Tag Archives: education

Integration through Cultural Education

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Colorful multi-cultural integration concept tree set. Vector file layered for easy manipulation and custom coloring.

 

An individual’s social background is compounded partly by education and social interaction. Especially, cultural education is crucial in regards to integration into the society. Various programs, such as diverse arts and cultural workshops, within education have its importance in not only expanding the mind but also educating and supporting children and teenager.

Studies show that students who have attended workshops are three times more likely to graduate than those who do not. Workshops give children and teenager somehow to express themselves, if they do not have the support to do so at home. Also, it gets them to think creatively and inventively, and expanding their views and ways of thinking. Educating children with and without a migrant background is beneficial, since they learn more about other cultures, religions and lifestyles. Most importantly, it also helps fight discrimination and promotes awareness. Additionally, it is beneficial for children with migrant background to integrate fully into the society.

Due to the migration wave and the current refugee crisis in Europe, more cultural and educational programs are need to support the newcomers coming to Finland. However, also more workshops, dialogues and discussions are needed to educate Finnish citizens on the different lifestyles of the migrants and refugees. By enabling constructive communication between those two entities successful integration can be guaranteed.

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Panel Discussion: Integration Through Cultural Education

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In the light of current events regarding the refugee crisis and the huge immigration wave to Finland from all corners of the globe the question on integration is stronger than ever.

How to make the newcomers feel welcomed and that they belong to the Finnish community? How do these respective organizations see integration through culture and education? In other words, what does it mean to be integrated for each one of them? Is there a possibility to make everyone feel equal despite their country of origin, skin tone, mother tongue and religion? What role does education through culture of both children and adults play in this challenge? What are the issues in promoting interculturalism (multiculturalism) especially when it comes to integration?

The panelists are representatives of the public as well as the private sector. The fruitful discussion focused on integration through cultural education.

 

Panelists:

Ogechukwu Eneh, cultural producer from Caisa:

  • Mrs. Eneh is originally from Nigeria and came to Finland to study at the University of Helsinki approximately 30 years ago. She also worked at the University of Helsinki as a program manager for intercultural education.
  • Caisa is a multicultural center part of City of Helsinki Cultural Office which promotes development of cultural diversity and interaction between people in Helsinki through festivals, workshops, etc.

Margarita Sakilayan, project coordinator and project worker of Nicehearts of Vantaa:

  • Mrs. Sakilayan is originally from the Philippines and came to Finland around 10 years ago. She also has a master’s degree in Social Psychology from the University of Helsinki.
  • Nicehearts of Vantaa organizes various One current project called “Neighbourhood mothers” animates active immigrant women, who have been living in Finland for a long time already, educate and support other immigrant women in Finland.

Riitta Latvio, Project coordinator and executive director of Kulttuuri- ja uskontofoorumi FOKUS:

  • FOKUS builds bridges between cultures and religions via discussions, exhibitions, constructive dialogues, art and publications. Also, FOKUS promotes workshops during the World Interfaith Harmony Week, such as Islam and Fashion with the goal to educate children and teenager about the diversity of the Islam.

Eila Isotalus, Professional on intercultural competence development from Unidos:

  • Unidos supports customers when differences between cultures confuse or cause troubles, also supports people to benefit from cultural diversity. Unidos provides training and tools to understand multiculturality and to act smoothly in a multicultural environment.

 

Date and time: April 20th, 2016 at 10 AM in Think Corner Aleksi

If you are interested in watching our exciting panel discussion, check out the video on UniTube. 🙂

Visit: Interkult Kassandra

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The first visit we had regarding integration through cultural education was to the Kassandra Institute (Interkult Kassandra), where we talked to Catia S. Pedrosa, the executive director, and Venla Martikainen, the financial and administrative director. The young engaging and inspiring women informed us on Kassandra’s work promoting integration and diversity, and also providing workshops for the youth in Finland.

Interkult Kassanrda was founded in the year 2000, and works mostly on promoting integration through arts and culture. The organization was founded by theater director Ritva Siikala, whose goal was on building bridges among cultures, and supporting the further development of multiculturality. At first, it was aimed mostly on acting as a form of communication between cultures. Also, it was not only for “newcomers” but also for young Finns who wanted to meet new people as well as enjoyed theater.

Due to various changes, both politically and financially, Kassandra has developed and changed in how they work. First, the organization originally was supporting strongly feminism, which is why most of those who worked there were women. Nowadays, it is not only women who run the institute. Men are more active participants as well. Secondly, Kassandra provides more than theater and acting. For instance, it arranges various workshops for children and youngsters, where both the participants and the volunteering instructors learn from each other in a safe and fun environment. However, Kassandra has maintained one passion in their workshops, namely art!

Kassandra Institute organizes a special INTERKULTfest, a festival dedicated to performing arts for young adults.  Performers, both professional and amateur, are invited from all corners of the world promoting diversity as much as possible. The festival is organized once a year and cooperates with different schools from Finland in forms of workshops.

For more information visit: kassandra.fi

 

Visit: Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture

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Ministry-of-Education-and-Culture-of-Finland-logo

The second visit regarding our interest in integration through cultural education was to the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture. There we met Maija Lummepuro who is a Counselor for Cultural Affairs of the Department for Art and Cultural Policy, and Ulla-Jill Karlsson who works as a Special Government Adviser for the Department for Vocational Education and Training. The two representatives informed us about their work at their respective departments, and explained how the work on the political level contributes and changes the aspects on integration in Finland.

First of all, the work on a political level, unlike the non-profit one such as Interkult Kassandra, is completely different. It is more about cooperation between various ministries, and also between departments within the Ministry of Education and Culture.

The stimulating discussion was revolving mostly around internal factors (including financial resources) that affect the way the ministry functions as well as outside factors (politicians, circumstances in Europe and Finland outside the political sphere). Also, the recent budget cuts of the universities and of the ministry itself were mentioned. Due to this, the question of integration, especially among students coming from the outside of the EU, is critical as well as problematic. Non-EU students will not be able to come to Finland for their studies because of the lack of finances to provide their studies and also because of the unrealistically high tuition fees.

On a more positive note, the ministry’s fields in education, culture, sport and youth work hard on integrating asylum seekers and immigrants, especially nowadays despite the immense migration wave and economic crisis. Various educational programs will be provided not only for children but also for adults, so that they would be able to find training, employment and learn Finnish as well as Swedish.

For more information click here! 🙂