Exhibition on the Åland Islands model for international conflict resolution
This year marks the 90th anniversary of the League of Nations’ resolution in the Åland Islands dispute in favour of Finland. The resolution led to the signing of the Convention relating to the Non-fortification and Neutralization of the Åland Islands. The United Nations Office in Geneva, in cooperation with the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the National Archives of Finland and the Åland Government, have arranged an exhibition in the League of Nations Museum in Geneva.
The exhibition sheds light on the different phases of the Åland Islands question, starting from the turbulence that followed the Russian revolutions in 1917 to the Finnish–Swedish tug-of-war on international forums in 1919–1920 and finally to the decisions made by the League of Nations in June and October 1921. Documents, publications and photographs are on display to illustrate the formation of opinions concerning the Åland Islands, military presence there, and the role of diplomacy. The autonomous Åland Islands and the economic and social success of the Åland Islands are the themes of the latter part of the exhibition.
The purpose of this exhibition is to give a realistic picture of the Åland Islands’ success story, but also to highlight the Åland Islands model as an effective concept for resolving international disputes.
The exhibition is opened on 21 June 2011 and will continue until the end of the year. The exhibitions address is Palais des Nations, 8–14 avenue de la Paix.
Additional information: Pertti Hakala, Researcher, the National Archives of Finland, [email protected], mobile tel. +358 50 33 014 33; Kenneth Gustavsson, PhD, Åland Museum, [email protected], tel. +358 18 25483; Pertti Nummela, Head of Information Service, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, [email protected], tel. +358 9 160 55342.