How “every person’s right” in Finland evolved over more than a century
More than 110 years ago in eastern Finland, Ilma Lindgren fought for her right to pick lingonberries on land she did not own. Her court case provided a legal precedent, helping ensure that everyone may enjoy nature, regardless of who owns the terrain.
Becoming Alan Wake: The Finnish face of a world-famous video game
When Ilkka Villi arrives at the office in the morning, he promptly suits up in a full-body spandex outfit and gets to work pretending to be an action hero.
Pop, rap, techno and yoik: Festival in the far north of Finland spotlights Sámi music, culture and languages
The annual festival Ijahis Idja (Nightless Night) in the very northern town of Inari showcases modern and traditional music by Sámi Indigenous people. We talk with several performers about their music and heritage.
Food first: Finnish festival cuisine emphasises sustainability and artisanal touches
The recipe for the perfect bite? Sustainable, local ingredients turned into world-class artisanal dishes, served with a smile in a laid-back festival setting.
Spending an idyllic week in a Finnish national park, on a shepherding holiday
In several of Finland’s national parks, grazing sheep and cows help maintain traditional landscapes. Holiday-goers can enjoy a week surrounded by natural beauty while looking after the animals.
Visit a scenic Finnish lake essential to the country’s cultural legacy
The shores of one picturesque lake were home to a community of Finland’s most significant artists in the early 1900s – a cultural powerhouse whose legacy and influence is still vibrantly alive.
NASA and Finland’s Nokia get ready to test 4G networks on the moon
NASA’s IM-2 mission, bound for the moon in late 2024, will have Nokia communications network equipment onboard. It’s part of the American space agency’s plan to develop a range of technologies that will help land astronauts on the moon again (scheduled for September 2026).
Made in Finland: Meet the designer of the iconic Snowflake reflector, which popularised a life-saving innovation
Kalervo Elias Suomela merged form, function and fashion in the classic Snowflake pedestrian reflector. That’s how his story became intertwined with one of Finland’s most successful and beneficial inventions.
A Finnish word, sivistys, adds to wellbeing and helps solve future challenges
Finland’s Year of Sivistys 2024 spotlights a long-established concept of societal enlightenment and learning, and harnesses its strengths to face challenges now and in the future.
Urbane renewal: Returning a beloved Helsinki landmark to its original form
We visit a workshop at an undisclosed location where the venerable sculpture Havis Amanda is undergoing a yearlong conservation project. [Update: It returned to its harbourside perch in June 2024 – with a new plan to protect it during major celebrations.]
Concrete change for the better: “Green cement” is bubbling in Finland
Concrete is a major source of emissions, but Finnish firms and researchers are creating carbon-negative alternatives to flip it from a climate hazard to a positive solution.
Finland’s first circus professor unites many art forms under a big tent
Live video, virtual reality, archery: Finnish circus is going in directions you probably never imagined as a kid. And now circus art has a professor, too.
