Umayya Abu-Hanna

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Umayya Abu-Hanna (born March 17, 1961 in Haifa, Israel) is a TV-journalist, columnist and writer of Israeli Arab origin, and has been living in Finland since 1981. She is Head of the Department of Audiovisual Journalism at the Helsinki Polytechnic (but is on leave until July 2007) and is the Cultural Diversity Coordinator of the Finnish National Gallery's Research Department and member of the Arts Council of Finland.

Abu-Hanna was a member of the Helsinki City Council (Green League) and member of the Helsinki City Real Estate Board. She became known to the wider public when she became a journalist and presenter of the weekly current affairs news program Ajankohtainen kakkonen TV2.

She is currently a columnist of Helsingin Sanomat. Her first novel. Nurinkurin. was published 2003. Her book on identity Sinut was published Fall 2007.

[edit] Bibliography

• Sinut (2007)
• Nurinkurin (2003), autobiographical novel
• Columns, Metro
• Columns, Suomen Kuvalehti
• Columns, Helsingin Sanomat

[edit] Awards

• "Finn of the Year", The Finnish Civic Society 2004
• "Kristiina of the year award 2004", Christina Institute, the University of Helsinki
• Finland Award 2003, Ministry of Education
• Bonnier grand journalist award 2002, for the best journalistic innovation of the year