UN Anti Racism Week

Oulu 2007

(Click on any image to see a slide show of the images shown below.)

The Organising Committee was chaired by Heikki Mankinen of Amnesty International. Others on the Committee were Eija Isoviita, Maija Polojärvi, Päivi Hirvonen, Päivi Pussinen, Henna Juusola, Emilia Frantsi, Paivi Jurvakainen, Eric Mwai, Tero Raiskio, Hilmi Oral, Aruna Somani and Jacob Matthan (JM).

The organisations who joined to organise this event were the Oulu Circles of the Finnish Red Cross and Amnesty International, the Oulu International School, Oulu Setlementti and CHAFF.

The Committee was supported by the Oulu City Sports Division, L&T, the Oulu Fire Department, Codenomicon Oy, Goreme Pizza and Kebab ry, Raimo Kuismin, Pailin Thai Restaurant, the Oulu Rugby side, the Royal Garden Restaurant (Indian Cusine) and Jacob and Annikki Matthan.

Three other members of the Finnish Red Cross, Oulu Circle gave valuable support in all the activities: Tiina Rojola, Iikka Paajala and Juha Repo.

The events of the week included an Information Centre of NGOs in Oulu University on Monday 20th March, an exhibition on Discrimination by the children of Oulu International School on Wednesday 21st March, a panel discussion at the Oulu International School in the evening of 21st March on Oulu and problems of Etrhnic Minorities in Oulu, Finnish Red Cross Dustbins in Oulu on Friday 23rd March to collect prejudices of the people to be destroyed, a Snow Football Tournament (which was changed to broom football because of the lack of snow) in the Oulu Market Place on Saturday 24th March, which was followed by the symbolic burning of the prejudices collected in the Finnish Red Cross Trash Cans by the Fire Department.

Other events outside of this were a talk by Ildikó Hamós and JM at the Heinätori School on problems of Ethnic Minorities in Finland, events organised at different schools by the Oulu Setlementti, and a talk about Ethnic Minorities organised by Emilia Frantsi to the Social Anthropology Group of Oulu University by JM.

On the Wednesday (21st March), after the panel discussion, we were given a chance to taste the fine Indian food at the then still unopened Indian Restuarant in Oulu, The Royal Garden, Indian Cusine Section.

To close the whole programme, there was an Organising Committee Closure Meeting at the Pailin Restaurant on Tuesday 3rd April. The excitement of the successful week was shared by all who are raring to do something more daring next year!

Below are photographs from some of the events and issues related to the programme.

Special thanks to Kamutaza Tembo, the Graphic Designer from Zambia who gave the Programme a great tone by his excellent designs for the posters.

The photographs were provided by Pentti Paakki, the Finnish Red Cross, Unnop Khungrai and Jacob Matthan.

This page was designed and set up by Jacob Matthan.

For further information please contact:

Jacob Matthan
CHAFF (Chamber of Assistance for Finns and Foreigners)