The National Emergency Supply Agency is looking to initiate security of supply operations in the cultural sector

Psychological resilience is one of the vital functions defined in Finland’s Security Strategy for Society. Culture plays a key role in its maintenance. The Government Programme of Petteri Orpo’s Government also highlights the significance of culture for the citizens’ resilience, comprehensive security and national sense of belonging.

“In the current security situation, I consider the role of the cultural sector to be even more essential in maintaining psychological resilience. We wish to foster it by providing cultural operators with a platform for developing their sector’s preparedness,” says CEO of the National Emergency Supply Agency Janne Känkänen.

The National Emergency Supply Agency has sought to identify the cultural sector’s views on the initiation of security of supply operations by conducting a survey intended for cultural operators, among other methods. Based on the results of the survey, extending security of supply operations to cover the cultural sector is considered to be necessary. The sector is of the opinion that its activities promote people’s coping during disruptions or emergencies as well as people’s mental wellbeing in general.

Based on the survey, it is believed that initiating security of supply operations will improve the cultural sector’s preparedness. The key common development themes highlighted included increasing political decision-makers’ understanding of the significance of the cultural sector during disruptions, the significance of cultural content and art as factors that unite citizens, media literacy, and the availability of cultural services during emergencies and disruptions.

The objective is to strengthen society’s resilience

At first, the cultural sector’s conditions for security of supply operations will be examined through a network approach with cultural operators. The aim is to involve a wide range of cultural organisations in the planning, including creators of art, cultural institutions, public administration bodies, sports organisations, event organisers, and religious and ethnic communities, among others. The operations may be condensed towards pool operations if the cultural operators consider it to be a useful way to develop preparedness.

“The objective of the operations is to improve the cultural sector’s preparedness. In my view, these types of operations can be used to strengthen the resilience of society as a whole to disruptions and emergencies,” Känkänen says.

The National Emergency Supply Organisation currently includes 27 industry-specific pools and two committees, as well as five Regional Preparedness Cooperation Committees (ELVAR Committees), through which operators from each industry develop their respective preparedness in cooperation. The pools’ operations include producing and sharing preparedness information and information that boosts situational awareness, as well as planning the industry’s common preparedness, among other things. Additionally, the pools hold exercises and organise other activities that support the industry’s preparedness. The National Emergency Supply Agency provides a framework for and directs the pools’ operations.