Welcome to the Discussion Forum at the exhibition Activestills – Documenting Life, Death and Resistance in Palestine.
The event will explore the power of photography as testimony and the role of archival work in documenting struggles for justice — particularly in the context of Palestine. The programme includes a guided tour of the exhibition with the speakers, small-group discussions, and an optional workshop on civic action. Join us to talk, learn, and reflect together.
Speakers:
Randa Al-Dawoudi is a Palestinian writer and journalist from Gaza. She is currently preparing her first book, which documents the lives of women and children in Gaza before and during the genocide.
Khalid Dader is a Palestinian writer and PhD researcher at Tampere University. His research focuses on the everyday practices of homemaking in Gaza.
Nitin Sawhney (unable to attend)* is a visiting researcher at the University of the Arts Research Institute. He has a background in computational media, human-centered design, and documentary film.
Hannu Häkkinen is a cultural heritage professional, video artist, and activist specialising in collection management, rights management, and the development of digitisation guidelines and standards related to photographic materials.
Lili De Paola is the coordinator of Sumud – The Finnish Palestine Network and part of the Palestinian Overtures project funded by the Kone Foundation.
*Nitin Sawhney is unable to attend and has requested that instead of speaking he wishes to use his time for a moment of silence to commemorate the loss of Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif and his colleagues killed in a targeted operation by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on August 10, 2025. Over 240 journalists have been killed in Gaza since the war began, the most of all wartime conflicts and a gross violation of international humanitarian law and the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Optional workshop on civic action:
Eero Yli-Vakkuri: How to write a friendly correction to biased news? When is the threshold crossed to intervene in media practices?
Eero Yli-Vakkuri is an active member of Sumud and works in public space together with a de-escalation working group. In his free time, he writes correction requests to address biased news coverage in Helsingin Sanomat, Yle, and other traditional media outlets.
The event will be held in English.
Participation with a Museum Card or regular museum admission. Free admission for members of Sumud – The Finnish Palestine Network.
