NordenBladet — Finland’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security for 2018–2021 will be launched on Friday 13 April. It is based on UN Security Council Resolutions.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini will open the event. In his address, he will emphasise the objectives of Finland’s third action plan in enhancing women’s role and decision-making capacities with regard to conflict prevention, resolution and peacebuilding. Peace processes and crisis management among other issues are at the heart of the action plan.
“Finland is strongly committed to the 1325 agenda. Mediation is one of my strategic priorities as the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Sustainable peace may be achieved only by involving all parties of society in the dialogue. Several studies indicate that women have an important role in this work,” Minister for Foreign Affairs Soini says.
The action plan will be implemented in collaboration with different administrative branches. Civil society actors in both Finland and crisis regions play a key role in the implementation and follow-up of the action plan. Finland’s aim has been to create a realistic and concrete action plan where the focus is on the promotion of action.
The keynote speakers at the event are Minister for Foreign Affairs Soini and Executive Director of UN Women Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. During her visit in Finland, Mlambo-Ngcuka will also have bilateral discussions with Minister Soini.
Former president of Finland Tarja Halonen and the Foreign Minister’s Special Representative on Mediation Jutta Urpilainen, among others, will also speak at the launch event for the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. The event will be hosted by former Minister Elisabeth Rehn. Event participants will receive the new action plan. It will also be published online at the websites of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Defence on 13 April 2018.
NordenBladet – A thrilling Nordic skiing spectacle is taking place in Levi, Finland, on 12 April 2018, with three men and one woman attempting to break the 24-hour world record. The current world record holder Teemu Virtanen as well as marathon skier Hans Mäenpää of Team Mäenpää will be representing Finland at the event. Norway will be represented by long-distance skiing expert Daniel Strand, and Finland’s Anni Angeria will be attempting to break the women’s record. Levi.fi mediates.
Teemu Virtanen is the current holder of the Guinness World Record of “Greatest distance in 24 hours of Nordic skiing” set in 2010, even though Sweden’s Erik Wickström broke that record in 2016. However, due to the fact the entire 24 hours of skiing was not filmed, Wickström’s result was eventually not accepted by the Guinness World Records, and he was granted an unofficial world record.
Now at the event taking place in mid-April, Teemu Virtanen is looking to set a new world record and of course to the other contenders.
– This year’s 24-hour event will the toughest one yet, as both Hans Mäenpää and Daniel Strand are in terrific shape. However, I’m determined to give them a good fight, and I’m certain I’ll clinch the world record if I can only keep going all the way to the end. No one in my age group M50 has ever skied over 400 kilometres. The best-case scenario in Levi is that we’ll break as many as three world records, says Teemu Virtanen.
Hans Mäenpää is eagerly expecting the upcoming record attempt, which will be a totally new experience for the 39-year-old skier.
– I have never skied or done any sporting activity for this long in one go before. Last weekend, I took part in the Nordenskiöldsloppet, where I finished in sixth place. I’ve competed in several marathon ski competitions and have e.g. taken part in the Vasaloppet seven times. This year, I finished in the top 100. I have also run a couple of marathons, and that’s actually how my athletic career got started, Hans Mäenpää explains.
Sweden’s Erik Wiksctröm did not accept Virtanen’s latest challenge, but Daniel Strand, a 36-year-old marathon skier from Norway was up for it.
– This is a very unique opportunity and a somewhat crazy idea, so that’s why I just had to sign up. My goal is to win and break the world record, Strand says.
Anni Angeria sets out to break the women’s world record, which currently stands at 333 kilometres.
– I believe I can break the record, because in a previous attempt I have already skied 344.5 kilometres. Hopefully, I will now be able to set an official Guinness World Record, but anything can happen along such a long distance. My biggest worry is, how will my body endure it all, and I also worry about how to get the energy absorbed. I’m sure it will be a big boost for me to ski together with the men, even though they will be using the classic technique, whereas I will be skate skiing. I hope there will be lots of spectators, because their support always gives you strength, Anni Angeria says.
The world record attempt taking place on Thursday 12 April 2018 on the Tunturijärvi lake in Levi is by no means an easy challenge for the skiers. A successful world record attempt requires a good track with nearly perfect skiing conditions as well as hard training.
– If we have good conditions weather-wise, then I’m sure that at least one of us will break a record. So you should definitely come and see it live, Teemu Virtanen says.
The Nordic skiing 24-hour world record attempt, 12 April 2018, starting at 10:00 next to the Levi Zero Point, around the lake. Spectators are welcome to come and cheer on the skiers and follow the event. On Saturday, 14th April 2018, spectators are also welcome to follow Visma Ski Classics Ylläs-Levi long distance skiing event.
Live coverage of the world record attempts can be found on the following sites:
NordenBladet — United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Kate Gilmore will visit Finland on Friday 13 April.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is the principal human rights organisation within the United Nations system. The High Commissioner for Human Rights and the OHCHR have expressed their opinion on the situation in several countries and are essential actors in the promotion of sustainable development and in the prevention of conflicts. This work is becoming more and more difficult. International law, including human rights, are challenged in different parts of the world. Finland is a long-term supporter of the OHCHR.
In honour of Kate Gilmore, an event on promoting and defending human rights will be organised in the Little Parliament by the Human Rights Centre, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The event will be opened by Minister of Justice Antti Häkkänen and it may be followed live. Live broadcast. During her visit, Gilmore will also meet Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini.
NordenBladet — Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the Director of the UN’s organisation for equality UN Women, will visit Finland on 12–13 April. On Friday 13 April, Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka will participate in the launch of the third Finnish Women, Peace and Security action plan that is related to the national implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325.
The resolution discusses women’s position in conflicts and promoting peace and security. UN Women plays a key role in the implementation and coordination of the resolution in particular in the UN system. The launch can be followed live at the address https://formin.videosync.fi/launch-of-finlands-national-action-plan-on-women
During her visit, the Director will meet the President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö, Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Anne-Mari Virolainen and Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services Annika Saarikko. In addition, the Director will attend the fourth consecutive annual discussions between Finland and UN Women at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs with Under-Secretary of State Elina Kalkku in the lead.
UN Women is one of Finland’s main partners among the UN organisations, and Finland is one of the organisation’s most significant funding countries. In its foreign policy, Finland emphasises strengthening the rights and position of women and girls and promoting gender equality.
President Niinistö is one of the influencers in UN Women’s HeForShe campaign promoting equality. The influencer group consists of heads of state and governments as well as directors of companies and universities.
NordenBladet — Thanks to the 100th anniversary of independent Finland, news about Finland hit headlines and the country featured in articles in world media more widely than usual. The results of the annual ‘Finland in the World Media’ survey, based on the missions’ review of their host country media reveal that other topics that interested foreign readerships were, as before, the education system, the basic income experiment, and Finnish design.
‘Finland in the World Media’ is based on the missions’ annual review of what content and news hit the media in their host countries and what strengths and weaknesses were covered in the media in the course of the year.
The centenary of Finland’s independence in 2017 attracted exceptionally strong media attention. Finland attracted attention in all parts of the world, with the most conspicuous growth in the United States, Germany, Japan, Great Britain and, as expected, above all in our neighbouring areas in Sweden, Estonia and Russia. Finnish Crazy Games in Australia, a city festival in Minsk, monuments lit up blue-and-white, and a number of other campaigns gathered plenty of local attention in the missions’ host country media. Media attention scored the highest on the birthday week from 2 to 9 December, with over 2,600 articles on online world media only. It has been estimated that over 40 million people were reached during that week.
“The survey provided interesting information about the views and priorities of world media, highlighting also how images impact editorial choices. Finns who have gained a name and are well-known abroad play an important role, but the fact that various themes promoted by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, its diplomatic and consular missions abroad, the Finland 100 Secretariat, Visit Finland, Lapland and the City of Helsinki were recognised is concrete evidence of their significant contribution,” says Petra Theman, Director of the Foreign Ministry’s Unit for Public Diplomacy.
“Finland 100 served as intended both a bait and a tool to showcase Finland’s strengths better than before. The stabbing attack in Turku and the True Finns Party’s split into two, for example, were among the most challenging topics. It seems that Finnish companies remain in the shadow in international media attention,” Petra Theman notes.
On the scale of 1 to 5 – from critical to idealised – Finland’s overall media attention score in 2017 was 3.96. The corresponding figures in 2016 and 2015 were 3.88 and 3.74 respectively.
As in the previous years, education was the single most prominent theme related to Finland discussed in world media. Finnish culture – both traditional and non-conventional – was praised in 2017 to an exceptional extent; hobbyhorses deserve to be mentioned in particular. Finland’s brand as a tourist destination continues to attract attention especially in China. The basic income experiment was one of the topics that raised plenty of questions especially in European media.
The missions reviewed all media channels, but special attention was paid to Finland’s visibility in newspapers. The information is based on the assessments of Finland’s missions abroad and, in some countries, on outsourced media monitoring. Seventy-nine of Finland’s 89 foreign missions responded to the survey. A selection of general assessments, missions’ views and direct media citations are presented in the summary.
NordenBladet – The annual Arctic Business Forum introduces the latest business development of the Arctic, investigates global and local trends and future prospects, and offers companies and organizations the chance to present their own business at the forum. The Arctic Europe has been calculated to hold investment potential worth of at least 197 billion euro. The forum offers valuable information about the possibilities and future investment potential of the Arctic region both for the local business representatives and international investors. The aim of the forum is to build networks and relationships among the region’s various business representatives.
The speakers of the Arctic Business Forum are all key representatives and stakeholders from various fields of Arctic industry. The themes addressed cover topics such as business investment potential in the Arctic, business policies and risks, innovation and Arctic cooperation.
PROMOTING ARCTIC BUSINESS Lapland Chamber of Commerce (est. 1939) is the Northernmost Chamber of Commerce in the European Union. The mission is to create success for business in Lapland and Finland. Representing views and opinions of trade and industry the Chamber is working on better business environment, offering business related services and building networks in order to maintain and enhance business competitiveness. Members of the Chamber include a variety of companies from big industrial companies to SME’s from different industries and branches of business, municipalities and other business related actors.
International cooperation and networking plays an active role of the Chamber activities. The annual Arctic Business Forum introduces the latest business development and future prospects of the arctic, and plays as an arena and meeting point to discuss the opportunities and obstacles of business. Arctic issues being the expertise area of the Chamber it has been involved in the preparation process of the Arctic Economic Council and, it is a member of the Northern Forum.
Lapland is the northernmost county of Finland with about 183 000 inhabitants. The total area of the county is 99 000 km2, which equals to 30% of the whole of Finland. Lapland is sharing borders with Sweden, Norway and Russia, altogether 1642 km. There are two international border crossings to Russia, six to Sweden and six to Norway. The six sub regions of Kemi-Tornio, East Lapland, the Valley of Tornio, Northern Lapland, the region of Rovaniemi and Fell Lapland form the region of Lapland. Rovaniemi is the administrative capital of Lapland with appr. 60900 inhabitants. The other cities in Lapland are Kemi, Tornio and Kemijärvi.
Clean nature and abundant natural resources provide a unique, solid foundation for the business sector in Lapland. The total turnover of Lapland business is over 10 billion euro, which of 34% is from industry. Lapland is the 5th strongest export region in Finland. Forest and metal are the main industrial players although mining and tourism are strongly growing branches of business in Lapland.
Arctic business forum 2018
Investments, Competitiveness & Startups in the Arctic
The 9th Arctic Business Forum will be organized 11. – 12.4.2018 at Kemi Finland, the capital of Arctic Industry.
While embracing the economic cooperation between the Arctic countries, the forum offers also valuable information about the possibilities and future investment potential of the Arctic region both for the local business representatives and international investors. Aim is to scrutinize the future and build network and relationships among region’s various representatives.
The Arctic Europe holds investment potential worth of at least 197 billion euro. In the forum will be presented the latest news in business development in this region. The speakers in the Arctic Business Forum are the key representatives and stakeholders on various branch of Arctic industry. The global and local trends at stake are addressed at the Arctic Business Forum. Moreover, the companies and organizations have a chance to present their own business at the trade show in touch with the forum.
The Arctic Business Forum is organized for the second time at the city of Kemi, which is, together with the city of Tornio, one of the biggest industrial centers in the Arctic region. The region’s future development in forest industry at Kemi and steel industry at Tornio offer various possibilities to SMEs in subcontracting and maintenance.
Welcome to the Arctic Business Forum 2018 to bond with other Arctic business representatives and stakeholders working for the Arctic prosperity.
Venue: City of Kemi, Kemi Cultural Centre (address: Marina Takalon Katu 3, 94100 Kemi)
Program 2018
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11th
9.00 OPENING SESSION
Mr. Juha Mäkimattila, Chairman of Board, Lapland Chamber of Commerce, Finland
Mr. Tero Nissinen, Mayor of Kemi, Finland
Mr. Sun Liwei, Economic & Commercial Counselor, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Finland, China
09.45 CROSS-BORDER CO-OPERATION IN THE EUROPEAN ARCTIC
Mr. Harri Mäki-Reinikka, Ambassador, Senior Adviser, Northern Policies Department of Europe, Finland
Mr. Peter Waara, Chair Haparanda Municipal Council, Sweden
Mr. Anatoly Glushkov, President, Murmansk Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Russia
11.30 ARCTIC BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT POTENTIAL IN 2018
Mr. Timo Rautajoki, President & CEO, Lapland Chamber of Commerce, Finland
Mr. Mikå Mered, Professor of Arctic/Antarctic economics & geopolitics – Free Institute of International Relations Studies (ILERI, Paris), France
12.15 NETWORKING LUNCH
13.15 THE GREAT ARCTIC RAILWAY DEBATE
Moderator: Mr. Timo Rautajoki, President & CEO, Lapland Chamber of Commerce, Finland
Keynote: Mr. Pirkka Hartikainen, Area Manager, Sitowise Oy, Finland
Keynote: Mr. Kjell Stokvik, Managing Director, Centre for High North Logistics / Kirkenes, Norway
Mr. Andreas Lind, Business and Development Director, County Administrative Board of Norrbotten, Sweden
Mr. Marko Varajärvi, CEO, Council of Torne Valley, Finland
Mr. Jaakko Ylinampa, Director General, Lapland’s Centre for Economic Development, Finland
Mr. Harri Mäki-Reinikka, Ambassador, Senior Adviser, Northern Policies Department of Europe, Finland
Mr. Kustaa Valtonen, Entrepreneur & Angel Investor, Finland
Mr. Marco Graziotto, Director of Promintergroup AG, Director Arctic Bulk, Italy
Mr Yuri Sekretev, Director of Representative office in Russia, Promintergroup AG and Director of Arctic Bulk AG, Russia
15.30 COFFEE BREAK
16.00 ARCTIC STARTUPS – NEW ENTREPRENEURSHIP CREATES GROWTH
Mr. Kustaa Valtonen, Entrepreneur & Angel Investor, Finland
Mr. Marko Alamartimo, Business Advisor, Growth and International Business at Business Rovaniemi, Finland
Mr. Markus Pellikka, CEO, Santa Water Group, Finland
Mr. Antti Haukipuro, CEO, Suvanto Care, Finland
Mr. Kaj Kostiander, Director, Tornio Brewery, Finland
Ms. Sirly Schinmann, Chef and owner at Aurora Estate – Boutique Hotel and Restaurant, Finland
9.30 OPENING SESSION OF THE 2nd DAY
Mr. Timo Vuori, Executive Director at ICC Finland and Executive Vice President Finland Chamber of Commerce, Finland
Mrs. Mirva Antila, Country General Manager, IBM Finland
10.15 COFFEE BREAK
10.45 COMPETITIVENESS IN THE ARCTIC BUSINESS
Mr. Tomi Seppä, Vice President, Kemi Board and Pulp Mill at Metsä Group, Finland
Mrs. Tuula Untinen, Manager-Logistics Services, Outokumpu Stainless Oy, Finland
Mr. Andreas Lind, Business and Development Director, County Administrative Board of Norrbotten, Sweden
Mr. Robert Hess, Vice Chairman, Global Strategy Team Leader, Newmark Global Corporate Services, United States
Mr. Kun Zhang, President of TUNGTAI International Holding Group, China
11.55 SIGNING CEREMONY
12.00 NETWORKING LUNCH
13.00 WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE EUROPEAN ARCTIC
Ms. Anu Fredrikson, Director, Arctic Economic Council
Ms. Satu Luiro, Senior Advisor in Tourism, Creative industries and Culture, Regional Council of Lapland, Finland
Mrs. Jaana Koivumaa, Manager, Hannukainen Mining Oy
Mr. Vladimir Masloboev, Deputy Chairman of the Kola Science Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, member of the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of the Murmansk Region, Russia
Ms. Clara Dumard, CEO Vaimiti Events – Nautical events in the Arctic, France
Mr. Christian Dumard, CEO – founder at Hokulea – Weather Analysis, France
Other Speakers TBC.
15.00 END OF PROGRAM IN KEMI CULTURAL CENTER
15.15 VISIT TO THE SNOWCASTLE OF KEMI
Duration: 30–45 minutes
Address: LumiLinnankatu, 94100 Kemi
Registration for the visit to the SnowCastle of Kemi at the same time as you will register to the Arctic Business Forum at Kemi Culture Centre. Distance to the SnowCastle from the venue for Arctic Business Forum is approx. 1 kilometer. One guided tour will have 15–20 visitors. Free pass to the tour is for everyone attending the Arctic Business Forum. Welcome to explore the beautiful SnowCastle of Kemi!
NordenBladet — In the first round of allocation of funding this year, Finland granted EUR 67 million to humanitarian aid organisations by decision of Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Anne-Mari Virolainen. The funding will be channelled via principal UN specialised agencies, the Red Cross Movement, and six Finnish civil society organisations.
The regional focus of Finland’s humanitarian assistance remains in Africa (EUR 12.5 million) and the Middle East (EUR 17.3 million). The biggest amount of funding is channelled to fighting the acute difficult humanitarian crisis in Syria (EUR 12.6 million). Finland will attend the pledging conferences to be held in April, which will in addition to Syria deal with the difficult humanitarian crises in Yemen (Finland’s support is EUR 3 million) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (EUR 1.9 million). Additionally, support will be channelled to Iraq (EUR 1.8 million), Somalia (EUR 3.1 million) and South Sudan (EUR 3.5 million).
The biggest recipients are the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) with EUR 15.5 million, the World Food Programme (WFP) with EUR 13 million, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) with EUR 10.7 million. The Finnish CSOs receiving support are the Finnish Red Cross, Finn Church Aid, Save the Children Finland, Plan Finland, World Vision Finland, and Fida International. A significant part of Finland’s humanitarian assistance – EUR 34.5 million in all – is channelled in the form of completely unearmarked core funding in order to speed up the delivery and enhance the effectiveness of emergency assistance.
“The global humanitarian situation continues to be difficult also this year. For people living in the middle of crises and natural disasters, humanitarian assistance is critical. In cooperation with key partners and as a part of the international humanitarian response, Finland’s assistance can help these people as effectively and reliably as it is possible,” Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Anne-Mari Virolainen emphasizes.
NordenBladet — On 1 April, Counsellor for Foreign Affairs Mikko Kinnunen will become the Foreign Ministry’s first Ambassador for Hybrid Affairs.
Mikko Kinnunen transfers to the new position from the Foreign Ministry’s Unit for Security Policy and Crisis Management, where he has served as Director of Unit.
“From the perspective of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, hybrid issues can be related to foreign and security policy, legal and commercial matters, strategic communications, also international cyber security cooperation, for example. In other words, in practice they can be linked with any or all of the activities that the Ministry and its missions abroad are engaged in,” Kinnunen says.
The Ambassador for Hybrid Affairs will build up the Foreign Ministry’s expertise in hybrid issues and help raise Finland’s profile on these issues with the international arena. The Ambassador will work in close cooperation with different authorities in Finland and support their involvement in international cooperation. The European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats, which was established in Helsinki last year, is naturally a key partner for the new Ambassador.
Hybrid warfare and the use of influence-seeking hybrid methods have attracted wide attention both in Finland and internationally. Finland, too, is a target of hybrid attacks and activities, and it has strengthened its capacity to detect and respond to hybrid threats.
“Hybrid methods are a new way of seeking to influence our security, and we must respond to these effectively,” says Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini.
Dealing with hybrid issues is part of the work of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the network of Finnish missions abroad. This can involve detecting the use of hybrid attacks and activities targeting Finland, tackling these and taking part in international cooperation on hybrid issues.
Mikko Kinnunen has extensive experience of security policy and matters related to Russia and the former Soviet area. He has served as Finland’s Ambassador to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, and worked in the Embassies of Finland in Moscow and Washington and the Permanent Mission of Finland to the UN in New York.
NordenBladet — Mikko Hautala, Ambassador of Finland to Russia, was notified of the matter by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation on 30 March in Moscow. Russia has announced corresponding measures also against many other countries that have expelled Russian diplomats.
The expulsion of the Finnish diplomat is Russia’s response to the decision of Finland, made on Monday 26 March, to expel one official with a diplomatic status from the Embassy of Russia in Helsinki following the Salisbury nerve agent attack. Russia’s decision is not related to the activities of the Finnish diplomat. The Finnish diplomat must leave Russia within two weeks.
The identity of the diplomat who is to leave Russia is not public information. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs will not provide further information about this matter.
NordenBladet — The Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Transport and Communications, and the Transport and Communications Committee of Parliament will organise the ninth Finnish Internet Forum (FIF) in cooperation with stakeholders. The event will be held in the auditorium of the Little Parliament on 26 April from 8.30 to 14.00.
This year, the Forum will focus on influence-seeking hybrid methods and activities. A panel of experts will discuss, among other things, the use of hybrid methods to influence opinions and the difference between cyber security and information security. Another panel of experts will debate question related to the protection of privacy on the internet after the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has entered into force in May 2018.
Johan Helsingius will speak about net neutrality. Professor Toni Ahlqvist from the University of Oulu will present his Conflicts project, which explores various social and ethical consequences that may arise from radical emerging technologies.
Registration will be open until 20 April on the website of the Finnish Internet Forum at http://internetforum.fi. You can also access a more detailed programme of the event on this website.
