thisisFINLAND

Fiskars village, a stronghold of Finnish design, combines art, artisanry and architecture in a summer biennial

Knots, knits and tiny houses are in the spotlight at the Fiskars Village Art & Design Biennale, a sensory adventure inviting visitors to see beauty in overlooked details. Also: The story of the Adidas logo’s Finnish origins.

Life & society Cuisine

Making sweet, sour loaves and blazed fish by the sea: western Finnish recipes

Geography and culture are reflected in these recipes from western Finland, where sea buckthorn grows along the Baltic Sea coast and the Ostrobothnia region is known for its potato farming tradition.

Life & society Media

Finland applauds and supports press freedom and its role in democracy

Press Freedom Day, held annually on May 3, reminds people all over the world that a free and independent media is necessary for a well-functioning democracy. The World Press Freedom Index appears on the same day. In 2024, it ranks Finland at number five.

Business & innovation Sustainability

22 for April 22, 2022: A Finnish Earth Day list

Every year, April 22 marks Earth Day all over the world, reminding governments, businesses and citizens to take action on environmental issues. For April 22, 2022, here’s a 22-item listing of promising progress that is happening in Finland.

Life & society Cuisine

Rolling out pies, rye bread and other essential eastern Finnish recipes

We visit eastern Finland to find recipes for blinis that require two days to make and dark rye bread that takes three or four days. And we reveal the secrets behind baking Karelian pies, berry pies and more.

Life & society Equality

Finland tops World Happiness Report for fifth time in a row, highlights trust, wellbeing and freedom – other Nordics in top 8

Finland leads the 2022 World Happiness Report, with the other Nordic countries keeping it company in the top eight. What are the values and systems that contribute to keeping Finland at the head of this list?

Life & society Environment

Weathering winter in Finnish waters: Wildlife copes with changing Baltic Sea

Climate change is affecting average water temperatures and amounts of ice cover in the Baltic Sea. That influences the lifecycle and survival of fish and other wildlife, but not always the way you might think.

Arts & culture Slideshows

Finnish wildlife photographers continue to garner international recognition

People in Finland often speak of a close connection to the natural world. That may be one reason why the country’s nature and wildlife photographers continue to gain followers and win awards. (See photo show.)

Business & innovation Equality

Finnish organisation gets women into coding and opens career paths

The software industry is male-dominated, but Mimmit koodaa (Women code) has brought thousands of women into professional coding. It started with workshops and grew to include networking and career support.

Business & innovation Cuisine

Feast your eyes on these Finnish chocolate creations

Artisanal chocolatiers have been emerging across Finland in recent years, offering seriously tasty competition to the big brands. Small shops can also stand out by focusing on vegan chocolate, gluten-free options, sustainability, local ingredients or supply-chain ethics.

Life & society Sports

Good chance of gold as Finnish Olympic and Paralympic athletes head for Beijing

With the 2022 Winter Olympics happening in China from February 4 to 20 and the Paralympics from March 4 to 13, here’s a quick summary of what to expect from the Finnish team, from snowboarding to men’s and women’s ice hockey and more.

Life & society Politics

New kind of election in Finland selects decision-makers for wellbeing services

January 23, 2022 is election day for a completely new category of election, anticipating the reform of social and health services that takes effect on January 1, 2023. Foreign residents of Finland have the right to vote and to run as candidates.

Arts & culture Slideshows

The return of Lux Helsinki reminds viewers of brighter days ahead

Our photo show samples the glow of a festival of open-air light installations that offset the winter darkness in the Finnish capital.

Life & society Sports

Finnish American helps Finland lead in cheerleading

World champion cheerleader Kayleigh Karinen had already lived in the US, Chile and Spain when she decided to settle down in Finland, the country of her ancestors.

Life & society Culture

Explore Finland online: Sit back and enjoy the show

Here are options from all over Finland for seeing world-class art, architecture and performances without leaving home. Sometimes restrictions, cost or sheer distance can keep you from making a trip to see a show or an exhibition.

Arts & culture Film

Finnish film from East Africa savours international acclaim

Somali Finnish film director Khadar Ayderus Ahmed describes the tribulations and triumphs of creating a movie about a haunting idea that simply wouldn’t leave him alone. It’s the first entry from Somalia for Best International Film Feature at the Oscars.