thisisFINLAND

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.

Most stable country in the world

Source: Fragile States Index

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.

Arts & culture Webpick

7 movies to see at Helsinki’s DocPoint Festival

Female directors march to the fore at the documentary film fest DocPoint in 2020.

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.

Greatest press freedom in the world

Source: Reporters without Borders

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