NordenBladet — Foreign Minister Soini will take part in the Ministerial Council of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna on 7 and 8 December. The meeting will be hosted by Austria, which holds the Chairmanship of the OSCE in 2017.
The Ministerial Council will focus on European security, the situation in Ukraine and protracted conflics in Europe as well as on human rights. Finland strongly supports the work built on the OSCE’s comprehensive concept of security.
Foreign Minister Soini will have bilateral meetings with, for instance, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and foreign ministers of other participating States of the OSCE. In addition, on 7 December the Minister will attend a working lunch and a side event relating to the OSCE’s Structured Dialogue.
NordenBladet — Finland conveyed its grave concern about the situation in the Korean peninsula and strong condemnation of the latest ballistic missile test conducted by North Korea on 29 November.
Director General Kimmo Lähdevirta of the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs delivered the message to Ambassador Kang Yong Dok in Helsinki on 6th December, 2017. The Finnish government urged the DPRK government to comply with the UN Security Council resolutions and immediately cease further provocations aggravating the situation. Finland also urged the DPRK to engage in a meaningful dialogue with its neighbours and the international community.
NordenBladet — The Meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs will be organised at NATO Headquarters in Brussels from 5 to 6 December 2017. Finland has been invited to attend the discussion relating to the cooperation between the EU and NATO. Finland’s representative at the meeting will be Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini. In addition to the NATO member countries, Sweden and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini will participate in the discussion.
The meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs will make preparations for the NATO Summit to be held on 11 and 12 July 2018.
Finland and Sweden are among the partners that have been granted enhanced opportunities (Enhanced Opportunities Partnership, EOP) in their cooperation with NATO. The invitation to the Foreign Ministers’ meeting is part of the political dialogue on topical questions between NATO, Finland and Sweden.
On Tuesday 5 December, Foreign Minister Soini and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will meet at lunch, organised for the EU Foreign Ministers in Brussels.
NordenBladet — ThisisFINLAND, Finland’s official country website, and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland will tomorrow launch a limited edition urban fashion collection to celebrate the courage and against-the-odds mentality that have come to define its newest craze: hobbyhorsing.
Hobbyhorsing has been sweeping the Nordic nation in recent years, with thousands of enthusiasts making and selling horses and riding them at events inspired by real equestrian disciplines such as dressage and show jumping.
Riding hobbyhorses has even taken the form of an organised sport, with the Hobbyhorse Championships held annually in Finland. The sport is estimated to have more than 10,000 followers in Finland alone.
To support the hobbyhorsing community, and the fans’ gutsy attitude, the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs worked with leading Finnish fashion labels IvanaHelsinki, Wwoollff, Tebian, Riski, Uhana Design and R-Collection to add a whole new level to the craze – by creating a limited edition urban fashion collection.
Designed under the banner of #BraveEnoughToRide, items from the limited edition collection will be made available on a pop-up webshop, www.braveenoughtoride.fi, each Friday leading up to Christmas, with the first items released on 1 December. The collection will be made available at production cost, with €1 per item sold donated to the hobbyhorsing community.
The Ministry, together with hobbyhorsing superstars Alisa Aarniomäki and Vilhelmiina Keskilä, is also launching a dedicated online toolbox, www.thehobbyhorse.fi. The site will be available in multiple languages (English, Russian, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Swedish, and Finnish) and is aimed at inspiring a new generation of hobbyhorsing enthusiasts. It will include, among other things, advice on how to build your own hobbyhorse and videos with tips about everything from jumping obstacles to performing proper dressage movements.
“Hobbyhorsing is huge in Finland,” says Petra Theman, Director of the Unit for Public Diplomacy at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. “Adults are often tempted to snicker at the phenomenon, but hobbyhorsing takes guts, and it isn’t as easy as you might think! We want to show that this sport is something really edgy and can be practiced all over the world. The toolbox came about because we want to give back to the hobbyhorse community and create a platform for people to learn about the community, the sport, and the art of hobbyhorsing.”
“A lot of hobbyhorse enthusiasts are still worried about how they’re seen, as many have faced some sort of bullying or ridicule,” says Vilhelmiina Keskilä, hobbyhorsing enthusiast. “That’s why I’m so excited about these products. They show that there’s nothing awkward or embarrassing about hobbyhorsing – quite the contrary. We should be proud of the phenomenon we’ve built.”
Viivi Huuska, the Finnish filmmaker who directed the short film that kicks off the campaign, says: “I want to show the whole world just how amazing these young people are and how unique their love for hobbyhorsing is. They have the courage to be themselves and everyone should notice that.”
Echoing her sentiments, Paola Ivana Suhonen, designer and founder of IvanaHelsinki, says: “Hobbyhorse girls are the future! These girls possess the courage and daring to do what they want and make their dreams come true. Ride on!”
NordenBladet — Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge, was presented with an unusual gift during his official visit to Finland. Two handmade hobbyhorses were presented to The Duke during his visit to Slush, the biggest startup event in Europe, which takes place in Helsinki annually.
Hobbyhorsing has been sweeping the Nordic nation in recent years, with thousands of enthusiasts making and selling horses and riding them at events inspired by real equestrian disciplines such as dressage and show jumping.
Riding hobbyhorses has even taken the form of an organised sport, with the Hobbyhorse Championships held annually in Finland. The sport is estimated to have more than 10,000 followers in Finland alone.
Prince George’s hobbyhorse, named after his father’s first pony, Smokey, is a dark grey pony with a long, grey mane, friendly eyes and a dark brown bridle. Princess Charlotte’s horse, called Snowflake, is a white Finnhorse with ashen markings on its muzzle and a light blond mane. Its bridle is magenta.
Both hobbyhorses are designed and handmade by Finnish hobbyhorsing superstar Alisa Aarniomäki, who achieved worldwide visibility after she was featured in the documentary Hobbyhorse Revolution.
The hobbyhorses were presented by Emma Rispoli from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.
ThisisFINLAND, Finland’s official country website, will tomorrow launch a worldwide campaign to promote hobbyhorsing to a global audience. The campaign includes a limited edition, hobbyhorse-inspired urban fashion collection by leading Finnish labels, a website that promotes the art and sport of hobbyhorsing, and a short film written and directed by Finnish filmmaker Viivi Huuska.
“The Duke of Cambridge and his family are known for their love of horses, and with hobbyhorsing a huge phenomenon in Finland, what better present to take home to Prince George and Princess Charlotte than a pair of hobbyhorses tailored to their interests,” says Petra Theman, Director of the Unit for Public Diplomacy at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
NordenBladet — The establishment of the first United Nations Technology Innovation Lab (UNTIL) will be launched on Thursday 30 November in a Slush side event, co-organized by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and the Office for Information and Communication and Technologies of the United Nations. The first lab will be housed at Aalto University campus, in A Grid, the new centre for growth companies. Two more labs will be launched in 2017 in Asia and Africa, and the global network continues to grow in 2018.
The side event will debate the role of technology in advancing progress towards the UN’s 2030 Agenda. There will also be a panel discussion in which keynote speeches will be held by Kai Mykkänen, Minister of Trade and Development of Finland, and Ilona Lundström, Director General of Enterprise and Innovation Department at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.
The first lab location in Finland has been selected in partnership with the Government of Finland and it focuses on the thematic areas of circular economy, education, peace and security, and health. Each of the global UNTIL labs will focus on different thematic areas that are central to the need of each individual lab’s specific geolocation. UNTIL labs create a platform for problem-solving between the UN, private sector, academia and civil society, with the help of start-ups.
NordenBladet — On Monday 27 November, Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini will visit Berlin, where he will hold a keynote speech at a gala concert in honour of the centenary of Finland’s independence, which will be held at the Berliner Philharmonie concert hall. Former President of Germany Horst Köhler will address the audience on behalf of the Government of Germany.
The gala concert will present the most wide-ranging mix of different types of Finnish music from classical folk music to jazz and modern music ever presented abroad. The composers of the music from different periods of time are all Finnish and the music will be performed by internationally renowned Finnish musicians living and working in Germany.
The concert and the reception afterwards are organised by the Embassy of Finland in Germany in collaboration with Finnish companies.
During his visit to Berlin, Minister Soini will also meet representatives of Finnish and German media.
NordenBladet — Far from boring, this phenomenon that makes the mundane mindful is now going global. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland is launching a slow-TV phenomenon, with a 12-hour-long livestream of unedited footage of the checkout counter of a supermarket.
The live footage of #checkout247 will be aired on ThisisFINLAND’s Facebook page starting December 5th at 2 pm GMT, on the eve of Finland’s 100th Independence Day, and ending at 2 am GMT on Independence Day itself. Thousands of shoppers are expected to pop into their local 24/7 supermarket for last-minute holiday treats.
The camera will be fixed on the conveyor belt of Prisma Kaari, the biggest supermarket in Helsinki, revealing what shoppers have put in their baskets, but not showing the shoppers themselves.
Viewers will be able to take part in the Finnish shopping experience by commenting on Finland’s official Facebook and Twitter channels (www.facebook.com/thisisfinlandFB/ and www.twitter.com/thisisFINLAND) using the hashtag #checkout247.
Slow TV has experienced a major renaissance in recent years, with films showing everything from knitting to log fires on TV or online streaming services.
“There’s something spellbinding about a conveyor belt and other people’s groceries,” says Petra Theman, Director of the Unit for Public Diplomacy at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
“On the eve of Finland’s centenary, we wanted to create a moment of togetherness, a global broadcast open to participation from all over the world. At the same time we are revealing the glorious tedium of Finnish everyday life and eating habits. We claim that the everyday life in Finland is the best in the world, and that’s what we aim to show – this time through grocery shopping. This is mindfulness at its best and funniest.”
The supermarket concern S Group streamed similar footage of Finns shopping last summer. The livestream became an instant hit, with more than a million Facebook video views, including tens of thousands of comments during the live event, in a country of 5.5 million people.
This time around, viewers of the live #checkout247 broadcast will also see a rolling feed of quirky facts about Finnish food and lifestyle, provided by, among others, the Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners.
“Our customers loved the first livestream last summer, so we wanted to make our second run even bigger and better and reach a global audience,” says Anne Sassi-Leivonen, Director of Publishing at S Group.
NordenBladet – Naantali is famous among Estonians for the Moomin world, but this resort town also hosts the Finnish president’s summer residence in Kultaranta! While already in Finland, Naantali, then why not also visit the Finnish president’s summer residence in Luonnonmaa?! For those of you who wish to do so, there is legal permission for that! 13 euros for an adult and 5 euros for a child – and there you go – to the president’s estate. As for me, I made the decision to go and see!
Alas! …it is all very pleasant, beautiful and glamorous, yet the visit still turns out not as glossy as perhaps expected. The common tourist can only access the front yard! Neither the residence nor the interior gardens, where the president might invite friends over to grill together in bathing suits and maybe also have a nice cold beer on a hot summer day – this all is out of reach. Haha! Yet the place is worth seeing – you will get an idea how and where this world’s powerful fill the leisure moments. And many do so – Kultaranta hosts 18 000 visitors every year! The place is picturesque and worth the visit!
The official tour takes you from one rose plant to the next in the park, where the tour guide reveals the history of the beautiful site in a few words. For example, you will know that long ago the wealthy landlord Alfred Kordel acquired this ground on an auction and there he later established the Kultaranta castle. In 1916 the edifice was completed and when landlord Kordel passed away, it became state property. The newly independent Finland decided that the palace would be a suitable summer residence for the president and already since 1922 every Finnish president has spent their holidays in this palace. The palace comes with 54 hectares of land where you can find parks, greenhouses and other constructions. The castle, made from stone and holding 19 rooms, was designed by architect Lars Sonck.
The residence’s main building, a granite castle, was erected between 1914-1916 by the architect Lars Sonck and it is surrounded by 54 hectares of parks and greenhouses. In 1922 the Finnish Republic obtained the venue and it was decided that Kultaranta becomes the president’s summer residence. Besides the grand territory Kultaranta estate is fascinating also due to the surrounding shores! And what is even more romantic – from the shore there is a beautiful view to Naantali as well as to the Moomin island! Thus the offsprings of the presidents have for their neighbours the Moomin characters themselves!
The history of Naantali goes back to the Middle Ages when a settlement evolved near a monastery. In the 15th century Naantali gained city rights. In later times the town grew into a fine destination for spending summer holidays. Naantali resort is steeped in traditions – besides the Moomin world, the Väsk island, the Kultaranta residence and the beautiful old town of Naantali it also has to offer SPA, sauna and bathing enjoyments and luxurious accommodation fr the visitor. We stayed overnight in Naantali Spa Hotel and only have words of praise to describe it (see „Naantali SPA Hotel” ☆☆☆☆☆ naantalispa.fi and sunbornhotels.com, Matkailijantie 2 FI-21100 Naantali)!
Naantali also has many restaurants famous for their good quality – though the prices are crispy, the gourmet experience is well worth it! Starting from 14 June the Ukkopekka steamboat bridges the distance between Turku and Naantali – therefore whoever so wishes, may as well also have a stylish glimpse at Turku during the vacation.
If you plan to visit Naantali, I would recommend to find more information about Naantali from Naantalin Matkailu OY website (see naantalinmatkailu.fi) or once in Naantali you can just step in – they will keep you updated about everything that is going on in Naantali and the vicinity, also the staff can share information about places of interest that you either wish to see with your own eyes or read about.
Take a look at other posts from the trip to Finland as well!
NordenBladet – It is about time to unfold the next tourism attraction sights! In case the Moomin world has already been seen and there is still some time left for an adventure with the kids, I warmly recommend visiting the Väsk island located nearby. There you’ll find a day full of sports activities in the open air.
VÄSKI
(Official homepage: http://en.vaski.fi/)
Väski is an island of adventures – exactly that! Being a tiny island, everything here has been built around this adventure. You can reach Väski by boat (which is already a great adventure for the children!) and the boat sets sail quite close to the Moomin gates. There is a big Väski-flag waving in the harbour, making it easy to spot the right place. Families with babies might perhaps postpone this visit a year or two, since it is a bit inconvenient to navigate with the baby carriage (though possible). The island is especially meant for youngsters in pre- or early teenage years, those who like to run around, jump, climb, etc. Of course if the children are of different ages then it is an option that the mothers and babies spend some time camping and enjoy the beach while the fathers with youngsters take the tour.
Should you wish to enjoy the island to the maximum, follow these guidelines:
1) make sure that you have all day for visiting the island
2) bring along your bathing suits and beach blankets
3) bring along your own barbecue supply (there are places where you can use the grill) and also bring your refreshments for the day, since there are neither any shops nor cafes – there are two kiosks where you can purchase drinking water, chocolate and the like.
Let the pictures now talk for themselves!
Photos: NordenBladet /Helena-Reet Ennet
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