On 24 November 2015 the Åland Islands Peace Institute’s Chairperson Barbro Sundback and Acting Director Kjell-Åke Nordquist took part in a lunch seminar entitled “Would a crisis threaten the special status of Åland?”, organized by the think-tank Magma in Helsinki.
Ambassador emeritus Renée Nyberg, former Defence Minister Carl Haglund as well as the Chairperson of the Peace Institute Barbro Sundback, spoke about the unique position of the Åland Islands under international law. The starting point of the seminar was the fact that the demilitarisation and neutralisation of Åland must be considered when Finland is developing its military cooperation within the European Union and international organizations. Today there are different perceptions expressed of how Åland’s special status would be considered for instance in military emergencies or in a terrorist attack.