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Progress of the government action plan to combat racism The government action plan to combat racism and promote equality implements the policies set out in the equality statement issued by the Government. The selected measures are based on an asse...

Ministerial portfolios and deputising At its first plenary session, the Government decides on the division of responsibilities between ministers, for ministries with more than one minister. Ministers are of equal status within the ministry. Each m...

26.6.2026 | Supplementing the National Inventory of Living Heritage The UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage was adopted by the UNESCO General Conference in 2003. Finland ratified the Convention in 2013, and the Finnish H...

22.9.2025 | The Ministry of Education and Culture’s proportion of the 2026 budget proposal is EUR 8.9 billion, which is some EUR 4.4 million more than in the 2025 Budget. Despite continued pressure on general government finances, the proposal maintains investment in education, research and competence.

5.9.2024 | On 5 September, the Government adopted a resolution on an action plan for combating racism and promoting equality. The action plan elaborates on the statement on promoting equality, gender equality and non-discrimination in Finnish society, which the Government submitted to Parliament on 31 August 2023.

11.3.2025 | Prime Minister Petteri Orpo invited representatives from Finland’s six largest cities (Helsinki, Espoo, Tampere, Vantaa, Oulu and Turku), immigrant organisations, religious communities and public officials to explore ways to promote good relations between population groups in Finland. The event was organised in cooperation with the City of Vantaa on 11 March.

3.11.2023 | A growing number of the world’s conflicts are sparked by differences in religion and worldview. We need religious and traditional peacemakers to understand the underlying causes of crises, to prevent crises and to support mediation efforts. In ten years, the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers has grown into a significant actor in faith-based mediation. Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs has supported the Network from the start.

13.5.2025 | 1 (6) 12.5.2025 VN/13789/2025 VN/13789/2025- VNK-2 Postiosoite Käyntiosoite Puhelin Faksi s-posti, internet Postadress Besöksadress Telefon Fax e-post, internet Postal Address Office Telephone Fax e-mail, internet Valtioneuvoston kanslia PL 23 Sne...

7.5.2021 | The Ministry of the Interior has published a report on the perceived security threats raised by different religious communities in Finland concerning their religious premises. The report also lists proposals for improving the safety and security of such premises.

30.6.2021 | A report compiled by a working group appointed by the Ministry of the Interior includes several recommendations for improving the safety and security of the premises of religious communities. The report recommends that religious communities systematically improve the safety and security of premises. To this end, the working group has drawn up a model safety and security plan for use by the communities.

23.9.2024 | The Ministry of Education and Culture’s proportion of the 2025 budget proposal is EUR 8.45 billion, which is some EUR 411 million more than in the 2024 Budget. The proposal implements the Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's Government, which aims to invest, even in a difficult economic situation, in raising the level of education and training and improving the conditions for conducting science, research and development.

3.5.2024 | On 3 May, the Ministry of Education and Culture published the 2024 Bildung Review, which compiles statistical and other information on the administrative branch of the Ministry, its development and situation in international comparison. The themes for 2024 are regionality, life cycle and the fields of education and culture. The objective of the annually published review is to create an overall picture of the extensive administrative branch as a whole.

4.6.2024 | The eight winners of the 2024 State Awards for Public Information were praised for calling attention to issues that would have otherwise been sidelined, shaking up entrenched attitudes, and promoting international perspectives in the Finnish public debate.

26.2.2024 | Statement by Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen at the High-Level Segment of the United Nations Human Rights Council's 55th session on 26 February 2024.

6.11.2023 | Speech by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo in memorial of the Jews handed from Finland over to Nazi Germany, 6 November 2023.

3.11.2023 | More than 800 invited guests are expected to attend the state funeral of former President of the Republic Martti Ahtisaari in Helsinki on Friday 10 November. In addition to state protocol, the invited guests will reflect former president Ahtisaari’s decades-long international career.

21.7.2022 | The National Action Plan for the Prevention of Violent Radicalisation and Extremism for 2019–2023 has now reached its halfway point, and despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, reasonable progress was made in 2021. The main focus of the measures implemented in 2021 was on organising different types of training online, according to the annual report.

18.11.2022 | The number of immigrants in Finland continues to grow. However, their turnout in elections and participation in politics is much lower than among the native-born Finnish people. A new policy brief of the Centre of Expertise in Immigrant Integration of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment presents ways to strengthen the political participation of people with a foreign background. 

13.9.2022 | The Rural Village Water Resources Management Project in the Far West regions of Nepal succeeded in improving the rights and livelihoods of women, girls and disadvantaged groups. Development cooperation addressed a number of gender equality issues.

18.2.2021 | According to the annual report, work on preventing violent extremism and radicalisation has proceeded well despite the coronavirus pandemic.