Helsinki, 3 December 2025
To mark the 25th anniversary of CMI, a high-level event at the Finlandia Hall brought together distinguished guests, partners, and CMI’s friends from across the world. The evening was one of rebooting peace – offering reflections on the evolving role of dialogue and mediation in today’s world, while looking ahead to the enduring potential of inclusive dialogue and principled mediation to foster understanding, prevent conflict, and build sustainable peace.
Read the highlights of the discussions from this article.
Programme
The evening began with opening reflections by Alexander Stubb, President of the Republic of Finland. The other distinguished speakers included:
- H.R.H Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan
- Mary Robinson, Former President of Ireland, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, member of The Elders
- Ambassador Liberata Mulamula, Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission on Women, Peace and Security, former Foreign Minister of Tanzania
- Fawzia Koofi, First Woman Deputy Speaker of the Afghan Parliament, President of Women for Afghanistan
The high-level exchange brings together HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan, Mary Robinson, Fawzia Koofi, and Liberata Mulamula.
More detailed information about the speakers, including biographies and images can be found through the following link.
The programme also featured musical performance by Jukka Perko and Beata Antikainen, and the event was hosted by journalist Sean Ricks.
How can technology support peacemaking efforts?
Additionally, on 3 December 2025, CMI brought together leading technology innovators and peace practitioners to explore how technology and Artificial Intelligence can support efforts to advance global peace and stability.
What happens when algorithms meet the complexity of human conflict? We explored real applications of AI in fragile contexts—from early-warning systems to digital platforms that surface citizen perspectives at scale—showing how technology can help societies anticipate risks, understand evolving dynamics, and support more informed responses.
We learned how emerging tools—from multilingual LLMs to open-source solutions—are opening new application areas for responsible AI. Together, we looked at how the Nordic and European tech community can contribute to building trusted, future-proof AI in some of today’s most challenging environments.
Programme
The programme explored how open technologies can enhance peace and conflict prevention, and examined how Nordic models of values-based innovation can contribute within a geopolitically contested tech landscape.
Panel 1: “Open-Source” Peace: Democratising Technology for Conflict Resolution
In this panel, we explored how open-source AI and accessible tech tools can empower peacebuilders and local civil society in conflict zones, avoiding tech colonialism and enabling customised solutions while ensuring responsible deployment. The panellists were:
- Angela Oduor Lungati, Executive Director of Ushahidi
- Adam Schumacher, Program Director for Talk to the City at the AI Objectives Institute
- Hayk Toroyan, Advisor, South Caucasus, CMI
- Martin Wählisch, Professor of Transformative Technology, Innovation, and Global Affairs at the University of Birmingham
Panel 2: Advancing Values-Based Innovation: Nordic Insights on Technology for Peace and Global Stability
The second panel explored if the Nordic and European values of transparency, equality, and trust can shape global tech development toward peace. We also discussed how different innovation philosophies can converge to shape a more stable and ethical digital future. The panel consisted of the following speakers:
- Miapetra Kumpula-Natri, Member of the Parliament of Finland, former Finnish MEP and Vice-Chair, Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence in a Digital Age, European Parliament
- Veera Heinonen, Director, Foresight and Training, Sitra and Vice Chair of the CMI Board
- Mikko Hyppönen, Chief Research Officer at Sensofusion
- Marko Ahtisaari, Chief Marketing Officer, ICEYE and Board Chair of CMI
This seminar represented a unique bridge between two communities with immense potential to learn from and strengthen each other.
