On 9 June 2026, the City of Kouvola in Finland hosted a meeting of the Congress Committee on Social Inclusion and Human Dignity, organised in partnership with the Association of Finnish Cities and Municipalities. A highlight of the agenda was the unanimous approval of a report on "Regional exodus in Europe: addressing the causes and creating new opportunities for rural communities." The report, which examines the outflow of young and working-age people from rural areas, benefited from the input of local Finnish experts, reflecting Finland's unique demographic challenges and innovative responses to population decline. The report will be debated further at the 51st Congress Session in October 2026.
The meeting welcomed Finland's Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen, who reaffirmed Finland's ongoing support for Ukrainian refugees, a topic now under a new Congress report in early stages of preparation. Other issues discussed included combating antisemitism-featuring experts from the Finnish Centre for Preventing and Combating Antisemitism-and the criminal, prevention and harm reduction aspects of drugs, which are fast evolving at the local and regional levels, with contributions from the Finnish Association for Substance Abuse Prevention. Youth delegates from the Congress also played an active role throughout the meeting.
The event underlined the collaborative efforts of local, national, and European authorities to address pressing demographic and social issues facing communities today.
