The Finnish Institute in Damascus

The Finnish Institute in Damascus, maintained by the Foundation of the Finnish Institute in the Middle East, is an academic institute, which promotes, in particular, the research and teaching of the languages, cultures and religions of the Middle East. The institute focuses its operation on the Arab world and its fringe areas with high cultural and historical significance. It has permanent representatives in Syria and Egypt. 

The institute’s main function is to organise academic courses, lectures and seminars for undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as researchers. The institute works for cooperation between researchers and research institutes, and promotes Finnish research in the Middle East. The aim is to promote widespread cooperation in the fields of education and research, and to improve intercultural dialogue between Finland and the Middle East.

The headquarters of the institute are located in Syria. In December 2008, the institute will relocate into a building in the Old Town of Damascus, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with financial assistance from the Alfred Kordelin foundation and the Finnish Cultural Foundation. The building has a seminar room, an exhibition hall, a reference library, and lodging facilities for visiting researchers and students. 

The Foundation of the Finnish Institute in the Middles East allocates research grants and publishes a journal called Proceedings. Israel and in the Palestinian Autonomous Territories have their own coordinator, reporting to the foundation. The foundation is a member of the national network of the Anna Lindh Foundation promoting intercultural dialogue and the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies.