The Åland islands Peace Institute is now presenting a new report in the series Report from the Åland Islands Peace Institute. The report deals with the legal framework for integration of newcomers to Åland and to Finland. It is written by Ms Petra Granholm.
The autonomous Åland Islands in the middle of the Baltic Sea, but in the periphery of both Finland and Sweden, are often cited as one of the most successful examples of minority protection. The Autonomy Act with its roots in a decision by the League of Nations in 1921, grants the Swedish-speaking islands guarantees for its language, culture and traditional customs.
Åland has been viewed as a homogenous society, but has now 82 countries and 51 languages represented within a population of 27 500 inhabitants. Multicultural Åland raises a number of questions, both regarding minority rights issues and integration policies. How flexible and welcoming can the islands be without stepping on the toes of a system of autonomy that has proved successful for many years, and wants to stay successful for many years to come?
The report is written in Swedish and includes a summary in English.
The report can be downloaded here.
