Sisu – Welcome to organise a National Dialogue

The National Dialogues days this autumn are Thursday 23rd of October and Tuesday 25th of November. You can also organise dialogues at any other convenient time by the 25th of November. We invite you to join us in arranging a dialogue on sisu*.

In Finland, we believe that people’s sisu has carried our country forward even in difficult times. Now, numerous new challenges are testing our sisu. We are facing tough times in terms of the economy, security, equality, the sustainability of our living environment, national unity, and our belief in the future. This autumn’s National Dialogues will bring together people living in Finland to discuss the meaning of sisu in the present day.

* Sisu is a Finnish word that encapsulates a unique concept of resilience, determination, and courage, especially in the face of adversity. It’s a mindset of unwavering resolve and the ability to push through challenges, even when the odds are stacked against you. Sisu is more than just perseverance; it’s about finding an inner strength to overcome obstacles and achieve goals. 

How to get involved?

Participation is easy and does not require a major input from the discussion organiser. The most important thing is the desire to join.

1. Connect the topic to your target group by making the topic more personal: “Sisu in our school class/work community/hobby circle/different generations – What issues require sisu from us right now?”
2. Register as a discussion organiser via this form.

We will publish a list of the discussions taking place in different parts of the country at the end of this page.

If you want to participate in the dialogue as a discussion participant instead of organising the discussion, you can view a dialogue that suits you.

A summary of the discussions will be drawn up and published for open use. It will also be submitted for use in public administration and decision-making.

The aim is to achieve a large number of dialogues organised by different actors in different parts of Finland, where people living in Finland can engage in diverse discussions, hear each other’s views, delimit boundaries between different views, understand something new, share observations and build mutual trust together.

The discussion can be held for 2 or 3 hours, either face-to-face or remotely.

Support for the dialogue organiser

• The material package includes an invitation template, a proposal for invitation procedures, a timetable, and a Timeout dialogue manuscript, which provides instructions for facilitating the discussion.
  • Instructions for dialogue organisers (PDF)
  • Draft script for the dialogue (pptx)
  • Draft script for the dialogue (PDF)
  • Invitation template for inviting participants (docx)
  • Invitation to challenge others to arrange a dialogue (docx)
  • Rules for constructive discussion, printable poster (PDF)
  • Social media templates
• An induction will be provided for the facilitator and notetaker before the dialogues via Teams. (The suggested times below are in Finnish, you can choose the one that suits you best). An induction in English will be arranged by request.
  • 8th September, 1pm-4pm
  • 7th October, 9am-12pm
  • 4th November, 9am-12pm
• You will receive an invitation to the induction closer to the dialogue days.

The organiser of the discussion should:

• Define a more detailed topic and register as a dialogue organiser via this form
• Reserve premises and possible catering or create the virtual meeting for the dialogue
• Invite the participants
• Facilitate the discussion
• Reserve a person to act as a notetaker for the dialogue
• Submit the exact notes of the dialogues immediately after the dialogue using this Webropol form
  

The rest of the dialgoue material is coming soon!

Welcome to join us! You’re needed!

Further information:

Katju Holkeri, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Finance
tel. 0295 530 087, Katju. Holkeri (at) gov.fi

Kai Alhanen, Director, Dialogue Academy
tel. 040 572 0213, Kai. Alhanen (at) aretai.org