The foundation for FinnAgora organized on the 19th of October a seminar to celebrate the 20-years the foundation has been operating.
The speakers of the event were:
- Member of Parliament Eveliina Heinäluoma, the chairperson for the Hungary friendship group;
-Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Education and Culture Anita Lehikoinen;
-Minister Kalevi Kivistö, former chair of the FinnAgora foundation;
-Father Ambrosius, chair of the FinnAgora foundation; and
-Participants to the panel discussion: Editor-in-Chief Jaakko Heinimäki, art historian Sani Kontula-Webb and Dean of the Sibelius Academy Emilie Gardberg.
- The seminar was moderated by Mikko Lohikoski the commissioner of the FinnAgora foundation.
Permanent Secretary Lehikoinen reminded that the best guarantee for democracy is an active civil society. Democracy and civilization go hand in hand. Open mindness and international collaboration form part of civilization. FinnAgora has been active in promoting these values.
Former chair of FinnAgora and Minister Kalevi Kivistö said that civil society has been a crucial part in the development of the political parties and labour unions in the Nordic countries. The war in Ukraine and the increase of authoritarian regimes are however taking the development backwards in Europe. Kivistö referred to the words of former President Mauno Koivisto and said that “in the name of culture one can do a lot of things”.
Father Ambrosius reminded that decency, beauty and love are at the core of cultural work. Cultural institutes have a strong duty to share things learnt together. FinnAgora’s key objective is to promote learning together and collaboration.