The Europe Forum will bring together an impressive group of Finnish and international decision-makers and experts to Turku from August 27 to 29. The public will have the opportunity to participate in the discussions by registering for the event starting August 1. The Europe Forum is free and open to all.
The Forum’s programme continues to grow with new speakers. Finland’s 30 years of EU membership will be examined from various perspectives, with keynote appearances by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo and European Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen. The Forum will open with a speech by SDP Chair and Member of Parliament Antti Lindtman. Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering Joakim Strand will also contribute a ministerial perspective to the conversations on Europe’s future.
Economic policy perspectives will be presented by, among others, Olli Rehn, Governor of the Bank of Finland and keynote speaker of the Esko Antola Lecture. Other confirmed speakers include former EU Commissioner and Governor of the Bank of Finland Erkki Liikanen, MP Pekka Haavisto, Councellor of State and former Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, and long-time MEP and former Vice-President of the European Parliament Heidi Hautala. Hiski Haukkala, Director of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, will join the debate on the EU’s role in a changing international order.
The Europe Forum will also feature an exceptionally wide array of Members of the European Parliament, including:
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Mika Aaltola (EPP, National Coalition Party)
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Li Andersson (The Left, Left Alliance)
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Anna-Maja Henriksson (Renew, Swedish People’s Party)
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Eero Heinäluoma (S&D, Social Democratic Party)
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Elsi Katainen (Renew, Centre Party)
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Ville Niinistö (Greens/EFA, Green League)
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Aura Salla (EPP, National Coalition Party)
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Jussi Saramo (The Left, Left Alliance)
International speakers include Austrian MEP Lukas Mandl (EPP), who will participate in a panel on European security, and Hosuk Lee-Makiyama, Director of the European Centre for International Political Economy and a respected economic policy expert, who will speak on the EU’s position amid global competition and geopolitical pressures.
Discussions specifically aimed at young people will be organised by the Young European Federalists of Finland and the student unions of the University of Turku (TYY) and Åbo Akademi (ÅAS), with a focus on education in Europe.
Registration Opens on August 1 – Attend on Site or Online
Public registration for on-site participation at the Europe Forum opens on August 1 via the event website. The event is free and open to all, but places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
All discussions at the Europe Forum will also be streamed live at www.europeforum.fi. Online participation does not require registration. Programmes in Finnish and Swedish will be simultaneously interpreted into English in real time.
“The World is Changing – How Will Europe Respond?” is the theme of this year’s Forum. Finland’s political autumn kicks off once again in Turku – welcome to join the conversation on Europe’s future!
