Fatbardhe Hetemaj (born 20 August 1985)[1] is a Kosovo-born Finnish politician, author, and 2009 "Refugee Woman of the Year".[2][3][4][5][6][7][8]

Fatbardhe Hetemaj
Websitehttp://www.hetemaj.fi/ Edit this on Wikidata
Position heldmunicipal councillor in Finland Edit this on Wikidata

Hetemaj was born to Emine and Miftar Hetemaj in Skenderaj, Kosovo, and she is of Kosovo Albanian descent.[2][9][7] She has three siblings Përparim Hetemaj, Mehmet Hetemaj, and Fatlume Hetemaj.[2][3][9][10] In the fall of 1992, Hetemaj and her family arrived in Finland after fleeing the regime of Slobodan Milosevic and lived in a refugee center in Oulu.[2][3][4][11] From 2005 to 2008, she studied Business management and Combined studies at the University of Worcester.[3] She graduated with a Bachelors of Arts with Honours in Business Management.[12]

In 2009, the Finnish Refugee Council named Hetemaj "Refugee Woman of the Year" for her work against racism[2][4][5][6][8] In 2010, she published her book "Matkalaukullinen aurinkoa : pakomatka pohjoiseen" (Sun in a suitcase: an escape to the north).[13]

In 2011, she ran as a coalition candidate for the National Coalition Party but lost the election.[14][15][16] In 2012, Hetemaj was elected as one do the City Councilors for the Helsinki City Council.[17][18][19][7] On July 28, 2015, she appeared alongside Erkki Tuomioja, Ozan Yanar, and Paavo Arhinmäki at an event against racism in Helsinki that attracted nearly 15,000 people.[20]

A documentary film about Hetemaj and her family premiered at the Refugee Film Festival in 2020.[21][9]

References

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  1. ^ Toivonen, Hannu (August 1, 2015). "Fatbardhe Hetemaj lapsuutensa raunioilla Kosovossa: "Onneksi perheemme pääsi Suomeen"". Seura (in Finnish). Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Fatbardhe Hetemaj is Refugee Woman of the Year". News. March 6, 2009. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d "Former University student wins title". Worcester News. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "Article: "Refugee Woman of the Year: Fatbardhe Hetemaj from Kosovo"". Kosovo Diaspora. July 16, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  5. ^ a b Pyykkönen, Miikka (2012). "FREEDOM, CIVILITY AND ACTIVENESS: On the government of leisure self-formation of Finnish multicultural youth". Nordic Journal of Migration Research. 2: 20. doi:10.2478/v10202-011-0023-z. S2CID 55825167. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Kesko Oyj: Welfare society and taxation was the theme of the Day of Commerce". FinanzNachrichten.de (in German). Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c "Refugee Woman of the Year worries about next generation". News. March 7, 2013. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  8. ^ a b O'Connor, James (March 18, 2009). "Finnish Refugee Council award puts ordinary women in the spotlight" (PDF). Helsinki Times. p. 3. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  9. ^ a b c SUIKKANEN, PÄIVI (May 25, 2018). "Hetemaj-dokumentin ohjaaja Olli Laine ihmettelee: "Miksi sodan traumoista puhuminen on suomalaisille niin vaikeaa?"". yle.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  10. ^ Buchert, Peter (May 28, 2018). "När flykten är det enda alternativet". www.hbl.fi (in Swedish). Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  11. ^ "Tunnetut maahanmuuttajat kertovat: Näin meidät otettiin vastaan Suomessa". www.iltalehti.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  12. ^ "University of Worcester graduation – Wednesday, November 5". Worcester News. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  13. ^ Roiha, Heli, Hetemaj, Fatbardhe (2010). Matkalaukullinen aurinkoa: pakomatka pohjoiseen (in Finnish). Helsinki: Minerva. ISBN 978-952-492-408-5. OCLC 837925520.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ "Immigrant Candidates Fare Poorly". News. April 18, 2011. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  15. ^ "Kokoomus nappasi vuoden pakolaisnaisen". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). June 11, 2010. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  16. ^ "Yhteystiedot – Helsingin Kokoomus". archive.ph. March 27, 2013. Archived from the original on March 27, 2013. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  17. ^ "Fatbardhe Hetemaj odottaa lasta". www.iltalehti.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  18. ^ "Helsingin valtuustossa 6 tuppisuuta – 14 istui kaikissa kokouksissa". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). December 16, 2013. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  19. ^ "Pakolaisnaiset nousivat Helsingin valtuustoon". www.iltalehti.fi (in Finnish). October 29, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  20. ^ "Diversity rally gathers 15,000 in Helsinki". News. July 28, 2015. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  21. ^ "Homeland Kosovo-Finland – Refugees Welcome Film Fest". Retrieved August 7, 2022.