A few words from Think of Others, a poem by Mahmoud Darwish, helped bring Finnish lawyer Sari Marttamaa to Palestine. For the 55-year-old, this is more than a favourite poem. It inspired her decade-long dream of working in Palestine.

“As you prepare your breakfast, think of others. Do not forget the pigeon’s food,” reads one of its verses, tattooed on Sari’s left arm in blue, a permanent reminder of the poem that first drew her to Palestine.  Asked why she joined EUPOL COPPS as Legal Adviser, she points to the tattoo and smiles.

Originally from the Liminka area of Finland, Sari, as a mother of three, decided to wait until her children were old enough to manage independently before working oversea, in 2025.

By then, the bespectacled lawyer had already built a substantial career in the Finnish justice system. After graduating with a law degree in 1998, she began as a junior judge before becoming a prosecutor in 2000. She spent ten years in prosecution, followed by nine years as a judge, handling both criminal and civil cases.

Before joining EUPOL COPPS, Marttamaa served as a senior ministerial legal and administrative adviser. She initially joined the Mission’s Justice Unit, working closely with the Palestinian Ministry of Justice on legislative drafting.

She also worked as a mediator, helping people settle disputes without going through lengthy court proceedings.

“I fully appreciate this mediation work because both parties are satisfied with the settlement,” explains Sari in her Ramallah office.

Her work contributed to ongoing efforts to institutionalise remote trials was particularly important in the West Bank, where movement restrictions can make it difficult for litigants and others involved in court proceedings to reach the courtroom.

Today, as the Mission’s Legal Adviser, she works on regulations, standard operating procedures and legal compliance. Her responsibilities include identifying legal risks, supporting informed decision-making and safeguarding the Mission’s interests.

“I love challenges. I work better when there is a great deal of stress,” she says.

At home in Finland, her eldest daughter, 25-year-old Noora, is nearing the completion of her own law degree. Marttamaa is pleased to see her child following a path similar to hers

As she commutes every day to Ramallah for work from Jerusalem, Think of Others  remains a daily reminder for Sari.