Ministry for Foreign Affairs to present results of development cooperation at the World Village Festival

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs is a main partner of the World Village Festival taking place on 27–28 May in Suvilahti, Helsinki. This year’s festival theme is "Force for Change!".

Making a rare appearance in Finland, Finnish-Ecuadorian climate activist Helena Gualinga comes to the World Village Festival to give a keynote speech at the invitation of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Gualinga, 21, grew up in Finland and in the Kichwa Sarayaku community in the Ecuadorian rainforest. She has spoken at several international climate conferences, such as the UN Climate Change Conference in New York, and at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Gualinga will speak about how the traditional territories of indigenous peoples are threatened as climate change progresses and how communities are fighting oil and mining companies.

“It is important for me to be involved in the fight against climate change. I believe in change and that humanity is not separated from nature,” says Gualinga.

Gualinga will be on the Speaker’s Stage on Saturday 27 May at 14.15–14.45. She will deliver her keynote in English.

Ministry for Foreign Affairs stands with Ukraine

Finland's support for Ukraine will be visible throughout the Festival. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs in cooperation with Fingo is bringing the Ukrainian-Canadian band Balaklava Blues to perform at the Festival on Sunday. Taking a stance in its music against the violence Ukraine is being subjected to, Balaklava Blues combines many musical trends, such as EDM and Ukrainian folk. The band’s first performance in 2015 received Amnesty International's Freedom of Speech Award.

“Balaklava Blues music is a reclamation of the violence perpetrated on my home country. We want to redesign and remix physical and psychological oppression and question how and why it continues to inform who we are and what we can become”, says the band’s founder Mark Marczyk.

Balaklava Blues will perform on the Music Stage on Sunday 28 May at 15.30–16.30. Afterwards the band members will sign autographs in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs rainforest-themed tent at 17.15 and answer interview questions at the Speaker’s Stage at 18.10–18.30.

The Ukrainian children's choir Jasni will perform in front of the Festival's Ukrainian-themed photo wall on Sunday 28 May at 16.45.

Located near the Sörnäisten rantatie entrance, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs tent will stay open through the weekend. Visitors can get into the spirit of rainforest and take a fun quiz to learn more about Finland's development cooperation. Quiz participants can enter a raffle for a chance to win one of 2 museum cards giving free access to many museums in Finland.

Press conference

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs will hold a press conference for media representatives on Friday 26 May at 12 noon at Suvilahti Tiivistämö. Helena Gualinga will be available for interviews at the event.