Expert Workshop to assess proposals for amending the Sámi Parliament Act in Finland, as to their relationship to international norms and the Constitution of Finland.
DATE: 2.9.2021 10:00–18:00
Location: Univeristy of Lapland
LS11 (hall)
Yliopistonkatu 8, 96300 Rovaniemi
Draft Schedule of the day (Finnish Daylight Saving time, GMT+3)
10.00 SESSION 1: Opening of the Workshop
Soili Nysten-Haarala, Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Lapland
Anna-Maja Henriksson, Minister of Justice of Finland (or her representative)
Tuomas Aslak Juuso, President of the Sámi Parliament in Finland
Ms Pirita Näkkäläjärvi, member of the Sámi Parliament and the drafting Commission, will serve as moderator during the day
Two Views by legal experts who served as members of the Drafting Commission
Professor Martin Scheinin: Why the draft is both compatible with and required by international law?
Dr Juha Joona: Why the draft is in contradiction with ILO Convention 169, other norms of international law and the Finnish Constitution?
11.30 Coffee break
11.45 SESSION 2: Presentations by international experts
Dr Martin Ölz (ILO): What does Article 1 of ILO Convention 169 entail?
Remarks by international experts of United Nations human rights mechanisms that deal with indigenous peoples’ rights (Human Rights Committee, Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, Expert Mechanism on Indigenous Peoples)
Dr Laila Vars (Kautokeino): Sami membership: reflections on experiences in Norway
Dr Mattias Åhren (Tromsö): Sami membership: reflections on experiences in Sweden
Anne Nuorgam: The UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the notion of FPIC
13.45 Lunch break
15.00 SESSION 3: Presentations, comments and questions by Finnish legal experts and Finnish or Sámi politicians (this session may be in Finnish, in part or throughout)
Professor Tuomas Ojanen: Assessing the proposal by the drafting commission from the perspective of the Constitution of Finland
Yrsa Nyman, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Justice in Finland: Summary of feedback on the draft amendments received through public consultation
Remarks by members of the Drafting Commission, members of the Finnish Parliament and members of the Sámi Parliament in Finland
16.30 Coffee break
16.45 SESSION 4: Open Forum and Closing Words
Questions & Answers
The event will be closed by 18.00 by representatives of the Ministry of Justice and the Sámi Parliament in Finland
Registrations: Please register for the workshop, in order to receive materials and logistical information related to the event. Registrations can be made from 23 June onwards and by 15 August the latest, by sending an e-mail to mpiira@ulapland.fi. Please include a full name, an e-mail address, and a tentative plan whether you are going to attend in person or through a videoconference.
More: University of Lapland
Anne Nuorgam 