Panel discussion: What should we talk about when we talk about security?

Global politics is in flux, with realpolitik increasingly reshaping international relations. The role of development cooperation is being redefined, even as persistent global challenges — from inequality and conflict to ecological breakdown — demand urgent and renewed attention. In this context, traditional notions of security are under scrutiny, and fresh approaches are needed to understand what makes societies safe.

Organized in collaboration with FINGO (the umbrella organization for Finnish development NGOs) and Tampere University’s International Relations discipline and students, Faculty of Management and Business.

Join us for an event where leading experts unpack what security means and explore the role of Finland in shaping a more just, sustainable, and secure future. The discussion will examine how current security policies shape global stability, what themes should guide security debates, and what practical steps can move us closer to peace, justice, and shared responsibility.

The program features contributions from Tampere University's International Relations students and a performance of a poem by Elina Lajunen from the Unit of Theatre Arts, Tampere University.

Panellists

· Tuomas Forsberg, Professor, International Relations, Tampere University

· Mariam Khawar, Researcher, University of Helsinki

· Mika Kerttunen, Doctor of Social Sciences, Lieutenant Colonel retired from the Finnish Army

· Cordelia Buchanan Ponczek, Research Fellow, Finnish Institute of International Affairs & Clarendon Scholar and doctoral candidate at the University of Oxford

· Valtteri Vuorisalo, Professor of Practice, Tampere University

· Linda Konate, Executive Director, Fingo (moderator)

Coffee will be served after the event for on-site participants, and we kindly ask you to register for catering purposes. Please, register by 3 December 2025 through this link:

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/R6mxqt0xAN

Welcome!

For more information, please, contact Anni Kangas, anni.kangas [at] tuni.fi, tel. 050 318 6032.