Our new Communications Assistant and EDUFI intern Oscar Arminen joined our team last week. Here he tells us a bit about his background and why he chose to join us in the beautiful city of Brussels!
“Hello! I’m Oscar, this autumn’s EDUFI intern at the Institute! I’m very excited to join the lovely team and make the most of my time here for the next 4 months.
I’m originally from South Karelia but moved to Helsinki for university five years ago. I’m now at the end of my master’s in Global Development Studies, which focuses on global injustices and colonial continuums, as well as alternative knowledge systems and community resilience. My studies also took me to Maastricht for an exchange period and a minor in European Studies. This led me to visit Brussels as well, thanks to its close proximity and relevancy as the ‘EU capital’. Therefore the idea of living here was already planted in my head back in 2023. And not gonna lie, I missed eating fries with mayo for lunch, so I knew I had to get back to the Benelux region!
I’m passionate about art in all its forms, especially works that highlight voices that often go unheard. Art is an integral part of human existence, an escape from the surrounding reality but also a means to break societal hegemonies. It functions as a powerful medium for utopian thinking, which is sorely needed in today’s world.
In my free time, I love to draw and paint, visit the cinema or museums and go to a ballet class or the bouldering gym. I can already sense that Brussels is the perfect place to immerse myself in the arts and cultural scene, even outside working hours! My favourite thing about the city so far is how you never know what you’re gonna see when you turn the corner onto the next street.”
Oscar joins us as part of the EDUFI Internship, a granted internship programme coordinated and funded by the Finnish National Agency for Education.
Cover photo: Tilda Forss / Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux