My story of hopefulness is the former president of Finland, Martti Ahtisaari. I lived in Finland for seven years and I feel I do have a good grasp of what many Finnish people are like. I've met a lot of people who do things quietly, and yet initiate enormous change. Quietly, Martti Ahtisaari was one of those people. His organisation has been at the heart of peace deals in some of the most challenging of situations. What he was known for, and what I love, is that he was a good listener which is obviously the key for any peacebuilder, to be able to listen quietly and bring people together. He died in October 2023 aged 87, but is my hopeful story because of his humility and his passion for people.
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