Finland Abandons the ‘Helsinki Spirit’
Consortium NewsMAY 2023
The Spin
Narrative A
President Martti Ahtisaari was a champion of peace, security, and conflict prevention. He brokered peace around the globe. During his Nobel lecture, he talked about how inextricable the Middle East conflict seemed because religions are often used as a weapon or instrument for prolonging conflicts. The news of his death comes at a time when the world needs visionaries like him more than ever.
Narrative B
Former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari was successful in brokering peace in various parts of the world but never in the Middle East. The current Israeli-Palestinian crisis shows how different it is from other conflicts. Ahtisaari said, "Peace is a question of will." But what do you do when there is no will? Ahtisaari's legacy is an inspiration but also a sad mirror for society about opportunities lost for lasting conflict resolution.