thisisFINLAND

How Finland’s Moomins moved from beloved books to coveted mugs

The first Moomin book, in 1945, introduced a cast of characters that gained international fame. We talk to the designer behind one of the most unusual Moomin success stories: the mugs that you can find in almost every Finnish household. They’re so popular that someone even wrote a master’s thesis about them.

Life & society Sports

The Finnish summer ice hockey article you didn’t even know you were waiting for

Why talk about ice hockey during the summer? Funny you should ask. The answer has to do with Finland, climate change, a group called Save Pond Hockey, the NHL and more.

Arts & culture Visual arts

New audiences continue to find Finland’s number one painter, Helene Schjerfbeck

Early in 2020, record-breaking attendance at Helsinki’s Ateneum Art Museum and the release of a feature film signalled that artist Helene Schjerfbeck is getting much-deserved attention from audiences of all ages. We talk with actor Laura Birn and curator Anna-Maria von Bonsdorff.

200,000

Number of reindeer currently kept as pets

Source: Lapland Above Ordinary

Life & society Nature

Life on the edge: Living on the western and eastern borders of Finland

At Finland’s easternmost and westernmost points, people go about their lives in locations that contain direct connections to the nation’s history.

Life & society Business

How a Finnish fish market stays afloat when Russian customers must stay home

Some eastern Finnish merchants normally get most of their income from Russian cross-border shoppers. To see how businesses are coping with the coronavirus situation, we visit a fish market where the parking lot is empty but the boss is already focusing on the future.

Life & society ThisisFINLAND Magazine

Finnish actor Jasper Pääkkönen is raising awareness

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

Life & society Webpick

Finnish city of Tampere declares itself sauna capital of the world

Tampereans are known for authenticity and warmth, and the same goes for Tampere’s sauna culture. In the sauna, everyone is equal, as the Finnish saying goes, and Tampere has the largest number of public saunas in Finland. And if you’re the sauna capital of Finland, you’re the sauna capital of the world.

Business & innovation Technology

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.

980,000

Amount of trips Finns make to Lapland each year

Source: Statistics Finland

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