”Our goal is for people to feel valued and able to influence within their community”
The Poverty and Food Aid webinar, scheduled for 9 November 2023, will examine poverty in Finland from three different perspectives.
The food aid organisation coordination development project led by the Finnish Red Cross is hosting a webinar on 9 November 2023, from 9 am to 12 pm, where we will take a moment to examine poverty from three different perspectives.
The event will give a voice to representatives of families with children, the unemployed, students, and the elderly, shedding light on what poverty and the need for food aid mean for individuals in various life situations today.
Representatives from municipalities, wellbeing service counties and the state will also have the opportunity to speak, outlining the solutions that the public sector provides to those living in poverty and in need of food assistance, as well as the solutions that are in development.
Lastly, we will hear how food aid, and the right to food and livelihood appear from a human rights perspective.
The event will be opened by the Secretary General of the Finnish Red Cross Eero Rämö.
– Food aid plays a crucial role in enhancing participation, community and well-being. Humanity is at the core of the Finnish Red Cross' food assistance activities. We aim to meet every individual seeking help with respect and provide comprehensive support. Our goal is for people to feel valued and able to influence within their community, says Rämö.
The objective of the webinar is to bring together different stakeholders to discuss poverty and food aid and consider solutions to address the challenging current situation.
– An increasing number of people in Finland rely on food aid. In the current situation, strengthening collaboration between food aid organisations and the public sector is more important than ever to ensure that food assistance is available where it is needed, Rämö emphasises.
Speakers invited to the event include Sonja Kekkonen from Save the Children, Eliisa Juntunen from Sakki ry, Juha Keränen from the Finnish National Organisation of the Unemployed, Mia Niemi from the Office of the Ombudsman for Older People, Anna-Mari Sopenlehto-Jokinen from the City of Turku, Ritva Liukonen from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, and Anna Salmivaara from the Finnish League for Human Rights.
The event will be concluded by Susanna Uusi-Pohjola, the Head of Unit for Well-being and Health of the Finnish Red Cross.
The discussion will be moderated by journalist and host Maria Pettersson.
Please register by 7 November 2023.
The event is aimed at decision-makers in municipalities and wellbeing service counties regarding food aid, government officials coordinating food aid grant projects, experts in wellbeing service counties interfaces, NGO representatives, staff and volunteers involved in food aid, as well as anyone interested in poverty, the need for food aid, social security and helping.
The webinar is organised by the Finnish Red Cross-led food aid organisation coordination development project. The project is carried out in collaboration with umbrella organisations for food aid and government authorities.
