Our History
African Anti-Racism Society Finland ry (AFARS) is a non-governmental organization founded in 2020 by a group of African activists and community organizers in Helsinki. AFARS inception stems from the massive black lives matter protests that erupted globally summer 2020.
AFARS was formed as a call to action to organize a solidarity demonstration for the death of George Floyd at the Helsinki Police Station and to establish a platform for civic activism aimed at addressing ANTI-BLACKNESS and promoting racial equality, social inclusion, social justice and equity in Finland.
We were inspired and called to action by the Black Lives Matter protest that erupted globally in 2020. BLM brought light to our own lived experiences of racism in Finland. BLM also contributed and influence a more open honest conversations on the issues of racism and institutional discrimination in Finland in a way that was unprecedented at all levels of society. BLM impact set the stage for our voices, our lived experiences in media and public discourse in Finland.
AFARS is a call to action movement founded and driven by John Lewis’s famous “good trouble” quote: “Get in good trouble, necessary trouble,,” often paired with, “When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something”. He encouraged nonviolent protest and civil disobedience, even if it meant breaking unjust laws to fight injustice of any form.
In Finland, Black people and people of African descent face racism and prejudice from other groups of color due to ANTI-BLACKNESS. As a result of this even in anti-racism platforms Black people are sometimes excluded or silenced in these platforms.
So, establishing AFARS was a necessary good trouble action to create a platform that would be free of Anti-Blackness and a place where we Black people and people of African descent can share their own perspective and lived experience of racism in Finland and use their expertise and activism to proffer solutions to the menace.
The reality is that people of a darker complexion and of a different background and culture face more racism and are victims of racism more often. The other peoples of color can be more easily accepted in society and can be seen by racist as less threatening. When the skin and appearance of a Sub-Sahara Africans get accepted in any society the other peoples of color will also benefit from that acceptance.
When the work and fight against racism is only from the experiences and perspective of other peoples of color, the outcome will mostly go only to help them. When Sub-Sahara Africans champion the work in fighting racism in Finland, the outcome will benefit all the other groups facing racism including all peoples of color. This is why we decided to start this new organization led by Sub-Sahara Africans to bring our perspective and solutions into the conversation about racism in Finland.
Vision and Mission
Mission
We educate, advocate, and take action to fight Anti-Blackness, racism and institutional and structural discrimination in Finland. In solidarity, we will create a better society that transcends all forms of discrimination.
Vision
To create a strong, conscious, self-sufficient, and empowered society of Africans and people of African descent in Finland where its members are politically, economically, and socially stable, proud, and free, and not subject to any form of persecution or discrimination.
Purpose and Objectives of AFARS
Purpose and Objectives of AFARS
a) The main purpose of the organization is to organize and rally all the Black Africans and people of African descent in Finland en masse towards emancipation, empowerment, and fight for social justice, human rights and against Anti-Blackness, racism and institutional discrimination that we face in Finland.
b) To offer solidarity for and among the people of Black Africans and people African descent.
(c) To advocate and lobby for a fair society for our community in Finland in order to achieve a better life for all racialized communities in Finland.
(d) To collaborate with all progressive forces in support of the fight for social justice, human rights, and against Anti-Blackness, racial discrimination in Finland.
(e) To instigate or support integration processes and political participation of our community in Finland.
(f) To eradicate all forms of colonialism, afrophobia and anti-blackness in Finland.
(g) To promote Human Rights, social justice, equity, and the rule of law.
(h) To advocate for transparency and accountability in police and law enforcement misconduct towards Africans and people of African descent in Finland.
(i) To promote unity, peace, and tranquillity in our community.
(j) To provide solidarity and resources to Africans and people of African descent who encounter racism in order that they may get the necessary emotional and mental support to heal and deal with the trauma and pains of racism, and to be empowered to report racism to the police.
Our Principles
- Peaceful nonviolent civil disobedience and settlement of disputes by
negotiation, mediation, reconciliation. - We practice and believe in the force of argument and not the argument of force.
- Democratic means of engagement based on one man one vote.
- Gender equality in all activities.
- Religious plurality in the approach to all matters.
- Accountability in the application of resources and all affairs
- Solidarity for Human Rights, social justice and equality.
- Leadership and positions in the movement not for prestige but for service.