Write encouraging messages to journalists imprisoned for political reasons and learn about the situation in Belarus.
Belarus has a discouraging situation regarding press freedom. Currently, around 40 journalists have been sentenced to prison because the state’s terror regime is trying to suppress free journalism.
In August, Merkki and the Reporters without Borders Finland launched a joint prisoner support activity. Through a letterbox wall, the messages will be delivered to Belarusian prison cells. Each message shows that the prisoners have not been forgotten, and the work to promote human rights continues all over the world.
Friday 13.9. at 2 to 5 pm. we gather to write messages of hope and encouragement to the prisoners. Journalist, media entrepreneur and human rights activist Ingrid Svanfeldt will present her knowledge about the situation of journalists in Belarus and also the solidarity work to help them. The event takes place in the Merkki museum (Ludviginkatu 2-4, Helsinki).
The messages written at the event will be documented in the Merkki archives as part of a contemporary collecting campaign by TAKO (Network for Collections Management and Contemporary Documentation in Finland). The participants shall fill out a consent form. It is voluntary to participate in the documentation.
Please note: the presentation by Ingrid Svanfeldt is in Finnish, but she will be present during the event and will discuss in English, too. We warmly encourage non-Finnish speakers to attend the event! The messages can be written in Finnish or English.