On September 5-6, we conducted the third and the last study visit to Helsinki (Finland)

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On September 5-6, we conducted the third and the last study visit to Helsinki (Finland) within the project “Exchange best practices and experiences working with refugees in the Baltics,” supported by the Põhjamaade Ministrite Nõukogu esindus Eestis.

The project’s goal is to increase the ability to answer the needs of refugees affected by socially valuable diseases and build organizations’ advocacy capacity through study visits in Estonia, Latvia, and Finland.

We met in the Positiveset ry office (8 representatives of EHPV (Tallinn, Estonia), 4 of AGIHAS (Riga, Latvia), and 4 of Positiviset ry (Helsinki, Finland)).

On the first study visit day, Sini Pasanen, Positiveset ry Executive Director, and her colleagues presented their activities and experience of management and leadership in the different spheres (financing, communication, monitoring and evaluation, fundraising). Tappu Valkonen talked about Positiviset ry experiences working with Ukrainian refugees.

The next day we discussed further cooperation of AGIHAS, EHPV, and Positiveset ry. Firstly, Alla Zakharchuk presented the EHPV experience of developing a partnership with the National Institute for Health Development, national and local government to represent and protect the rights and interests of the refugees affected by socially valuable diseases. Next, participants from AGIHAS and Positiviset ry talked about their experiences. Then, we discussed developing a partnership to implement the Paris declaration “Fast-track cities: ending the AIDS epidemic” – cities should achieve the 95–95–95 targets by 2030. As a result, the participants agreed to work on this issue to find opportunities and resources to implement the Paris declaration. Finally, Yuliya Raskevich from EHPV presented the idea of ​​creating the Baltic hub. It will be a coordination center providing services and support to refugees from Ukraine (HIV+, LGBT) and other vulnerable groups. The participants decided to support the idea of creating the Baltic hub with the subsequent signing of a memorandum of cooperation between AGIHAS, EHPV, and Positiveset ry. At the end of the meeting, all participants gave feedback on the project and study visits, noting its actuality and importance. 


Our cooperation does not end with the project but continues with the Baltic hub that will unite
the efforts of our organizations working with refugees affected by socially valuable diseases.

Thank all participants for being open and active, and Põhjamaade Ministrite Nõukogu esindus Eestis for supporting the project.