18.11.2009

The Ecumenical Christmas Ceremony in Turku, Finland, 2009

Minister Elisabeth Rehn to bring humanitarian message

Ms. Elisabeth Rehn will deliver this year's humanitarian message at the Ecumenical Christmas Ceremony in Turku, Finland, organised on December 10, 2009.

- The United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. It is a great honour that Ms. Elisabeth Rehn will bring the peace message at Turku Cathedral as is it is the jubilee year of Children's Rights. Minister Elisabeth Rehn is internationally known, and is highly appreciated by her long-term work as a spokesperson for children's and women's right, states Mr. Mikko Lohikoski, Director of Communications and External Affairs at the City of Turku. Mr. Lohikoski is also Chairman of the Organisation Committee.

Minister Elisabeth Rehn has worked as Member of Parliament, Minister of Defence as well as Member of European Parliament. The European Parliament paved her road to the UN. Ms. Rehn has also gained reputation outside Finland's border through her work as UN under-Secretary General, Special Representative for Bosnia and Herzsegovina as well as Human Rights Rapporteur for the area .

Ms. Rehn is internationally known as a spokesperson for women's and children's rights, especially for girls' rights. She has bravely spoken out about serious and flagrant violations of human rights, such as rapes of women and children in war zones and at refugee camps.

Nowadays, Ms. Rehn works as an active adviser and an expert on human rights issues and gives lectures on the matter in different parts of the world.

The ceremony is organised for the 16th time

The leaders of four denominatios will present a common appeal for world peace at the Ecumenical Christmas Ceremony in Turku taking place at Turku Cathedral on Thursday December 10,  at 6 pm. YLE TV 1 of the Finnish Broadcasting Company will broadcast e recording of the event on Christmas Eve preceding the live broadcast of the Declaration of Christmas Peace.

The event is organised for the 16th time and a humanitarian message has been delivered during the ceremony since 1998. Mr. Harri Holkeri, Councillor of State, was the fisrt person to deliver the humanitarian message. The humanitarian message has previously been brought, among others, by President of the Republic of Estonia, Mr. Lennart Meri (2000), United Nations Goodwill Ambassador Ms. Barbara Hendricks (2004) and by journalist and writer Ms. Yrsa Stenius (2006). Each year, an invitation is extended to a widely known and high-regarded person or organisation that has contributed to making and maintaining world peace, or to repairing the impacts of war.