Finnish-UK colloquium on Women as Leaders in Public Service

A two-day event “Women as Leaders in Public Service”, a joint initiative by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, is organised in Helsinki on 31 August – 1 September. The aim is to have an exchange of information and free debate on the achievements of women in public service posts, the continuing challenges they face and the way ahead, with special reference to the importance of leadership skills and training. This is the first such event linking Britain and Finland and it is hoped that it will promote further networking and cooperation between all those involved, as well as producing helpful lessons.

The colloquium will be hosted and opened by Mr Erkki Tuomioja, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland. The British team will be led by Baroness Morgan of Huyton from the Women's Unit at the Cabinet Office. Mrs Maija Perho, Minister for Social Affairs and Mrs Tuula Haatainen, MP, Chairperson of the Delegation for Equality Issues and Mrs Pirkko Mäkinen, Ombudsman for Equality, will also be speaking at the event. Other participants will include high-level representatives of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, senior women officials from a range of ministries and the parliaments of both Finland and the UK, specialists in the training of women public servants and senior academics, such as Professors Joan Stringer and Theresa Rees from the UK and Dr Liisa Horelli and Mrs Eeva Hänninen-Salmelin from Finland .

More information: Ms Erja Tikka, Press Counsellor, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, tel +358 9 1341 5818, e-mail [email protected], or Ms Victoria Harrison, Second Secretary (Political/Press and Public Affairs), British Embassy in Helsinki, tel +358 9 2286 5240, e-mail [email protected].