Submitted by Kaisa Raitio
As global military spending reaches its highest level since the Cold War, over US$2 trillion according to the United Nations. At a time when conflicts are increasingly shaping people’s daily lives across continents, the image of Santa in a bulletproof vest captures this global unease in a way few symbols can.
CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation has launched the Help us Keep The Night Silent campaign to draw attention to this reality and to the urgent need for sustained, credible peacemaking. Alongside its symbolic message, the campaign raises funds to support CMI’s mediation work in conflict-affected regions.
“Even in an unstable world, essential work does not stop – not for Santa, and not for CMI,” said Hanna Klinge, Deputy Director General of CMI. “Peacemaking rarely makes headlines, but its absence defines them. With this campaign, we want to highlight the issues that shape our work every day, work that continues with commitment and determination, even when global conditions are difficult.”
Founded in 2000 by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and former President of Finland Martti Ahtisaari, CMI has become one of the world’s leading mediation and conflict resolution organizations, supporting dialogue and efforts to advance peace in fragile and polarized environments. CMI works in some of the world’s most fragile political settings, supporting dialogue where formal diplomacy often cannot.
To mark its 25 years of work, CMI hosted a high-level event 3rd of December in Helsinki with international guests including:
• Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
• HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan
• Liberata Mulamula, African Union Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security and former Foreign Minister of Tanzania
• Fawzia Koofi, former First Deputy Speaker of the Afghan Parliament and Chair of Women for Afghanistan
• The event was opened by Alexander Stubb, President of the Republic of Finland.
The event also served as the premiere of the Help us Keep The Night Silent campaign video.
A global symbol highlighting a global need – and an invitation to support peace
Santa Claus, widely recognized across cultures and traditionally associated with Finland, serves as the campaign’s central figure. By placing a universally familiar character in an unexpected and unsettling context, the campaign invites global audiences to reflect on the state of peace today. The image of Santa Claus in a bulletproof vest underscores not only the fragility of global security but also the need to mobilize resources for those working to prevent and resolve conflicts.
For more information, please contact
Kaisa Raitio Head of Communications and Private Fundraising CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation kaisa.raitio@cmi.fi
About CMI
CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation is an independent, non-profit Finnish organization working to prevent and resolve conflicts through dialogue and mediation. Founded in 2000 by President Martti Ahtisaari, CMI has since supported more than 50 peace processes worldwide.
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