A Home for Everyone

As we gather to admire upcoming interior design trends at the Habitare fair in Helsinki, there is a record number of people who have been forced to flee their homes. A Home for Everyone is a shared vision of Empathy Movement by the Finnish Refugee Council and Tikau to integrate and employ refugees and immigrants. Tikau is a Finnish pioneer for ethical design producing exclusive handmade items that are socially and environmentally conscious. The Empathy Movement X Tikau partnership and a collaborative collection of Empathy products will be launched at the Habitare Fair, stand 6h2, 11.-15.9.2019.

There are more than 70 million displaced people in the world today. Everyone has the right to a home and the humane importance of home is immense. That’s why Empathy Movement by the Finnish Refugee Council and Tikau have joined forces to bring A Home for Everyone -theme to Habitare fair this year.

“Home is not only a place, but above all a feeling that we as people collectively share. Building a home in a new place is difficult and requires understanding and support from the surrounding community and other people. Through our cooperation, we want to give more refugees the opportunity to build a home in their new home country,” says Annu Lehtinen, the Executive Director of Finnish Refugee Council.

A Home for Everyone is the core theme of the Habitare Ethical area. By presenting visitors how a home in a refugee tent might look like and sharing experiences of refugees, the Ethical area raises awareness about the global refugee crisis. The area also offers visitors the opportunity to visit a refugee camp through virtual reality.

The Finnish Refugee Council’s exhibition concepts and tent installation were created and refined in our Nordic Match collaboration with the Nordic Culture Point and Creative Agency Måndag in the spring of 2019. Nordic Match brought together a group of creative professionals in Helsinki for a one-week innovative think-tank event.

Tikau and Empathy Movement are also presenting their co-designed collection of Empathy products in the Habitare fair. The products are ethically produced mainly by refugee and immigrant artisans in Finland.

Empathy Movement was a self-evident partner for Tikau as empathy is in the core of our values. Tikau was created to help those who are in a particularly challenging, marginalized or discriminated position in society. Empathy helps you see and understand structural and behavioural flaws that you may not have to face in your own life,” says Taina Snellman-Langenskiöld, CEO of Tikau.

Each Empathy product includes a donation to support the work of the Finnish Refugee Council. Finnish Refugee Council provides education and livelihood opportunities for refugees and immigrants, prevents conflicts and promotes human rights in Finland and in developing countries.

The Empathy product line is on display and products can be purchased at stand 6h2 in the Ethical area throughout Habitare fair. The products and their creators can also be visited in advance at the Tikau showroom in Helsinki.

For inquiries and additional information, please contact:

Linda Lehto
linda.lehto@pakolaisapu.fi
+358 44025 6834
Finnish Refugee Council