Aiming High , Going Deep
The centenary emphasises Finland ’ s strengths – such as equality and democracy – and offered Finns and friends of Finland diverse and international centenary programme in Finland and abroad . The centenary year has provided ample opportunity to better understand the past , experience the Jubilee together and set the course for Finland ’ s future success .
The Prime Minister ’ s Office established the ‘ Finland 100 Years ’ organisation which put together the programme that reaped a lot of praise for its inclusiveness and earnest effort to celebrate different facets of Finnish life .
During the year , we have seen people samba and build snow castles in celebration ; photos have been taken of the Northern Lights by a satellite ; Finland100 menu was composed , complete with recipes ; refugees have been encouraged to startup businesses ...
No Office Party
One of the key areas amongst all this is , of course , the Finnish business sector . The country that gave the world texting and Angry Birds has always had a vibrant business scene – and this is not likely to change any time soon .
General Secretary Pekka Timonen , who heads the Centenary Year Secretariat at the Prime Minister ’ s Office , was delighted to find out that Finnish companies more than pull their own weight during the special year . In fact , businesses became , in many regards , the very architects of the centenary
Photo : ( c ) Helsinki Marketing
Photo : Jaakko Jaskari year , with hundreds of companies involved within the framework of commercial and non-commercial cooperation . According to Timonen , the centenary year is also a “ celebration of Finnish entrepreneurship ”.
Planning the Course Ahead
Mikko Kosonen , President of the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra , sums up Finland ’ s 100-year success story : it ’ s simply a tale of a small , agile and capable country whose prosperity is based on mutual trust and cooperation . As for a blueprint for the future , Kosonen argues that the future cannot be built in isolation , either ; now , more than ever , the Finns must put themselves in other people ’ s shoes and come up with new ways to engage in a constructive dialogue .
According to Kosonen , the centenary festivities take place in trying times , as we are called upon to be responsible and show resolve in our actions . Faced with global megatrends such as digitalisation , the sustainability crisis and the transformation of the labour market , the time has come for Finns to make choices and decisions . What should Finland do ? Can the welfare state cope by simply tweaking the existing system or are bold changes in order ?
The next 100 years should be interesting to watch , as well . l
Sami J . Anteroinen
Nordicum 19