The Finnish non-profit organization Surunauha ry (Eng. ”Grief Ribbon”) was founded in 1997. We support people who have lost a loved one to suicide and work to promote open discussion about suicide and suicide bereavement. Our goal is to reduce the stigma and prejudice surrounding suicide.

Our activities are based on volunteer peer support. We offer support groups across Finland. The groups provide a safe and confidential environment to meet others facing the same situation. The group leaders are also peers who have lost a loved one to suicide. We regularly train our supporting volunteers and provide them with work counselling.

In addition to peer support groups we offer an online discussion forum, one-to-one peer support, group chat every tuesday, and an annual nationwide peer support weekend called Vesova.

Most of our services are provided in Finnish, and some activities are also available in Swedish in the Helsinki region.

If you are interested in receiving peer support in English or another language, please leave your contact information using this form.

Peer support meeting in Tampere, September 9

Surunauha is organizing a peer support meeting in Tampere in September 2026. This one-time meeting offers a safe and supportive space to meet others who have experienced a similar loss, and to share thoughts and feelings. You are welcome regardless of who you have lost or how much time has passed since your loss.

Time: Wednesday, September 9, 5:30–7:30 pm.

Location: Tampere Main Library Metso, Kanto meeting room (ground floor), Pirkankatu 2, 33210 Tampere

The meeting will be led by peer support volunteers from Surunauha. To join, please sign up here.

More information on suicides and surviving suicide loss

Suicide (MIELI Mental Health Finland)
Handbook for Coping with Suicide Grief (American Association of Suicidology)
Books for suicide loss survivors (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention) 

If you are in need of immediate crisis counselling and guidance, you can contact The MIELI Mental Health Finland’s Crisis helpline in English by calling 09 2525 0116 on Fri 9.00– 13.00. For appointments call (09) 4135 0510. Crisis helpline in Finnish: 09 2525 0111.

You can find the closest public health service from the number 116 117.

Surunauha’s office

Surunauha’s office can be reached from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 3 pm.

Riika Hagman-Kiuru, Executive Director
Administration, media relations
riika.hagman-kiuru@surunauha.net
ph. 040 560 0088

Liisa Ahonen, Specialist
Event planning, communication, social media, volunteer coordination
liisa@surunauha.net
ph. 044 977 9428 (incl. WhatsApp)

Saini Suutari, Specialist
Volunteer coordination, volunteer training, peer support queries
saini@surunauha.net
ph. 044 902 6940 (incl. WhatsApp)

Tuuli Lukinmaa, Specialist
Youth peer support, online peer support
tuuli@surunauha.net
ph.044 493 9246 (incl. Whatsapp)

Office and membership enquiries
toimisto@surunauha.net
ph. 040 545 8954 (incl. Whatsapp)