Briefly in English

The Finnish-Namibian Society is the largest Africa friendship association in Finland

The Finnish-Namibian Society was founded in the year 1974. Through our activities, we promote friendship and collaboration between Finns and Namibians.

Why Namibia in particular? Finland has a special relationship with Namibia. Did you know that its roots extend back to the 1860s? The friendship between our nations has developed over the years. The Finnish-Namibian Society was born out of solidarity and has grown through friendship, as the title of our 50th-anniversary book aptly describes. Our Society actively cherish and promotes this friendship. Namibia is a wonderful African country in terms of its nature, culture, history and people. Finland and the Finnish people are well known in Namibia, and we enjoy a good reputation there.

Friendship is between people. Come along!

This is what we do

Official relations between Finland and Namibia are excellent. Alongside these, the Finnish-Namibian Society is strongly involved in promoting people-to-people, business and tourism relations. We offer a wide range of opportunities for Finns and Namibians to build friendships and collaboration. Even though the special relationship between Finland and Namibia dates back 160 years, we are living in the present day of that relationship.

We help other organisations and private individuals to develop cooperation with Namibia and Namibians. We organise presentations, meetings and events, carry out information and publishing activities, and promote tourism between Finland and Namibia.

Our aim is to maintain and improve knowledge of Namibia in Finland. We wish to provide up-to-date information on modern-day Namibia, relations between our countries, and the Finnish-Namibian Society. We publish four “NAM” newsletters for members a year, providing information on the Society’s activities and current issues relating to Namibia. One of these newsletters is a travel edition published in January ahead of the Matka Travel Fair in Helsinki, which promotes Namibia as a tourist destination. The newsletter is included in the membership fee, which is currently 25 euro per year (15 euro for students). We also keep in touch with our members via email.

Our Society is a member of the Union of Friendship Associations in Finland, Moniheli multicultural network, and Finnish Development NGOs Fingo. We traditionally take part in the World Village Festival in May. We maintain links with Finnish organisations and actors operating in Namibia, as well as with our partners in Namibia. We promote interaction between Finns and Namibians in Finland. We are a partner in the Finnish Southern Africa Cooperation Institute (FSAI), which is headquartered in Windhoek. We collaborate closely with the Namibian Embassy in Helsinki and the Finnish Embassy in Windhoek.

Important dates in the Society’s calendar each year are Namibia’s Independence Day on 21 March and Namibia’s Heroes’ Day on 26 August.

We have over 500 members. Our members reflect the diversity of the special relationship between Finland and Namibia: former missionaries to Namibia, peacekeepers, people who have been or are currently involved in cooperation projects and business activities, researchers, students, people who have lived in Namibia, travellers and other friends of Namibia. We are all united by our friendship with Namibia. It is always nice to meet each other.

The Society’s spring general meeting takes place annually in February–March and the autumn meeting in October–December. The Society’s activities are led by a board comprising 6–10 full members and 3–10 alternate members. Our members come from all over Finland. They can also attend meetings remotely.

Our work is based on voluntary effort. There are many interesting opportunities available to volunteers, such as helping in organising events, carrying out communications tasks and participating in management activities.

Welcome to join us!

You can follow our activities and the latest news from Namibia on our social media channels:

· Website: www.suominamibiaseura.fi

· Facebook: Suomi-Namibia-Seura Ry

· Instagram: @suominamibiaseura

Briefly in English

The Finnish-Namibian Society is the largest Africa friendship association in Finland

Friendship is between people. Come along!

This is what we do

Welcome to join us!

Contact information

The Board for 2026