On 20 October 2021, 100 years have passed since the Åland Convention on the demilitarisation and neutralisation was signed. To mark this historic date, the Parliament of Åland is organizing a seminar with the title Demilitarisation and neutralisation – a stabilising force for peace in the region. The seminar is stressing the status of Åland as a living and since a long time ago established regime in the Baltic Sea region.
The seminar begins with the opening words of the host, the Speaker of the Åland Parliament Bert Häggblom. We will then hear addresses from the President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinistö, the Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto and the Minister of Justice Anna-Maja Henriksson, who is responsible for Åland issues within the Finnish Government.
Sweden’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Robert Rydberg will speak of the international lessons and we will hear also Director of the Åland Islands Peace Institute, associate professor of international law Sia Spiliopoulou Åkermark and Deputy Director Åsa Gustafsson, researcher in international law at Åbo Akademi University.
The seminar gathers ambassadors accredited to Finland, the Åland Parliament and Government and representatives of other stakeholders.
The seminar is live-streamed at 2 pm to appr. 3.30 pm on the Åland Parliament’s YouTube channel and can be followed via the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zllh3ukDMmc. The recording will be available online until 2 November 2021.
