Kulttuurikameleontit ry is a non-governmental organization founded in 2003, which is non-religious and non-political with the aim to promote
- intercultural communication
- multicultural well-being
- equality
- equality and social inclusion of women and girls
Kulttuurikameleontit ry began with the multicultural experiences of its founding members in Finland and around the world. From the beginning, the vision has been a multicultural welfare society. The founding members, Päivi Arvonen, Chairperson, and Ulla Lehtonen served on the board of the association from 2003-2014. Since 2014 the focus of the association has been on promoting dialogue between cultures through art.
Between 2009-2012 the association has implemented communication and global education projects funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Between 2013-2022 multicultural and anti-racism education and art activities were supported by the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Center for the Promotion of the Arts. The activity has gone by the name of Taiteella yhdenvertaisuutta (Equality in Art).
Between 2017-2018, the Equality in Art project expanded to schools with the theme ‘Art for Equality for School Children: Employing Artists of Immigrant Background.’ Since 2018, the workshops have also been implemented in Swedish-speaking schools.
In 2014, Kulttuurikameleontit ry started cooperation with the multicultural and artistic musical community Afrobeat from the Heart. The Afrobeat from the Heart musical was performed in Helsinki and Tampere in 2014-2015. Some of the professional artists of the musical community (e.g. musicians, dancers) still guide the workshops of Kulttuurikameleont ry.
Kulttuurikameleontit ry has been a partner for the diverse and multi-artistic Afrojazz Club since 2016. The Afrojazz Club has been organized since 2013 in Kumpula’s village space, Korjaamo, Storyville, the National Theater’s Lava Klubi and the Tampereen Klubi.
The AfroArts-Helsinki project was launched in 2018 with the support of the City of Helsinki. It included workshops that activate cultural life and involve city residents, the Afrojazz Club goes Kilombo festival day in Alppipuisto in July as part of Alppipuiston Kesä event series and African and Afro-diaspora cultural festival Kilombo in August. Since 2019 the name of the festival changed to be Afrojazz Club goes Alppipuisto and it became one of Finland’s largest African music festivals in Finland.
The Cairo Street Children Development Cooperation project 2010-2013 implemented in Egypt run by donations and membership fee funds and volunteer labor, which focused on empowering street children and street child workers, especially through education. The project strengthened and supported the existing modes of operation of the partner Hope Village Society (HVS). As a continuation of the project, an empowerment project for young mothers was implemented in Cairo in 2013-2016, and the operation continues on a small scale with membership fee funds until now.
Kulttuurikameleontit ry is:
Member organization of Fingo ry
Member of the Finnish Network of the Anna Lindh Foundation
Founding member of the anti-racism association RASMUS
Member of Globe Art Point
Member of Afrofinns ry
Member of Moniheli