On 4 May 2023, leading experts and some 200 participants gathered in Turku, Finland, for the first edition of the Council of Europe Human Rights Day to discuss the Council of Europe’s impact on human rights in Finland. The thematic focus of this year’s event was on resilience and civil participation at the municipal level, with the emphasis on the promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

” This event is part of a joint, wider and comprehensive effort - involving 46 European countries - to put on the agenda key Human Rights-issues in Europe today, and to help people better understand the role and mandate of the Council of Europe, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Bjørn Berge, said in his keynote speech introducing the continent’s leading human rights organisation at the opening of the expert seminar.

“We need to stand united against violent nationalism and political forces seeking to destroy the very values we all share. We are here today because we believe in building a stronger Europe resisting extremism, misinformation, hate speech and protect free media and journalists, the Deputy Secretary General stressed.

The agenda of the event, aimed at decision-makers, experts, researchers and local residents included also a research seminar and a public event organised by and for young people.  

In her opening remarks, the Mayor of Turku, Minna Arve, emphasised that cities have a special place in the world as defenders of freedom, human rights and democracy. “In local communities - municipalities and cities, we operate close to people. What we do is not abstract and high-level but reflects everyday life”. She also said that since the beginning of this year, the most important task of Finnish municipalities has been to take care of children and young people in particular. “This year in Turku, we wanted that the thoughts of children and young people would be reflected in the program. Today, we will get the results of a survey, carried out this spring, about how young people experience that their human rights are realized in their lives, the Mayor said.

The event was jointly organised by the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities, the Human Rights Centre, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the City of Turku and Åbo Akademi University.

• Programme (Finnish Swedish)