Forum of Religions in Turku CC

Our purpose is to increase the mutual understanding and cooperation between various religions.

Hulya Kyto, one of the contact persons of the Forum of Religions in Turku CC, has continued her work with immigrant women and elderly people. Her association is called “Daisy Ladies Association”, it is composed of three sub-associations: “Daisy Ladies Association” focuses on immigrant women, “Daisy Ela¨kela¨iset Association” puts a focus on immigrant pensioners, whereas the “Daisy Young Club” focuses on young immigrants. They are all working towards achieving the same goal, that is to say, to enable the involved stakeholders to live in Finland as equally as possible. Their work includes, amongst others, teaching the immigrants the Finnish language and the Finnish culture. They work together with diverse religions and their guiding principles are that we have to accept and respect each other, encouraging good behavior. The Association is not only working and dealing in Finland but also coordinating and working with all Scandinavian immigrant women. Furthermore, they are also planning to start working with immigrant women from all over Europe; for instance it is planned to soon open a Daisy Ladies section in the former Yugoslavia. Jouni Elomaa O.P. who is a lay Domican and a university lecturer in Japanese Studies (specialized in literature and arts) at Stockholm University and a part-time lecturer in Catholic Theology, is coordinator of the Forum of Religions in Turku. He has been involved in an interfaith book project about sexuality from the perspective of various faith and cultural traditions. At the moment he is writing a book on pilgrimage in different traditions. He is also chairing an interfaith committee for the development of terminal and palliative care. Amongst his interests is also relationship between arts and spirituality.