thisisFINLAND

Finnish actor Jasper Pääkkönen is raising awareness

Fisherman, businessman, actor: In these three roles Jasper Pääkkönen combines his passions and missions.

State of the artificial: Finland expanding free online AI course to all EU languages

“Our goal is to demystify AI,” proclaims the website of Elements of AI, a free online course from the University of Helsinki and the tech firm Reaktor, now available in an increasing range of languages. Our reporter signs up to learn about artificial intelligence and how it affects our lives.

Life & society Nature

In Finland’s far north and far south, life revolves around nature

Life in Finland’s northernmost and southernmost villages offers natural beauty, but it also requires a certain kind of attitude. And you can’t be in a hurry.

Arts & culture Music

Operatic Finnish police officer’s performance resonates online

It sounds like some sort of modern fairy tale: Once upon a time, there was a police officer who turned into an opera singer. Years passed, and he turned back into a police officer. Later, he gained renewed renown on Youtube.

Life & society Environment

Up close and online: View the Finnish wilderness with webcams

Many people have had to spend long periods of time indoors, not to mention curtail travel plans, because of Covid-19 social distancing measures. With live webcams showing Finland’s wildlife and wilderness, you can pass the time and get a travel fix.

Arts & culture Equality

Tom of Finland and IDAHOTB both continue to contribute to pride and acceptance

May 8 is the birthday of Tom of Finland (1920–91), often called Finland’s most famous artist globally. Shortly after that anniversary, on May 17, the annual International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOTB) takes place.

Life & society Festivals

Finnish advice: Keep calm and Vappu on, safely

In the extraordinary circumstances of 2020, Finland’s wild, carnival-calibre celebration Vappu (known as May Day, Labour Day or Walpurgis in English) calls for unusual amounts of creativity so that people can get together while still staying apart. Vappu – this time it’s virtual.

Life & society Health

Kids ask the Finnish government questions in corona info session

For the first time ever, a Finnish prime minister held a press conference in which the journalists asking the questions were schoolchildren. Sanna Marin and her colleagues addressed the nation’s kids directly.

Arts & culture Art

Finnish museums step up their online game to meet demand

Unable to invite visitors onto their premises, Finnish museums are taking to their websites and social media to meet the demand for beauty, inspiration and ideas, bringing audiences everything from video art to VR guided tours. Here are some of our favourites.

Arts & culture Music

Bridging the social distance, Finnish musicians realign online

As tons of gigs get cancelled or postponed, relegated to an indefinite future because of Covid-19, many musicians and other performing artists in Finland are reaching their fans online, either on designated concert sites or by posting video material.

Life & society Education

As Finnish teachers move classes online, family routines change

Families in Finland and all over the world are facing new challenges. Many parents now have more experience of working from home, and many children and educators are now well acquainted with distance learning. They are wondering if they will need to use those new routines in the future.

Life & society Equality

Happiness report elevates Finland and other Nordics, shows that people should look after each other

The annual World Happiness Report seeks to measure how happy people are in more than 150 different countries. The Nordic countries have repeatedly done well in this listing, and in the 2020 edition of the report, Finland is at the top for the third year in a row.

Life & society Society

Facts and feelings: Do taxes make Finnish people happy?

What comes to mind when you consider Finland and taxes? What do Finnish people think about taxes? What are the facts? And what do the Finns get in exchange for their tax payments?

Life & society Nature

Warm winter makes rescuing Finland’s Saimaa seal many degrees more difficult

Climate change presents fresh challenges for Finland’s already endangered Saimaa ringed seal population and those trying to save it. We visit them on the lakeshore.

Life & society Science

Finnish science sheds light on aurora borealis dune effect

The identification of a new type of aurora borealis, or Northern Lights, has placed Finnish space science at the centre of intense global media interest.