Circumpolar Musings: Finland

White nights fall on Finland

Amanda Graham — Fri, 18 May 2012 18:47:59 GMT

(YLE News via Eye on the Arctic, 16 May 2012) -- The midnight sun is bringing nightless night to the municipality of Utsjoki in Finland's Far North starting Wednesday. The sun will not set again in Utsjoki until mid-July. White nights only occur above the Arctic Circle and are caused by the tilt of the Earth's axis toward the sun.

Ewa Björling opens Nordkalotten border service

Amanda Graham — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 22:37:22 GMT

(Sweden Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 27 March 2012) -- On Tuesday 27 March, Minister for Trade Ewa Björling and her Finnish colleague Alexander Stubb will open the Nordkalotten border service office in Haparanda/Torneå. "One of the most important functions of border services is to help people and companies with cross-border business. I am very pleased that we now have border service offices at all our borders," says Dr Björling. Dr Björling's visit to Tornedalen is part of the Norrland initiative that started in Kiruna on 23 March. The initiative involves visits to several of the counties in Norrland for discussions on how to create conditions for favourable development in the north. The aim is to present an action programme for increased regional exports in 2013.

Finland's environment minister backs more mining in Lapland

Amanda Graham — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 05:15:08 GMT

(YLE News, 26 March 2012) -- Finland's environment minister Ville Niinistö says there's room for more mines in Lapland, in the country's Arctic, if mining companies are willing to carry social responsibility. Ville Niinistö notes that there are no major differences in views concerning mining operations within the coalition government. Those that do exist have narrowed over the past year. "During the past year, the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, and Economy Minister Häkämies, have had their eyes opened to the fact that mining cannot be promoted if environmental issues are not taken seriously from the start. There is room for more mines in Lapland, if mining companies are willing to carry their social responsibilities," Niinistö told Yle. Economy Minister Jyri Häkämies calculates the mining could create thousands of new jobs in Lapland over the next three years. It's estimated that over four billion euros will be invested in mining there. "There is no such thing as a green mine, but mines can be made to have a lesser impact on the environment. Environmental technology projects are important. They can provide Finnish companies with new export opportunities," Ville Niinistö pointed out. However, the Environment Minister also wants to ensure that the economic benefits of mining actually remain in the country. "Mining laws are still liberal. If the degree of processing remains low, the benefits flow abroad."

Working to promote nature photography through Arctic universities

Amanda Graham — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:54:30 GMT

(GRID-Arendal, 3 February 2012) -- GRID-Arendal's Lawrence Hislop is attending a University of Lapland and UArctic workshop to explore collaboration on Arctic Nature Photography. The meetings started in Kuusamo at the Oulanka Research Station, University of Oulu where Riku Paavola, Director of the Research Station introduced the station’s photography related activities. After Kuusamo, the group convened at the University of Lapland, where they met with Rector Mauri Ylä-Kotola, Dean of the Faculty of Art and Design who also leads the UArctic Thematic Network on Arctic Art and Design, and researchers at the Arctic Centre. The workshop continues in extremely cold temperatures in Pyhätunturi in northern Finland, hosted by Outi Snellman, lead of UArctic’s International Secretariat. Professor Juha Suonpää, recently appointed Professor of Nature Photography at the University of Lapland and Lawrence Hislop, head of UNEP’s polar programme, lead discussions on cooperation within the area of nature photography in the context of UArctic with a group of prominent photographers, researchers and educators from a broad range of backgrounds.

Mega-municipalities arise in Lapland

Amanda Graham — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:29:21 GMT

(BarentsObserver, 8 February 2012) -- The committee set up to study the future structure of municipalities in Finland presents controversial structural map of how Finland’s local governance will look like by 2015. The government says the number of municipalities can be reduced from today’s 336 to somewhere between 66 and 70. In Lapland, new mega-municipalities will arise. Merging Inari and Utsjoki in the northeast and Enontekiö, Kittilä, Muonio and Kolari into new municipalities will by far be the two largest local administrative units in Western Europe. The Ministry of Finance says in a press-release that merging municipalities will save costs and make public administrations more effective.

Finland wants rail link to Arctic Ocean

Amanda Graham — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:19:37 GMT

(Helsingen Sanomat, 15 December 2011) -- A proposed rail link from Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland to Kirkenes in the north of Norway has taken centre stage in discussions on upgrading the transport network in the Arctic region. The prospect of less ice in the Arctic Ocean through global warming means that the ocean could become more navigable. This would make it possible to open the Northeast Passage along the northern coast of Russia to more shipping. The head of the project, Nenrik Falck of the Norwegian Tschudi shipping line, says that 34 vessels have already sailed through the passage this year. In 2010 only four ships made it through. Kirkenes Harbour, which is owned by Tschudi, is ready to invest in an expanded seaport, but wants the Norwegian government to participate in the project. Mikko Niini, CEO of Aker Arctic Technology, says that Russia, which has previously been less than enthusiastic about the project, has begun to understand the commercial potential of the Northeast Passage. China is also making preparations for an Arctic fleet. By nearly halving the travel time from Western Europe to the Far East, the opening of the passage could bring considerable savings in the transport of ore from mines in Finnish Lapland. The first phase of the rail project from Rovaniemi to Sodankylä, would be based on the needs of the mining industry. The Keivitsa nickel mine will start operations next year, and the mining company Anglo American hopes to open the Sakatti mine in ten years. Estimates of the economic feasibility of the project are contradictory. The Finnish rail company VR does not expect that such a rail link would be profitable.

Languages under threat as Sami migrate south

Amanda Graham — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 04:02:49 GMT

(YLE, 21 January 2012) -- Experts believe that the Sami languages could become casualties of rural depopulation in Finland. More than half of Sami-speaking children now live outside Sami regions, in areas where language instruction is difficult to access. Linda Länsman is one of the few Sami teachers in the capital city region. Having moved south ten years ago, Länsman now works at a daycare centre in the Helsinki suburb of Kulosaari. Her work there includes, among other things, teaching Sami to six-year-old Joika Partin. Joika is lucky, as language instruction is hard to find for Sami children. There are just a few students in the capital city region, even though there are estimated to be hundreds of Sami children living in the area. They often do not even use their language at home. “If one of the parents is Finnish, they speak Finnish at home, and the child does not learn Sami,” says Länsman. Preserving the Sami language was a struggle up until the 1960s. After the war Sami were threatened by assimilation policies, but now urbanisation is a bigger threat. “The Finnish language law only provides for the protection of Sami languages in the Sami regions,” says Sami language and culture lecturer Irja Seurujärvi-Kari of Helsinki University. “From the start of the century it has been apparent that more and more Sami are moving to the cities.” The government acknowledged the situation a year ago, and set a ‘Sami resuscitation programme’ in motion. A working group due to report early this year is expected to recommend improvements in the organisation of language tuition, and a Sami centre in the Helsinki area. “If there is no support for language learning from outside the home, then language acquisition by the next generation will not happen,” says Seurujärvi-Kari. “If the next generation does not speak the language, then the language dies.”

Finnish reindeer skin conquers catwalk

Amanda Graham — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 23:20:19 GMT

(YLE, 17 November 2011) -- Silky soft reindeer suede is the latest craze in the world of high fashion, with brands such as Armani and Ralph Lauren featuring the material in their designs. But now an entire collection is being crafted from the hide, a cast-off from the meat processing industry. Fashion design student Laura Juslin from Helsinki is creating an all-reindeer collection as her final school project. She praises the versatility of the material, which she says can be both dyed and printed. ”It’s strong and super soft,” says Juslin, adding that reindeer suede can even be transformed into lacy garments. Reindeer suede is also seen as an ecologically friendly alternative—rekindling traditional virtues of not allowing any animal parts to go to waste. “Reindeer suede is popular for its exotic quality and limited supply,” says managing director Carita Pöntiö of leather goods producer Ahlskog, "economic gloom has not dampened orders for reindeer hide." The Sámi have traditionally used reindeer skin for their clothing and tents. Now a Sámi education centre in Inari, in the Finnish far north, is looking to turn reindeer hide treatment into a minor industry in the area. Virpi Jääskö of the centre says they use traditional chemical-free methods to treat hides. In her opinion, catwalk reindeer suede is anything but ecological, as fashion giants use chemicals to give the fabric its luxurious feel. Ahlskog Leather meanwhile says it sticks to EU-approved chemicals and dyes.

Reality show about reindeer herders?

Amanda Graham — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 00:06:23 GMT

(YLE, 7 August 2011) -- Plans are underway to create a reality TV show about the lives of reindeer herders. The Promotion Centre for Audiovisual Culture AVEK has committed 7,500 euros in funding to produce the pilot episode of this show. The Tampere-based production company Standup etcetera filmed the material for the show’s first episode in July in Käsivarre, western Lapland. If a Finnish TV channel buys the idea, a 40-episode reality TV show about the lives of reindeer herders will take off. The decision one way or another will likely be made in September. The original idea of the TV show belongs to Sven Pahajoki, a journalist and writer from Lapland.

Storm winds close ski resorts in the North

Amanda Graham — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 05:04:43 GMT

(YLE, 2 March 2011) -- Dangerously strong winds have partly closed ski resorts in northern Finland, much to the disappointment of holidaymakers. On Thursday 29 slopes out of 45 in the popular ski resort of Levi, in Kittilä, were closed. The unusually strong winds – over 30 m/s in places - could not come at a more inconvenient time for Lapland’s ski resorts. At peak holiday season most of the slopes at Levi were closed for a whole day on Thursday as it was not safe to operate all of the resort's gondola lifts. At Pyhä half of all lifts were not operating on Thursday. "Wind is rarely so strong that it swings our gondola lifts like today," says Tarja Nikkinen, Head of Marketing at Levi Ski Resort. Holidaymakers can only rue their bad luck as ski resorts do not refund unused lift passes due to weather conditions. The Meteorological Institute says conditions for skiing are expected to improve by Saturday as the winds ease off.

Finland: Winter's lowest temperature record broken

Amanda Graham — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 23:35:42 GMT

(YLE, 14 February 2011) -- This winter's coldest temperature of -37.9 degrees Celsius was recorded on Monday morning at Kevojärvi in Utsjoki, Lapland. Elsewhere in the far north, it was -37.5 degrees in Toholammi and -37.2 in Inari. The official reading on Monday at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport was -23.4 degrees Celsius, and temperatures fell to -32 in Kuopio in Savo, -31.7 in Jyväskylä, in Central Finland. This winter's previous low in Finland was recorded on January 15th at Kevojärvi when the thermometer showed -37 degrees. Temperatures of -35.5 and -34.5 have also been recorded in other parts of Lapland. The all-time low in Finland, according to measurements by the Meteorological Institute, was recorded on January 28, 1999 at Kittilä in Finnish Lapland when the mercury fell to -51.5 degrees.

Swedes, Finns slam door on Sámi rights, reject ILO Convention on Indigenous peoples

Amanda Graham — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 06:50:01 GMT

(Rick Harp/mediaINDIGENA, 25 January 2011) -- YLE News reports that Finland and Sweden steadfastly refuse to ratify the nearly 22-year-old ILO Convention on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, aka Convention 169, “the only [European Union] countries yet to do so.” The Scandinavian holdouts are embroiled in land disputes with their respective Sámi populations. If you’d like to learn more, Minority Rights Group International has published summaries of these struggles in Finland and in Sweden. (Norway, meanwhile, ratified the Convention way back in 1990, an interesting contrast when you consider it has the region’s largest Sámi population by far.)

Finland to assist Russia on Arctic tourism

Amanda Graham — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 09:44:41 GMT

(Thomas Nilsen/BarentsObserver, 11 January 2011) -- A delegation from Russia’s Arctic Yamal Peninsula is in Finland this week to discuss the plans for active tourism cooperation. The plan is to create an Arctic tourism centre in the city of Salekhard, the capital of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region, reports Voice of Russia. Finland has over the last decades created massive winter tourism in Lapland, and the delegation from Yamal will study the Finnish experiences.

Cold weather hinders weather forecasts

Amanda Graham — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 18:12:53 GMT

(YLE, 5 January 2010) -- The exceptionally cold winter has made predicting weather a challenging undertaking. The margin of error for forecasts during the winter freeze can be up to ten degrees Celsius, says the Finnish Meteorological Institute. Unusually cold weather also made forecasting tricky last winter, according to meteorologist Hannu Valta of the Finnish Meteorological Institute. Overcast skies quickly raise temperatures, and weather can vary greatly on a local basis. The newspaper Keskisuomalainen mentions that the institute’s forecast for the town of Äänekoski in central Finland was off by ten degrees Celsius – the forecast promised colder weather than what was actually experienced. Hannu Valta says such fluctuation is possible. Valta, however, recommends trusting forecasts made by meteorologists in spite of zigzagging temperatures. ”They are better than pure guesses,” he says. Soon, the meteorologists will get a respite from dealing with freezing cold weather. According to the institute, a weather front moving into Finland will warm temperatures by the end of the week to almost zero degrees Celsius. At least in southern Finland, the mercury may even creep to the melting point.

Finland celebrates Independence Day with traditions

Amanda Graham — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 07:56:37 GMT

(YLE, 5 December 2010) -- Monday, December 6th, Finland marks its 93rd Independence Day with traditional events. The day starts with a flag-raising ceremony at Helsinki's Observatory Hill. The day's programme also includes wreath-laying ceremonies at war memorials, a special service at the Lutheran Cathedral in Helsinki and a torchlight procession by university students. The high point of the celebrations is the President's Independence Day Ball. President Tarja Halonen and her husband Dr. Pentti Arajärvi have invited 1800 guests to the reception and ball at the Presidential Palace. Live broadcasts of the event begin on YLE TV1 at 6:50 PM. The broadcast is also available online at yle.fi/linnanjuhlat. As in recent past years, the Veikko and Lahja Hursti Charitable Trust headed by Heikki Hursti is holding an event for the poor marking Independence Day at Helsinki's Hakaniementori square. This year's Defence Forces Independence Day parade is being held in the city of Kuopio. In honour of the day, President Halonen has awarded 4200 decorations to citizens for various achievements. On Monday, shops, banks and post offices are all closed for the holiday. The same holds true for most public services. Public transport on Monday is operating on Sunday timetables. Because of the strike by Finnish cabin crew, the State Railways VR has scheduled an extra train departing Monday from Rovaniemi to Helsinki at 5:36 PM.

Finland to help reindeer herders

Amanda Graham — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 19:24:35 GMT

(Siku Circumpolar News, 5 November 2010) -- Changes in Finland are expected in the system of public supports for reindeer herding to help the younger generation take over operations from their parents. The government is proposing a package of measures that will also help more young people start their own businesses. In addition to support already made available to reindeer herders, young people will be able to apply for money to expand their herds and to purchase equipment, such as snowmobiles. Supports will be more regionally focused, as well, with measures targeted at helping Saami. Further south, special funds will be made available for fencing off cultivated fields and fencing in some grazing lands. The terms and conditions to qualify to receive public supports for setting up a reindeer herding operation will remain the same. Those include making it a full-time job, based on one's own farm. However, the proposed package will raise the present funding of around two million euros a year by several hundred thousand euros.

History: A plan that never happened

Amanda Graham — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 20:46:25 GMT

(Siku Circumpolar News, 25 October 2010) -- In 1940, the United States considered the possibility of settling Finnish refugees from the Winter War in Alaska, according to Lecturer Henry Oinas-Kukkonen of the University of Oulu. Addressing an historical research conference in Jyväskylä on Friday, Oinas-Kukkonen said that the proposal was intended to be carried out if the Soviet Union had conquered Finland, YLE reports. In early 1940, he says, U.S. officials were preparing to set up an "American Finland" in the northernmost state. The U.S. Department of the Interior drew up several proposals to create a Finnish colony in Alaska during the late winter and early spring of 1940. "New Finland" would have been established in Central Alaska around the Tanana River, a tributary of the Yukon. U.S. authorities considered conditions in the Alaskan wilderness to be suitable for the Finns. Central Alaska is at roughly the same latitude as central Finland. "The area has a northern terrain of rolling hills, birch and spruce trees and midnight sun. It was considered the closest replica of their homeland that could be offered to the Finns," Oinas-Kukkonen said. However the plan became bogged down because of opposition from Alaskans in Congress. The biggest obstacle was the idea of a large national group speaking a language that many considered completely incomprehensible. "The Finnish language was seen as a factor that would have caused problems for the naturalization of Finns living in Alaska," he said. According to an analysis at the time, it would have 100 years for the Finnish settlement to become truly American. While the proposal became deadlocked in Congress, Finland signed the Moscow Peace Treaty on March 12, 1940. The pact ended the three-and-a-half month long Winter War and forced Finland to hand over more than 10 percent of its territory. The evacuees, mostly from Karelia, were resettled in other parts of Finland. In the spring of 1940, the U.S. Congress appropriated 30 million dollars to help Finland recover from the war.

Winter speed limits in force in Finland

Amanda Graham — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 00:15:34 GMT

(YLE, 17 October 2010) -- Winter speed limits started coming into effect Monday on some 9,000 kilometres of Finnish roads. Lower limits are aimed at improving traffic safety. It is estimated that at summer speeds, shorter, darker days would double the number of accidents, and slippery roads would contribute to many more. Lower speed limits are being posted, starting this week in the north, and will gradually be implemented in central and southern regions by no later than Friday the 22nd. Reduced speed limits will remain in force until late March or early April. During winter months, the legal top speed on highways is 100 kilometres per hour and on most other roads, with some exceptions, 80 kilometres per hour.

Early queues as people line up for tyre changes

Amanda Graham — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 21:36:19 GMT

(YLE, 12 October 2010) -- The town of Kajaani in central Finland has seen a rush of people wanting to change over to winter tyres. Some drivers have been forced to wait until next week to book a time at a garage. The demand for the changeover to winter tyres first began at the end of last week. However the real rush got underway on Monday. Studded tyres remain the first choice for most drivers.

First snow falls in Lapland

Amanda Graham — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 00:59:30 GMT

(YLE, 10 October 2010) -- The first snowfall of the autumn has covered northern parts of Finnish Lapland in white. In southern parts of the region, the ground could be white with snow by Tuesday morning. According to current forecasts, a cold front should bring snow to southern parts of the country later in the week. On Sunday night, snow could come down in the Kainuu and North Savo regions, after which a cold front could bring a temporary white cover to southernmost parts of the country. “The snow will not stay on the ground in the south, but in Lapland, it will stay at least for some time, and there could even be more snow falling there,” says meteorologist Hannu Valta of the Finnish Meteorological Institute. The cooling trend in Finland is caused by a front coming into the area from the Arctic Ocean, which is set to bring temperatures in Finland down through the end of the week. In Finnish Lapland temperatures are expected to rise only slightly above the freezing point, and in parts of the south, daytime temperatures are expected to be in the low single digits in some places. Last year the first snow in Finnish Lapland came already on September 29, which is slightly earlier than usual. This year, the first snow was largely on schedule.

Seitas, sacred places of the indigenous Sámi people, have become subjects of renewed interest

Amanda Graham — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 06:45:32 GMT

(Jussi Konttinen/Helsingen Sanomat, 13 June 2010) -- Inari, Finnish Lapland - The low rays of the sun caress the rough surface of a strange stone arrangement on the shore of Inari Lake in Sápmi, or Finnish Lapland. In the shallow water sits a boulder, on top of which rests the Päällyskivi (“Top Stone”), the shape of which resembles the head of an elk. The top stone is supported by three smaller stones. “Everything suggests that this is a seita", says Inari Sámi seita expert Ilmari Mattus, while observing the construction." ... Seitas, or the old sacred places of the Sámi people, have become the subject of renewed interest. The name varies, depending on the local Sámi dialect, and the places are also known as sieidis or Storjunkare. The Academy of Finland is funding a four-year research project, in connection with which six seitas have already been examined. The archaeologists from the University of Oulu have performed small-scale excavations in the vicinity of the seitas. The studies have already produced some results. “Based on radiocarbon dating, the oldest findings have been dated back to the 12th century”, says archaeologist Tiina Äikäs. Next to most of the examined sacred places the bones of animals, such as reindeer, goats, sheep, or various types of bird and fish species have been located. Animal offerings were presented to seitas in hopes for better luck with fishing or hunting. Sometimes such proceedings included brushing the stone with blood or fat. This summer season the excavations will continue in Termisvaara in the far northern municipality of Enontekiö. Divers will start exploring the seitas surrounded by water. Most known seitas are unusually shaped stones. At one time Christian priests destroyed seitas, but the indigenous Sámi people themselves are also known to have taken them apart, if they have not been propitious.

Wild reindeer under threat

Amanda Graham — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 19:05:53 GMT

(YLE, 13 June 2010) -- Finland's rare wild forest reindeer may be facing total extinction, says the Finnish Hunters' Association. The group is calling for Finland and the EU to jointly protect the wild reindeer by further regulating the population of large predators. The sharp drop in the number of wild Finnish forest reindeer (Rangifer tarandus fennicus) is attributed to the growing numbers of wolves, lynx and bears that prey upon them. The Hunters' Association is calling for more permits to hunt these predators in parts of the country where they threaten wild reindeer. In Kainuu, in the northwest, the wild forest reindeer population has decline by half over the past decade. Counts now give an estimate of only about 800 of the animals left there. In addition to the wild forest reindeer in Kainuu, there are about 1000 in the old-growth forest areas of west-central Finland. The wild Finnish forest reindeer are the last population of their species in the world.

Effects of cold winter still felt on train tracks

Amanda Graham — Thu, 20 May 2010 19:21:51 GMT

(YLE, 18 May 2010) -- Frost damage to railway tracks following the harsh winter continues to slow down rail traffic in Finland. VR says damage to tracks will delay millions of train trips. The problems, which have been going on for weeks, are expected to last until mid-June. Trains across the country are forced to run at lower speeds due to the damaged tracks. Speed reductions are in force on a total of 550 kilometres of track. The problems are most pronounced on the main line between the towns of Kokkola and Oulu. VR says delays as long as 1.5 hours can be expected.

Oulu becomes that much larger

Amanda Graham — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 22:24:52 GMT

(YLE via Siku Circumpolar News, 27 April 2010) -- The city of Oulu is about to get bigger, YLE reports. Oulu, Haukipudas, Oulunsalo, Kiiminki and Yli-Ii decided this week to consolidate into one municipality. The nearby town of Muhos, however, did not join. Representatives from the six towns meet on Tuesday in Yli-Ii to discuss future plans. The new municipality will have over 180,000 residents. It will surpass Turku to become Finland's fifth largest city.

Movie on Nenets nabs award

Amanda Graham — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 07:21:25 GMT

(Siku News, 12 April 2010) -- A Finnish movie by Anastasia Lapsui and Markku Lehmuskallio has won the Grand Prix at the Festival International de Films de Femmes in Créteil, France. The film, Last of the Line, tells the story of a young Nenets girl in the 1960's who must leave her home to go to a Russian-language school. The film explores the girl's life as she is stripped of her identity as a member of the Nenets community in a Soviet school. The story is based on the area where director Lapsui spent her childhood, on the Yamal peninsula. Last of the Line débuted at the Berlin Film Festival in February and was shown for the first time in Finland on February 26. This is the second time that Lapsui and Lehmuskallio won top prize in Créteil. They also took home the Grand Prix in 2000 for Seven Songs from the Tundra. The Festival International de Films de Femmes is a festival designed to showcase the work of women filmmakers.

70th anniversary of the end of the Winter War

Amanda Graham — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:18:32 GMT

(YLE, 13 March 2010) -- Saturday saw observances around the country marking the 70th anniversary of the end of the 1939-1940 Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union. President Tarja Halonen opened a Winter War seminar at Helsinki's old Diet of Estates with an address in which she told her audience that the Finns should not forget what massive suffering the war meant for the nation. She noted that the shadow of the conflict also fell over many who did not take part in battle. She expressed a sense of satisfaction that those who were displaced as children during the war and war orphans have of late been able to more fully make their stories known. "In one way or another, war affects the identities of even those who have not directly experienced it. The message has been passed from one generation to the next," she said. The event in Helsinki was also addressed by Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen. Former President Mauno Koivisto was in attendance. During the afternoon, President Halonen hosted a reception at the Presidential Palace, for Finnish war veterans, as well as Swedish and Estonian volunteers who fought on Finland's side in the 1939-1940 conflict. The Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union began on the 30th of November 1939 and ended with the signing of a peace treaty on March 13th, 1940.

Bags lost, thousands of tourists freezing in Lapland

Amanda Graham — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:04:41 GMT

(YLE, 30/31 December 2009) -- Over the past couple of weeks, around 20,000 visitors arrived in Lapland without their bags. Often the luggage has shown up just as they were leaving. "We've had to take care of customers' lost luggage issues the whole time. It's natural that they would turn to us for help," says receptionist Arja Haapakorva from Rovaniemi's City Hotel. "Thankfully Rovaniemi's tour operators came to the rescue, and provided warm overalls to our freezing customers." Temperatures in Lapland have dropped below -20 degrees Celsius while the luggage fiasco has been going on at Helsinki-Vantaa airport. Sports outfitters in Lapland have made a killing selling shivering visitors complete kit, from long underwear to parkas and everything in between. "When you have nothing, it's understandable that you buy everything," says Hanna Uusitalo, a salesperson at City Sport in Rovaniemi. For other visitors, the lost luggage is even more serious that being literally caught out in the cold. ... At the beginning of the week, around 4,000 bags were orphaned at the airport. There are still 100-200 bags stranded at the Helsinki-Vantaa airport, but these should be delivered by the end of the week. Finnair blames the baggage pileup on the snowy conditions. However, luggage-handling union representatives point the finger at staff shortages due to layoffs. At the beginning of the week, around 4,000 bags were orphaned at the airport. There are still 100-200 bags stranded at the Helsinki-Vantaa airport, but these should be delivered by the end of the week. Finnair blames the baggage pileup on the snowy conditions. However, luggage-handling union representatives point the finger at staff shortages due to layoffs.

Ylitornio wants to co-host winter Olympics with Swedish neighbour

Amanda Graham — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 01:09:41 GMT

(YLE, 1 December 2009) -- The neighbouring communities of Ylitornio in the north of Finland and Gällivare on the Swedish side of the border are considering a joint application to host the Winter Olympics of 2022. The municipality of Gällivare is considering the proposal put forward by Ylitornio. According to a report in a Swedish newspaper, the idea would be to hold ski jump and cross country events in Ylitornio and in Svanstein in Sweden. The Alpine skiing events would be held in Gällivare. Hockey events could be held in Oulu, Tampere, and Rovaniemi in Finland and in Luleå in Sweden.

Finland marks 70th anniversary of the Winter War

Amanda Graham — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:14:16 GMT

(YLE, 29 November 2009) -- Monday marks the seventieth anniversary of the start of the Winter War. Memorial events are being staged in various parts of Finland. The Defence Forces, war veterans’ organisations, the City of Helsinki and many other bodies will participate in a remembrance service at the Mannerheim Square in the city centre. Later a wreath will be laid at the tomb of Marshall Gustav Mannerheim at the Hietaniemi Cemetery. The Soviet Union launched attacks against Finland on November 30, 1939 after claiming Finland had shelled a border village. It was not until after the fall of the Soviet Union that Russia admitted that the shelling came from Russian territory and was used as a pretext to attack Finland. Prior to hostilities, the then Soviet dictator Josef Stalin had demanded Finland surrender parts of Karelia in addition to some strategic locations along the Finnish south coast. The war claimed the lives of around 23,000 Finns. After the cessation of hostilities in March 1940, some 400,000 people were evacuated from areas captured by Soviet forces. However, Finland remained an independent nation. Indeed, a survey published last week showed a majority of Finns believe the Winter War saved the nation from tyranny.

Classic Porsches' best winter tires chosen by Arctic testing

Amanda Graham — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:39:04 GMT

(Edmunds Inside Line, 18 November 2009) -- STUTTGART, Germany - Porsche has announced it has set up an exhaustive tire-approval process to choose the most appropriate winter tires for its older models. The tire-approval process has been extended to both "young and old classics," and is based on a tire test program the automaker has been carrying out at the Polar Circle. Porsche notes that more than 70 percent of all Porsches are still on the roads, but the tires once used on many of the older models are no longer available. Tire treads and rubber compounds have changed with the times as well, which is why Porsche is weighing in with its recommendations for the tires that "harmonize best" with classic Porsche models. Porsche has been testing tires at the Arctic Driving Center in Rovaniemi, Finland, on models including the 911, 928, 964, 993 and 996, and the first Boxsters. The recommended tire list is now available at all Porsche Centers and from Porsche's Web site.

Old forests in Finnish Lapland preserved

Amanda Graham — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:13:30 GMT

(Barents Observer, 11 November 2009) -- An agreement between a Finnish state-owned forestry company and the environmental organization Greenpeace has led to the preservation of large areas of old forest in Northern Finland. After reaching an agreement with a state-owned forestry company on preservation of old forests in Lapland, Greenpeace Nordic has decided to withdraw from Finnish Lapland and move its target area to Indonesia. According to the website Forest.fi, a longstanding dispute between state-owned forestry company Metsähallitus and Greenpeace concerning old-growth forests in Central, or Forest Lapland was over when an agreement was reached in the end of October. The agreement covers some 44,200 hectares of forest land. Of them, 6,600 hectares will remain available for normal multiple-use forestry. 2,700 hectares remain in restricted forestry use, and 35,000 hectares are excluded from forestry operations. The solution prevents future felling of 1.7 million cubic meters of wood. The final agreement was reached in a steering group which consists of, in addition to Metsähallitus and Greenpeace, the Regional Council of Lapland, Lapland Regional Environment Centre, Finnish Reindeer Owners’ Association, and representatives from the forest industry and the Sámi Parliament.

It's officially winter in Lapland

Amanda Graham — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:56:36 GMT

(YLE, 30 October 2009) -- Winter has come to Finnish Lapland. According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute, "thermal winter" began in Lapland at the end of October. By "thermal winter", meteorologists mean that the average round-the-clock temperature is now staying below the freezing point. October was unusually cold throughout Finland, but especially in southern Lapland and north-central parts of the country. Winter snow cover now extends from northern Lapland into central parts of the region, even though the area received less precipitation during October than any other part of the country. The lowest temperature recorded in October was -20.6 degrees Celsius, on the 12th of the month in Sodankylä. Up to 18cm of snow was measured on the ground at Saariselkä in the far north.

Lapland brewery closure stuns locals

Amanda Graham — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:47:04 GMT

(Luna Finnsson/IceNews, 19 October 2009) -- The news that Lapin Kulta, the iconic beer of Finland’s Lapland, is set to halt production has shocked residents and city officials in the brewery town of Tornio. Siku News reports that just last week, employer Hartwall met with employees of the Lapin Kulta brewery to notify them of the intention to close the facility. Negotiations on the future of the workers will begin later this week. Chief shop steward of the Lapin Kulta brewery, Markku Rautio, said he and his colleagues were stunned by the news. ”We could not expect anything like this; the news came as a great surprise to all of us. According to the announcement, the premises will be vacated,” said Rautio. The Dutch Heineken group took over Hartwall in 2008 and the announcement provoked a mass walkout of the group’s Lahti and Tornio sites. The small northern city of Tornio is expected to be hit hard by the closure, as the brewery was the oldest surviving industrial operation in Lapland. The brewery is a landmark in the city and crucial to the employment of many city residents who are expected to face difficulty in finding new employment. Around 100 jobs will be lost as a result of the closure, with the city set to lose some EUR 700,000 in tax receipts. Tornio City Manager Raimo Ronkainen expressed his dismay at the decision: “As far as I understand, the Tornio brewery has not been an unprofitable unit; but apparently it has not been profitable enough. From the Dutch perspective, it is all the same to Heineken, whether the beer is made in Tornio or in Lahti. This is the price of globalisation,” Ronkainen added.

1MB broadband access becomes legal right

Amanda Graham — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:55:49 GMT

(YLE, 14 October 2009) -- Starting next July, every person in Finland will have the right to a one-megabyte broadband connection, says the Ministry of Transport and Communications. Finland is the world's first country to create laws guaranteeing broadband access. The government had already decided to make a 100 MB broadband connection a legal right by the end of 2015. On Wednesday, the Ministry announced the new goal as an intermediary step. Some variation will be allowed, if connectivity can be arranged through mobile phone networks.

First snow in north of Finland, icy roads possible elsewhere too

Amanda Graham — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:19:10 GMT

(YLE, 29 September 2009) -- Snow fell on Monday evening in parts of Finnish Lapland – for the first time this autumn. The falling snow naturally led to slippery roads, but accidents have been averted so far. The snowfall was so heavy in the east of Lapland that Highway 350 at Sallatunturi Fell was nearly completely covered with snow. During the night snow showers increased, and spread from Lapland to the Kainuu region, bringing up to four centimeters of snow to higher elevations. Highway officials have warned that while salt has been spread on main highways of Finnish Lapland and Kainuu, roads with less traffic might remain icy. The Finnish Meteorological Institute is forecasting precipitation in many places on Tuesday, with sleet expected in North Karelia. In the evening, temperatures are dropping again, and in the north, temperatures could be as low as three degrees below zero, Celsius. Icy roads are possible at night in the south of Finland as well.

60 years later there are some things to celebrate

Amanda Graham — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:27:38 GMT

(Siku Circumpolar News, 2 September 2009) -- Skolt Saami celebrated the 60th anniversary of their resettlement in northern Finland this past weekend with church service, music, party and visitors... Nearly 1,000 Saami from all over the world and from various parts of Finland had gathered in a festival tent in the yard of the 60-year-old school of Sevettijärvi, in order to exchange the latest information about the Skolts’ way of life. ... The efforts were crowned by an important event. Tarja Halonen, Finland's president arrived at the festival, expressing her support for the revival of Skolt Saami and Skolt culture. Today, the number of Skolts in Finland is approximately 600, with about 250 of them living in Sevettijärvi. The Skolt Saami or Skolts are a prominent Orthodox ethnic group in Finnish Lapland. During the Winter War (1939) and the Continuation War (1941-1944), the Skolt Saami were evacuated twice from their original homelands close to Petsamo (nowadays Pechenga) to other parts of Finland. After leaving behind burned villages, slaughtered reindeer, and facing deportations conducted by the Red Army, the Skolt Saami eventually settled in the villages of Nellim and Sevettijärvi in the municipality of Inari, in the far north of Finnish Lapland. Today, Skolt Saami are celebrating and looking forward to the future. ... In honour of the jubilee year, a new Skolt Sámi grammar was published. While a new spelling book is being waited for, teachers who are skilled in Skolt Saami are also being sought.

Snow in summer?

Amanda Graham — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 05:42:23 GMT

(Siku Circumpolar News, 19 August 2009) -- Kids started a snowball fight in Äkäsjokisuu in Kolari in Finnish Lapland last Sunday, although the outside temperature was about 16 or 17C. Up to about 10 centimetres of white frozen material accumulated in an area about 100 metres long. “I’ve never seen anything like it at this time of the year. My running shoes sank up to the ankles," said local Osmo Kangas. Some of the snow-like material could be seen in shaded areas even on Monday. Leila Konkola at the Finnish Meteorological Institute meteorologist said the substance that came down was probably graupel, or “soft hail”—granules of frozen water resembling styrofoam balls. The graunles are lighter and softer than pure hail, but without the familiar snowflake pattern.

Sodankylä, Finland swelters in record-breaking heat

Amanda Graham — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 21:03:40 GMT

(Siku Circumpolar News, 10 August 2009) -- Records were broken on Sunday, August 9, in Sodankylä in Finnish Lapland. The temperature reached a sweltering 28.7 C, a temperature higher than any previously recorded in the region in August. The previous August high temperature record dates from to 1934, when the temperature was one-tenth of one degree Celsius lower than on Sunday. Sunday’s reading in Sodankylä was also the highest anywhere in Finland. Some other locations in Lapland also recorded high temperatures: Pello 28.2 C and Ylitornio 27.8 C. Sodankylä (Inari Saami: Suáđigil, Northern Saami: Soađegilli, Skolt Saami: Suäˊđjel) has a population of 8,844 and covers an area of 12,415.22 square kilometres of which 718.82 km2 is water.

Finland seeks new connections with Murmansk

Amanda Graham — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 05:56:48 GMT

(BarentsObserver, 11 August 2009) -- It is now very important to develop transport infrastructure in the North – between Murmansk Oblast and the province of Lapland, Finnish Transport Minister Anu Vehviläinen stressed during her visit to the Russian Arctic city last week. "We have actively developing transport connections between Helsinki and Moscow and Sankt Petersburg, but now it is very important to develop transport infrastructure also in the North, between Murmansk Oblast and the Province of Lapland," the minister said, according to a press release from the Murmansk regional administration. Minister Vehviläinen for the first time visited Murmansk, the site for major planned infrastructure investments over the next years. “The visit of the minister shows that the whole world including Finland is following the development of the Murmansk Transport Hub, the Shtokman project and the trans-border cooperation”, the press release from the regional administration reads.

Linguists worry about English language infiltration

Amanda Graham — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:12:14 GMT

(Silja Raunio/YLE, 14 July 2009) -- Some linguists in Finland are concerned about the infiltration of English-language words into the Finnish language. They fear that it may alienate Finns who aren't proficient in English and create inequalities, especially in public service. The use of English words in every language, not just Finnish, is a common phenomenon. Business and technology jargon is frequently heavily anglicized, for example. But some linguistic researchers are wary of its spread into daily life, such as in banks and government offices. Oulu University social studies professor Airi Mäki-Kulmala said she was struck by potential problems when she noticed that Tampere's central hospital began using the English term for the stroke unit, instead of the Finnish sydänyksikkö. "I began questioning whether we can really expect everyone to know English. This type of usage in daily life may be difficult for some people to come to grips with," she says. Mäki-Kulmala feels that the proliferation of English in many normal, everyday situations may put people on unequal footing if they can't follow the English jargon. If a new trend, product, or service only has an English name, many people may be confused or be unable to take advantage of it. Riitta Eronen, of the Research Institute for the Languages of Finland, says that the problem isn't the introduction of individual words into the Finnish language, but the transformation of entire offices and professional fields into English-based environments. This can handicap many Finnish workers who could do their jobs better in their own language. Eronen fears that Finnish could become a second-class language. "The worst threat is that we throw Finnish into the bin. We shouldn't think a "coffee shop" is any fancier than a good old Finnish kahvila," adds Eronen.

Finnish reindeer meat gets EU ‘PDO’ status

Amanda Graham — Wed, 27 May 2009 23:35:40 GMT

(Reindeer Blog, 12 May 2009) -- Reindeer meat from Finnish Lapland is now recognized in the EU as a product with a high level of quality and as a traditional product. This means that reindeer meat from Lapland in Finland was added to the regulation of Parma ham and other similar products, among which is a protected designation of origin (PDO). The label may now be applied to reindeer meat, which is produced in the Finnish reindeer management area on reindeer born and bred in that region. The label requires that the reindeer meat is also cut, and packaged in the Finnish reindeer management area. Finnish reindeer husbandry produces 2-2,5 million kilos annually. This change in regulation may improve the marketing and sales of reindeer meat internationally and ease conditions for the production and sale of products for reindeer herders.

Customs makes drug bust in Lapland

Amanda Graham — Fri, 01 May 2009 17:44:38 GMT

(YLE, 30 April 2009) -- On Thursday, Finnish Customs said they seized around six kilogrammes of cannabis and 200 grammes of cocaine from a 60-year-old man at the Swedish-Finnish border checkpoint in Tornio. The man has been remanded in custody, and the case will now be handed to prosecutors for a consideration of formal charges. The suspect is likely to be slapped with aggravated drug crime charges. The street value of the seized drugs amounts to 75,000 euros. Officials say they believe the man was planning to travel to southern Finland with the illicit goods. The northern customs district says it investigated some 50 narcotics crimes during the first few months of the year.

Swallows reach Lapland

Amanda Graham — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 06:41:30 GMT

(YLE, 27 April 2009) -- Warm weather that began last weekend has brought a massive influx of migratory birds to Finland. Swallows, traditionally considered the harbingers of summer in Finland, have been seen as far north as Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland, reports Birdlife Finland. House martins have also been spotted near the Arctic Circle. Ornithologists on bird towers have counted thousands of arriving finches, siskins and thrushes. The lucky have also observed various hawks and storks. Among the rarest sightings have been a ring-necked duck in Uusikaupunki on the west coast and a ferruginous duck in Hamina on the south-east coast. First sightings on Monday included a red knot in Pori as well as a whitethroat and a citrine wagtail in Kirkkonummi.

Titanic to live again…in Lapland?

Amanda Graham — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 22:45:26 GMT

(Luna Finnsson/IceNews, 7 April 2009) -- One of Finland’s most flamboyant businessmen has revealed he plans to build an actual-sized copy of the legendary Titanic passenger ship on a piece of dry land in northern Finland. The giant ship will house a hotel and restaurants in a bid to lure more tourists to the northern areas of Finland. “Everybody in Europe knows the Titanic. There are no tourist attractions in the Oulu region and I think it could attract tourists from abroad,” Toivo Sukari told the AFP news service. Sukari operates a furniture store chain called Masku and recently built a massive shopping centre named Ideapark near Tampere in southern Finland. Sukari is now working on this new venture to build another shopping centre in the small village of Kiiminki, around 630km north of Helsinki. Although he could not tell the exact dimensions of the Titanic replica, the original was 269 metres long, 28 metres wide and 53 metres high. “It could have a hotel and a number of restaurants inside,” Sukari commented to the AFP, adding that the cost would run between 30 and 40 million euros. He plans to make the new Titanic as true to the original as possible. “I am sure Japanese tourists, who go skiing in Lapland, would be interested to see it,” he said. If everything goes to plan, construction on the ship will begin later this year and be ready for customers by November 2011.

Northern Finns more prone to psychosis

Amanda Graham — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:58:29 GMT

(YLE, 19 February 2009) -- Psychoses appear in Finland along strong regional boundaries, according to a new Finnish study. People in northern Finland are much more prone to psychoses than elsewhere in the country. In northern Finland, 4.6 percent of the population has experienced psychotic episodes at some point in their lives. The lowest rate was found in south-western areas, where psychoses affected only 2.2 percent. Researchers believe that the regional differences can, in part, be explained by conditions in early childhood. Northern Finland has a higher instance of infections during pregnancy, birthing complications, and other early development risk factors—all of which are also factors in developing schizophrenia. The study was co-ordinated by the National Institute of Health and Welfare and published in Schizophrenia Research magazine. In contrast to the data on schizophrenia, affective disorders (like bi-polar disorders) and depression-related psychosis did not appear to have any regional correlation.

Child care must be given in Saami

Amanda Graham — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:13:43 GMT

(Siku Circumpolar News, 7 February 2009) -- The failure to provide basic services in Saami has resulted in the imposition of a conditional fine by Finland's National Discrimination Tribunal. The 5,000-euro fine is the first of its kind to be handed down. At the heart of the dispute is the provision of day care services in the Saami language in the northern municipality of Enontekiö. Minority Ombusdman Johanna Suurpää slapped the conditional fine on the municipality for neglecting to provide the contested service, YLE reports. The fine was imposed when the town of Kilpisjärvi failed to hire a care provider for the village’s only Saami child. “The Child Day Care Act calls on municipalities throughout the country to provide child care services in Finnish, Swedish and Saami,” Suurpää said. Pentti Keskitalo, head of the Enontekiö municipality said that several attempts to find a Saami care provider in Kilpisjärvi were unsuccessful. “Kilpisjärvi is so far from other villages that no one wants to work there,” Keskitalo explained. The case is now before the Administrative Court. Finland observed Saami National Day on Friday.

Raikkonen leads F1 charge in Arctic Rally

Amanda Graham — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:18:00 GMT

(Formula 1, 26 January 2009) -- Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen swapped tarmac for snow at the weekend as he made his debut in the punishing Arctic Lapland Rally. Fellow Finns Mika Hakkinen and Mika Salo were among the other Formula One names taking part. Raikkonen looked very much at home in the freezing conditions. Along with co-driver Kaj Lindstrom, he steered his Fiat Grande Punto S2000 to 13th place overall, finishing the three-day event in a total time of 2h, 7m, 48s, less than 10 minutes down on winner Juha Salo. Hakkinen was not far behind. The former double world champion, at the wheel of a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9, came home 19th in what was his fourth appearance in the rally. Salo was less fortunate, retiring his similar Mitsubishi with technical problems.

Raikkonen and Hakkinen to contest Arctic Lapland Rally

Amanda Graham — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 23:56:26 GMT

(Formula 1, 9 January 2009) -- Former world champions Kimi Raikkonen and Mika Hakkinen are no strangers to the pressures of Formula One racing, but the Finnish pair are preparing to sample a different motorsport challenge later this month, after agreeing to compete in this year's arduous Arctic Lapland Rally. For Ferrari driver Raikkonen this year's rally will be his first and for his debut the 29 year-old will race a Fiat Abarth Grande Punto S2000, alongside co-driver Kaj Lindstrom. Hakkinen, who contested the rally in 2003, 2004 and 2006, will be at the wheel of a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 9, together with Ilkka Kivimaki. This year's staging of the annual event, which sees top drivers tackle freezing weather conditions as they race around Northern Finland in the heart of the Arctic Circle, will take place from January 22-24. Previous winners include former world rally champions Marcus Gronholm, Tommi Makinen and Hannu Mikkola.

Police chase car thieves in Lapland

Amanda Graham — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 07:46:12 GMT

(YLE News, 2 January 2009) -- Swedish and Finnish police joined forces early Sunday morning to pursue a stolen car for over 200 kilometres in the northern border area of Lapland. The chase started in Jällivaara in northern Sweden and ended north of Karesuvanto on the Finnish side of the border. Two Swedish patrols pursued the car driven by two young Norwegian men. A third patrol entered the chase at Muonio. The car stopped five kilometres inside Finland after running out of gasoline. The thieves were taken into the custody of the Swedish police.

Lapland dependent on trucked food

Amanda Graham — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 23:40:40 GMT

(Helisgen Sanomat via Siku Circumpolar News, 8 December 2008) -- The supply of food for Finnish Lapland has become almost completely dependent on long-distance transport, because there is hardly food processing in the sparsely populated region, with the most northerly dairy located in Oulu, the Helsingin Sanomat reports. With Christmas coming, more than a million kilos of food is transported into Lapland from other parts of Finland every day. Even waste transport is dependent on long-distance transport, resulting in a large consumption of diesel fuel. More than 50 trucks a day take food from Oulu to different parts of Finnish Lapland. In addition to the dairy product company Valio, there are trucks from all of the big retail chains, as well as transport companies, bakeries, and breweries. During the busy periods, about 100 trucks will drive in and out of the Valio premises in Oulu, either delivering goods from the South, or taking them north. Retail grocery stores also sort and transport food to shops in Finnish Lapland from their own terminals in Oulu. Milk from farms in Lapland is transported south from Utsjoki all the way to Oulu where it is processed, packaged and sent back to Lapland. Also, cattle from the North are brought to Nurmo in South Ostrobothnia for slaughter and processing into steaks, sausage, and ground beef, which is sent back north. Poultry eaten in Finnish Lapland comes from Valkeakoski, and yogurt comes from Jyväskylä and Hyvinkää.