Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset will pay his first official visit to Finland on 27 and 28 November. During the visit, the Secretary General will meet the President of the Republic Alexander Stubb, the Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen, the Minister of Justice Leena Meri and the Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, among others.
Discussions are expected to focus on new steps towards accountability and justice for Ukraine, including the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, and how the New Democratic Pact for Europe can guide member states in responding to threats to democratic erosion and democratic security, as well as current political developments in general.
Secretary General Berset will also meet with the Finnish delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, exchange with representatives of civil-society organisations and participate in the Nordic Baltic Youth Summit.
The Secretary General will also explore how participatory foresight can help strengthen democratic resilience across the 46 member states in a roundtable discussion entitled "Can foresight help guide European democracies - 46 countries through the storm?" co-organised by Finnish authorities and the Council of Europe. Through this event, Finland is providing a significant contribution towards the New Democratic Pact for Europe, drawing on the Nordic tradition of trust, transparency and strong democratic institutions. That event will be live streamed via this link.
Secretary General Alain Berset
New Democratic Pact for Europe
Finland and the Council of Europe
Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine
