The ETMU Award is given annually, based on the suggestions of ETMU members, to a person, organization, collective who has promoted good ethnic relations and cultural diversity in Finland or internationally. Recent recipients have included Shadia Rask in 2024, Suvi Keskinen and the collective Palestinian Voices in Finland in 2023, Dr. Ibrahim Ahmed and Dr. Hibo Abdulkarim in 2022, and Johanna Leinonen in 2021.
This year’s awardee is a civil organization we could describe as a young one as it was established in 2018. In that time, it has established itself as a significant actor in the field of anti-racism in Finland with over 700 members and many events and initiatives that amplify the voices of racialized minorities in Finland. This vibrant collective has become a trusted partner for many organizations and academics committed to creating an equal and safe Finland for all people.
One of the many strengths of this year’s awardee is its ability to draw connections. connections between anti-racist work and anti-capitalist work, connections between different positionalities, connections between systems and structures of oppression. Through its commitment to intersectional antiracism, this year’s awardee provides a platform for historically minoritized groups in Finland and has actively contributed to shaping discussions about race and racism in Finnish society and politics.
The scope of the work done by this year awardee is vast. It serves as a peer-to-peer support community for people belonging to racialized minorities to fight against isolation as well as institutional and structural barriers. Its website provides an open-access glossary to put words on realities and experiences, providing a crucial tool to accurately talk about and eventually dismantle systems of oppression. It also organizes events, exhibitions, and trainings, all of which contribute to breaking down stereotypes about immigrants and racialized minorities in Finland.
With no regular funding, this year’s awardee primarily relies on the voluntary work of a group of individuals whose commitment to building antracist futures is deeply inspiring and resonates with the vision ETMU shares.
Six years ago, following a chance encounter on what was then called Twitter, Baiar Kutal, Brigita Krasniqi, Nitin Sood and Pazilaiti Simayijiang created the civil society we are awarding today. Please join us in celebrating this year’s inspiring ETMU Awardee: Fem-R!
You can read more about the work Fem-R does by visiting their website: https://www.fem-r.fi/