About us

The Finnish Intercultural Community (SKY) was first formed in 2019 by people of immigrant background, with an aim to strengthen interethnic, intercultural, and interfaith relations through dialogue. SKY’s vision is:

1) To enable, encourage, and build the capacity of people of migrant background for active civic participation, and successful adaptation to Finnish society;

2) To facilitate awareness, understanding, and sensitivity among the larger society about migration and minorities. This, we believe, contributes to the idea of a welcoming, inclusive, equal, diverse, peaceful, and sustainable Finland. 

Structure

SKY is a nationwide organization in line with its goals, with local representatives in many cities across Finland. As of late December 2022, it consisted of 20 Members of the Board and 50 regular members. The Board of Directors has one chairperson and two vice-chairpersons. All activities are on the shoulders of the Board and implemented by both board members and regular members. The Finnish Intercultural Community (SKY) also pays great attention to gender equality and youth empowerment. From January 2022, it has formed SKY Nuoriso (youth) where the younger generation is involved.  

Funding

SKY currently is under the Fin Polar Kulttuurikeskus ry, which provides financial support in paying the costs of the activities in part. Other parts of the costs are covered by the board members self contribution and by means of partnerships with other organizations where the costs are shared. Also, local municipalities cover some of the costs of the activities in those cities. In the coming years, our goal is to move more towards financial support by the means of project competitions and by the means of concrete municipal support. 

Achievements

Formed by 5 people in 2019, SKY reached an all-time high number of board of directors in 2022, consisting of 20 people. With no members at the beginning, it now has 50 members across Finland. Some selected achievements in numbers:

• Volunteer of the year campaign 2021, one finalist, and one winner of the Award.
• Young Changemaker of the year 2021, one finalist. 
• Volunteer of the year campaign in 2022, one finalist. 
• MAYA prize finalist, in 2022.

In SKY, our board members speak 16 languages (not in the meetings). Diversity and inclusion are our goals also within the organization and we need the most diverse perspectives in our actions. Therefore, we encourage people to become members and move toward active participation, board membership, and decision-making.