands fredsinstitut inbjuder härmed till ett seminarium med titeln "Åland och andra problembarn i Europa – ett seminarium om autonomier och internationell rätt" på Ålands demilitariseringsdag, den 30 mars 2005 kl 14-16. Seminariet anordnas vid Fredsinstitutet, Ålandsvägen 48.Program
14.00 Inledning, Barbro Sundback, ordförande i Fredsinstitutets styrelse
14.15 Hembygdsrättens tillkomst: ett exempel till kulturrätt, Fujio Ohnishi, gästforskare vid Ålands fredsinstitut. Sammanfattning
14.45 Små territorier i Europeiska unionen. Sören Silverström, EU-enheten, Ålands landskapsregering
Sammanfattning
15.15 Ethnic representation, individual rights and refugee return in Bosnia. Rhodri Williams
Sammanfattning
Alla är hjärtligt välkomna. Inga förhandsanmälningar krävs.
H01.12.2005ler e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , om du har frågor.
Krig och fred - seminarium på demilitariseringsdagen.
KRIG OCH FRED är temat på årets demilitariseringsdag, tisdag 30/3.
Dessutom utkommer en NY UPPLAGA av CHRISTER AHLSTRÖMS bok "Demilitariserade och neutraliserade områden i Europa". Se bifogat program!
Slaget vid Bomarsund är utgångspunkten på förmiddagen då landskapsstyrelsens museibyrå står för programmet. Krig som historiens hörnstenar och som kulturarv är frågor som tas upp i föredragen och i en diskussion med Nina Fellman och Jan Helin i panelen diskuteras våld och media under rubriken "från Bomarsund till Irak".
Mera information om förmiddagens program får ni av Graham Robins, tel 432135 eller 0457-374 9687.
På eftermiddagen pratar ambassadör Tom Grönberg om demilitarisering i praktiken och Christer Ahlström om demilitarisering i framtiden.
Ålands fredsinstitut arrangerar programmet på eftermiddagen och det är också dit ni skall vända er för att få mera information om Grönbergs eller Ahlströms inlägg.
Tel Robert Jansson 15 570 eller Marja-Leena Magnusson 23 238.