Responsible Arms Trade? Seminar in Helsinki August 27

EU Foreign and Defence Ministers are arriving to Helsinki for an informal meeting. The coalition programme of the new Finnish government has outlined Finnish foreign and security policy from the viewpoint of global responsibility.

At the occasion of the EU meeting, peace organisations invite you to the seminar Responsible Arms Trade? in Eurooppasali (Malminkatu 16, Helsinki) on August 27 2019. The event highlights the themes of responsible and ethical foreign and security policy in EU and Finland through arms trade and arms control. The speakers will focus on Middle East politics and on peace building in a conflict-prone region.

The seminar opens with addresses by Jeff Halper, Laëtitia Sedou and Salih Muslim Muhammad.

Jeff Halper is a human rights activist and cultural anthropologist from Israel. He has taught at Haifa and Ben Gurion Universities and published several books and articles on the Israel/Palestine conflict. Halper is a founding member of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD). He is part of the One Democratic State Campaign which calls for the establishment of one democratic state in Israel/Palestine.

Laëtitia Sedou is the coordinator of the European Network against Arms Trade (ENAAT). She follows EU decision-making on the European Defence Fund and coordinates related advocacy.

Salih Muslim Muhammad is the head of international affairs of the Democratic Union Party from Syria.

Commentary from the Finnish perspective will be provided by Kari Paasonen (SaferGlobe), Frank Johansson (Amnesty International Finland) and Syksy Räsänen (ICAHD Finland).