The Tehran Peace Museum was honoured to receive both Professor Vappu Taipale and Professor Ilkka Taipale from Finland on Monday January 19th, 2015.  His Excellency, Harri Kamarainen, the Ambassador of Finland to Tehran, accompanied the professors as well as representatives from the Iran-Finland Friendship Association (IFFA) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Taipales are both distinguished psychiatrists and have dedicated years of service to Finland as parliamentarians and social activists. Dr. Vappu Taipale is a child and adolescent psychiatrist and her husband, Dr. Ilkaa Taipale is a social psychiatrist closely involved in supporting the homeless, prisoners and the unemployed.
Vappu and Ilkka delivered an interesting and informative joint speech on “Peace and Society”, and shared the best practices of Finnish society and government in building and sustaining a culture of peace.
The Finnish delegation was given a tour of the museum and was introduced to the museum’s peace activities and initiatives, including the Oral History Project.  In addition to meeting the museum’s volunteers, the Taipales met and spoke with chemical weapons survivors who work as volunteer guides.
Also in attendance were representatives from the Tehran Peace Museum, the Society for Chemical Weapons Victims Support (SCWVS), and the Iranian affiliate of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW).
To read a short autobiography of Dr. Vappu Taipale and Dr. Ilkka Taipale, please click here.
To see the pictures of this event click here.