Finnish city of Vaasa enjoys Unicef recognition for child-friendly urban life
Unicef has recognised Vaasa, a city on Finland’s west coast, as a Child-Friendly Municipality, for taking into account the views of children and young people in planning and decision-making.
9 years and counting: Finland is first in the World Happiness Report
The World Happiness Report singles out Finland as the happiest country in the world in 2026, for the ninth year running. To celebrate, we seek out people named Onni (Happiness) to ask what makes them happy (see video).
Looking at life, photos and Finnish happiness after four decades in Finland
Tim Bird’s new book, Happy Land, reflects a life of observing, photographing and finding contentment in Finland. It holds some wisdom for more recent arrivals, too.
Regenerative tourism in Finland gives travel a deeper meaning
Shovelling snow to save endangered seal pups might not be everyone’s idea of a holiday. But for some travellers in Finland, it’s exactly the kind of meaningful experience they’re looking for.
Chill skills: Finnish icebreakers and snow-how are more relevant than ever
Finnish ice and snow expertise was born out of necessity and transformed into cutting-edge innovations with global appeal. As winters get warmer with climate change, this snow-how is in more demand than ever.
What one person’s path to speaking Finnish reveals about life and language
For polyglot Irina Pravet, learning a language isn’t just about grammar. She sees knowing Finnish as a way to belong – and that’s something you don’t find in textbooks.
How Finland’s snow storage is shaping the future of skiing
How does Finland manage to open ski slopes long before the first natural snowfalls? The secret lies in storing snow from the previous winter.
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