Finland’s first Black Saint Lucia faces racist backlash amid calls for tolerance

The selection of Daniela Owusu, a 20-year-old Finnish Ghanaian, as Finland’s 2024 Saint Lucia has sparked a wave of racist abuse, drawing condemnation from national leaders and support from the public. Owusu is the first Black woman chosen to represent Saint Lucia in the traditional festival of light, a role historically filled by women with blonde hair and blue eyes.

The annual Saint Lucia celebration, organised by the NGO Folkhälsan, takes place on 13 December at Helsinki's Lutheran Cathedral.