History

Peace Union of Finland is politically non-allied organisation. Peace Union had a predecessor already from 1907 to 1913, during the years of Finnish autonomy under the Federation of Russia.

Finöand got independent 1917. Present Peace Union was founded in 1920 as "Peace Union of Finland - Association for the League of Nations".

In its first agendas Peace Union placed emphasis  themes, such as suport of international law, non-violent conflict-solving, disarmanent and peace education.

A variety of intellectuals  were involved in founding the Peace Union, these involved people from christian peace and labour movement, teetotallers, feminists and from universities. Several well-known Finnish figures have been involved in the Peace Union, such as parliamentaries and authors Leo Mechelin and Väinö Voionmaa, Mathilda Wrede, who was especially dedicated to improve the conditions of prisoners, authors Selma Anttila and Doctor Maikki Friberg. Also the most well-known conscientious objector Arndt Pekurinen was a member of the Peace Union of Finland, until he was shot during the Continuation War in 1941.

War Brought Difficulties

Operating an peace organisation during war was tricky. For example, the long-term chairman Felix Iversen received a charge for insultin a "head of Foreign state" , because of he published an article which critized Hitler. Despite the difficulties, Peace Union managed to survive even during the hardest times.

After second World War, the name of the Peace Union was changed to Peace Union of Finland - Association for United Nations

Since its founding, Peace Union of Finland has been a member of International Peace Bureau, founded in 1892. Today IPB is the oldest and most broadly operating international network for peace organisations. IPBs founders were also founding the union of parliaments, Inter-parliamentary Union. In 1910 International Peace Bureau was awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize for its work.