80-year-old: War crimes investigator Helena Ranta knows what it feels like to fall in love at an older age

At 80 years old, Helena Ranta, a renowned forensic dentist known for her work investigating war crimes, is reflecting on love and the current state of society. Despite a career spent confronting the darkest aspects of human behavior, Ranta chooses to speak about love, suggesting it is a fundamental element even in challenging times.

Ranta has witnessed the atrocities of war firsthand, having investigated war crimes in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo. She also served as a witness in the trial of Slobodan Milošević at The Hague, experiences that have undoubtedly shaped her perspective on humanity.

However, Ranta voices concern about what she perceives as a hardening societal atmosphere. She points to the reduction in aid for non-governmental organizations and ongoing problems within child protection systems as evidence of this trend. She believes that even these issues are, in their own way, connected to the human need for love and care.

Despite the grim realities she has confronted, Ranta's willingness to discuss love and her concerns about societal trends offer a glimpse into her enduring engagement with the human condition. Her insights, drawn from a lifetime of confronting extreme violence and injustice, provide a unique lens through which to view contemporary social issues.