Why is it important to speak up for Palestinians being attacked, even if we live in far away Finland?
We live in an increasingly connected world, where information both flows freely and is heavily controlled.
Less than 20% of the world’s population now lives in a free country, the lowest proportion since 1995, according to the Freedom House Democracy Index.
In Finland, freedom of speech and expression is still guaranteed. It would be great to use it to bring attention to atrocities worldwide.
We also currently have a government that says they want to ensure human rights everywhere. Even if we need to remind them what that is in practice sometimes.
It is also unfortunately true that voices being raised in the West are heard more on the world stage.
Hence, it is important to do all we can, through all channels available.
Defending human rights everywhere sounds great, but we are so few in such a small country! True, but size has nothing to do with impact, as any mosquito will tell you.
Does this mean one has to stop everything else and protest 24 x 7? Definitely not, but if each of us does a bit, we can together achieve a lot. From Palestine to Colombia, to our own backyards, let freedom and justice prevail!
