Natural disaster experiences by Red Cross workers presented in the Facing Disaster exhibition in Heureka

The Finnish Red Cross has been involved in the design of the interactive Facing Disaster exhibition by Science Centre Heureka, focusing on natural disasters. 

“The world’s disaster areas constantly reveal how climate change accelerates natural disasters and affects the prerequisites of people’s lives. We must also have a deeper understanding of these disasters here in Finland, as the climate crisis also touches us and as the people of countries with higher standards of living are most efficient at mitigating climate change,” says Pekka Reinikainen, influencing and communications specialist of the Finnish Red Cross. 

The Red Cross’s professionals of development co-operation and disaster relief have helped Heureka refine the contents, viewpoints and story-telling methods of the exhibition over a two-year preparatory period. 

The exhibition features stories by the Red Cross aid workers as well as items related to their experiences. Heureka’s leaning materials linked to the exhibition also share some of the stories. 

We have to prepare for disasters

The exhibition approaches natural disasters from the perspective of resilience. Resilience refers to a community’s ability to adapt to change, prepare for them and learn and recover from crises.

“At the moment, natural disasters strike the hardest those people who do not have the possibility to sufficiently prepare for the upheavals or who cannot afford to build anew after the disaster. This is why climate change is increasing the need for humanitarian aid a great deal. In addition to direct emergency aid, the Red Cross is constantly working to ensure that the people in the most vulnerable positions in the world could also reinforce their preparedness for disasters.”

Climate change is increasing the need for humanitarian aid.

Natural phenomena have changed their form not only in the most vulnerable areas of the world, but also in the Nordic countries. In the future, power outages caused by storms can become more common, for example, and people will have to learn to prepare for them.

The Facing Disaster exhibition was opened on Saturday 20 November and will continue until September 2023. During the exhibition, the Red Cross’s free magazine The Risk Zones is distributed at Heureka. The magazine brings added depth to the exhibition's message and presents the work the Red Cross does all over the world.

Discount on tickets for Red Cross members

The members of the Finnish Red Cross will receive a discount of 20% on the exhibition tickets 1 December 2021–31 January 2022.

The discount is granted by showing the voucher in the November issue of Avun maailma magazine. Members can also prove their membership with the paper membership card attached to the membership payment form as well as with the Oma Punainen Risti member profile in their mobile phone. The discount cannot be granted for tickets purchased online.