State of the World 2025: A Panel Discussion Organized by Global Visions ry
As 2025 approaches its end, the world continues to face overlapping global crises — climate change, wars, geopolitical instability, economic inequality, and growing uncertainty about the future. How can we respond collectively to these interconnected challenges? What kind of visions, values, and global cooperation might guide humanity toward a more just and sustainable future?
Join us for the State of the World 2025 event, featuring a keynote lecture and panel discussion that explores today’s major global issues and seeks to imagine what kind of world we might be building for future generations.
The evening begins with a lecture by Risto Marjomaa, University Lecturer and Docent at the University of Helsinki, who will outline the key global developments and threats defining the year 2025. Following the lecture, a panel discussion will bring together leading experts from economics, futures studies, and political science to reflect on the state of the world and to share their visions of the future.
The conversation will touch on topics such as the role of the European Union in shaping global cooperation, the future of peace and international relations, and what kinds of economic systems might best support the wellbeing of humanity in the decades ahead. The event will conclude with an audience Q&A.
This event is free of charge and will be held in English. Everyone interested in engaging with the pressing global challenges of our time is warmly welcome. For more information visit: www.globalvisions.fi/en.
Date and Place
- 3 December 2025
- Musiikkitalo, Terassilämpiö
- Time: 18:00
Schedule
- 18:00: Lecture by Risto Marjomaa — “State of the World 2025”
- 19:00: Break
- 19:15: Panel Discussion
- 20:45: Audience Questions
- 21:00: Event Concludes
Guests
Risto Marjomaa
Docent and University Lecturer, University of Helsinki
Risto Marjomaa is a historian and university lecturer at the University of Helsinki, specializing in global history, conflicts, and colonial legacies. His research focuses on Africa and the Middle East, particularly on the roots of contemporary conflicts, imperialism, and religion in warfare. In recent years, he has written and lectured on topics such as Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, modern racism, and the long-term global impacts of historical power structures.
Sirkka Heinonen
Professor Emerita of Futures Studies, University of Turku
Sirkka Heinonen is a pioneering Finnish futurist and one of Europe’s foremost scholars of futures studies. Heinonen is a Professor Emerita at the Finland Futures Research Centre (FFRC), at the University of Turku, and Director of its Helsinki Office. Her research explores sustainable development, societal transformation, and the futures of peace. As a long-time member of the Club of Rome, and of the Millennium Project, she has contributed to national and international networks advancing futures thinking. Heinonen emphasizes the importance of strategic foresight and imagination as tools for building peace and sustainability in times of uncertainty.
Johanna Vuorelma
Political Theorist and Researcher, University of Helsinki
Johanna Vuorelma is a political theorist and researcher at the University of Helsinki. Her work focuses on democracy, political narratives, and the role of the European Union in global politics. She examines how legitimacy and power are constructed through political discourse and is a frequent commentator on European affairs and democratic governance. Vuorelma’s research highlights how ideas and narratives shape Europe’s capacity for global cooperation.
Sixten Korkman
Economist
Sixten Korkman is a leading Finnish economist with a long career in public service and policy research. He has served as Director General at the Finnish Ministry of Finance, at the Economic and Financial Affairs Council of the European Union, and as Managing Director of both the Research Institute of the Finnish Economy (ETLA) and the Finnish Business and Policy Forum (EVA). His work focuses on economic policy, the Nordic welfare model, and global interdependence, and he is known for his clear, humane approach to questions of economic justice and social wellbeing.
Moderators: Astrid Aminoff and Max Tallberg
The lecture and panel discussion will be filmed and later available on our website and YouTube channel. You can find previous years panels here.
Welcome!
