vegan pizza, activism snacks, and political discussions in Helsinki (2/4)
Our first evening in Helsinki ends at one of those places that makes you think: “Why don’t we have this back home?”
A small plant-based café serving vegan pizza that honestly should come with a warning—not because of anything bad, but because you think about it for days after.
There we sit with Viral vegans, Finland’s answer to Dyrenes Alliance, talking about everything that drives us as young activists. It’s a kind of roundtable where together we explore how to get even more young people to support a plant-based future.
You’ll hear much more about our thoughts soon, but first, let’s see what vegan treasures Finland has to offer—Helsinki is actually a bit of a vegan paradise.
Helsinki = vegan paradise
Helsinki is packed with places where you don’t ask, “Do you have anything vegan?” — you actually ask, “How do I choose from 12 options?”
It makes it clear how everyday choices and political policies connect: the easier the plant-based choice is, the more normalized it becomes. That aligns with research showing that when the ratio of plant-based options rises compared to animal-based ones, orders of meat-free options increase too..
That’s exactly what many of us are fighting for back home in Denmark—to make choosing plant-based easy, delicious, and completely everyday.
Workshops that truly feel relevant
Day two features a workshop on plant-based innovation in Finland and a roundtable on the role of youth in Europe’s green transition.
At Viral vegans, we explore cases, campaigns, and small projects run by young Finnish activists—and reflect on how they mirror our own experiences at DA.
How do we get young people to fight for this agenda and better equip them to make a difference?
A few things stand out: young people are incredibly good at generating new ideas.
We aren’t afraid to experiment.
We take responsibility, even while still finding our political voice.
And maybe most importantly: we’re stronger when we do things together..
When a pizza tray becomes an organizing tool
Then lunch—and pizza again! It sounds silly, but there’s something magical about sharing a large pizza in the middle of the table while discussing everything from EU climate goals to micro-activism at your own school.
It makes political conversations less theoretical and more... human. It shows how we can create similar spaces in Denmark—where activism isn’t only serious but also about community, food, and thinking out loud together.
What we take home (besides craving vegan caramel pizza)
Our days in Helsinki are winding down, and we’ve learned a lot alongside Viral vegans.
We gained stories and examples to use in our outreach and campaigns.
We learned new ways to engage youth—especially how to make participation fun and easy.
We built a Nordic network that already feels like something we will use again and again.
We bring great insights back from Helsinki, which you can read more about in upcoming blog posts, on our social media, and at workshops in Odense, Aarhus, and Copenhagen this January.
Helsinki has left its mark—and now it’s time to turn it into action back in Denmark.
