Dr. Susanna Kokkonen
Dr. Susanna Kokkonen speaks to Christian, Jewish and civic audiences about the Holocaust, antisemitism, and Israel today. She has lectured colleges, churches, synagogues and at the Parliaments of Canada, Finland, and Sweden as well as at the European Parliament.
Dr. Kokkonen received her Ph.D. in Holocaust Studies from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2004. Originally from Finland, she worked for several years at the Embassy of Finland in Tel Aviv.
For ten years Dr. Kokkonen was the Director of the Christian Friends of Yad Vashem, World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem, Israel. Since then, she continues teaching and educating. Dr. Kokkonen acts as an advisor to projects, among them the Holocaust Garden of Hope, a new memorial in Houston, Texas.
Fluent in six languages, she is skilled in presenting difficult content in a way that touches hearts, inspires positive action and reconciliation between people and the past.
Her book entitled ‘Journey to the Holocaust: Anti-Semitism, the Bible and History’ was published in Finland in 2014 (also Swedish, English, and German). She has published a book on antisemitism (TV7, 2022) and a book on the evolving position of Christians in history (TV/, 2023).
Dr. Kokkonen frequently contributes to TV and radio programs as well as publications around the world. Her latest blogs and statements are available in English: https://holocaustremembranceassociation.org/statements/
In April 2025, Dr. Kokkonen was elected as vice-councilor to the Helsinki City Council.
