Meet our new Communications Assistant and EDUFI intern, Julianna Areva, and our Programme Assistant and Svenska Kulturfonden intern Linda Lindström! Sending postcards from their hometowns, they share a bit about their backgrounds and what they are most looking forward to during their time at the Institute.
Hei Linda and greetings from Turku, Finland!
I’m excited to meet you soon at the Institute and enjoy the warm weather in Brussels. I’m joining the team as the Communications Assistant, so a bit about my background: I hold a bachelor’s degree in media studies with gender studies and social sciences as my secondary subjects. I see art and culture as powerful tools for creating social change, which is why I’m passionate about keeping the cultural field vibrant and thriving through my work. I’m currently pursuing an international Master’s degree in Strategic Communication in Lund, Sweden (but don’t count on my Swedish skills). I’m especially excited to deepen my skills in communication, be part of developing the Institute’s new strategic plan, and learn about networking in international cultural contexts.
I have always had love for and interest in multiculturality but especially through my exchange studies and organisational work in the Erasmus Student Network. That’s a huge reason why I was so drawn to Brussels! In my free time, you will mostly find me sweating in dance classes doing hip hop and contemporary dance. I look forward to exploring the art scene in Brussels through all the programmes going on at the Institute, especially with the focus on film this year, and discovering new artists at live music concerts.
See you around in Brussels <3
Julianna
Moikka Julianna!
I’m sending you greetings from Jyväskylä, where I have been living in Finland until now. I can’t wait to meet you! I spy opportunities for “language baths” coming up for us, with you living in Sweden. I was raised in the forests of Kainuu, Finland and the concrete jungle of Stockholm, Sweden, and languages are one of my many personal interests I tend to nerd out about, so beware haha 😀
I’m joining the team as the Programme Assistant, so I’m particularly excited about all of the events the Institute has going on, and also Brussels in general (from exhibitions to performing arts, movies and music… ah, there is just so much to see!). I’m also looking forward to gaining more experience in managing events in Central Europe as opposed to Finland and Scandinavia.
A little bit about me: I have a Master’s Degree in Cultural Anthropology and Social work (FM, Jyväskylä university), and I’m also a Community Educator (Yhteisöpedagogi amk, HUMAK). During my B.A from Stockholm University, I minored in Psychology and Criminology. My background is in mental health, human rights/LGBTQ+ advocacy and youth work, heavily rooted in activism with an ever expanding touch of art. Using and researching art as a way to channel, explore, redefine and advocate for these themes is very close to my heart, so I’m excited to see what you and I can bring to the Institute with both of our knowledge and interests!
See you very soon in Brussels, let’s make some magic together! ✨
Linda
Julianna joins us as part of the EDUFI Internship, a granted internship programme coordinated and funded by the Finnish National Agency for Education.
Linda joins us as part of the Svenska kulturfonden (SKF) / The Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland internship.
Cover image: Juliana Areva and Linda Lindström in Brussels. Photo: Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux.