SRTRC SEMINAR Helsinki -FINLAND TUESDAY 09.04
Show Racism the Red Card! SRTRC–seminar 2013
”On the way towards more tolerance”
THE FINNISH MULTICULTURAL SPORTS FEDERATION FIMU
organized the anti-racism seminar in Helsinki on 9th April 2013.
Fimu is proud to here this:
Minister of Culture and Sport Paavo Arhinmäki speach: ”No one should suffer because of his or her background, Fimu has successfully launched SRTRC campaign in Finnish football fields. we support Fimu’s work and this is a good example of an international model to integrate immigrants using sport”
The main speaker was the Minister of Culture and Sport Paavo Arhinmäki. His message was strong and powerful. Minister Arhinmäki encouraged Finnish sports people to root out all racism from sport. He said that different sport activities are one of the best ways to integrate immigrants. No one should suffer because of his or her background.
Minister Arhinmäki also mentioned that Finnish sport teams need elite athletes with an international background. Their example could increase tolerance of multiculturalism and they could help Finland to succeed in the big, international and important sport competitions and games.
Fimu’s Chairman of the Board, Mourad Bentaleb introduced the “Show Racism the Red Card” – project, and elaborated on its history and current activities. The Executive Director of Fimu Leena Harjula-Jalonen emphasized to the public and the press that the anti-racism message must be clear. We won’t accept any kind of racism in Finnish sport.
Peter Kariuki, from the Advisory Board for Ethnic Relations (ETNO), talked about his administrative work in Ministry of the Interior, which is related to anti-racism work.
Satu Heikkinen from the cultural council in the ministry of Education and Culture gave a presentation about the grant programs given out by the Ministry. She told the audience about the criteria for government grants and she mentioned that some resources have been reserved in the budget for the fight against racism.
Top player Patrik Bantamoi talked about his own experiences as a Sierra Leonian footballer in the Finnish football team. He wanted to give tribute to Finnish tolerance, because he felt that here in Finland, things are much better than in many other countries.
The other speakers in the seminar were Executive Director Joni Vesalainen from JJK Jyväskylä, Jyrki Eräkorpi from HNMKY of social reinforcement, Executive Director Antti Olkinuora from Helsinki Human Rights and Executive Director Markus Juhola from Football Player Association. They presented the activities of the associations they were representing in the seminar. In addition they said how the associations cooperate with Fimu and how they want to foster anti-racism action in their daily work and activities.
