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https://finland.fi/category/life-society/

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MAIN OUTLINES OF FINNISH HISTORY

Swedish, Russian and independent eras in a nutshell.
https://finland.fi/life-society/main-outlines-of-finnish-history/

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We'll run through the main events in Finnish history. Broadly speaking, it can be divided into three chapters: the Swedish period prior to 1809, the Russian period from 1809 to 1917, and the independent period from 1917 to the present day.

Until the middle of the 12th century, the geographical area that is now Finland was a political vacuum, though interesting to both its western neighbour Sweden and the Catholic Church there, and its eastern neighbour Novgorod (Russia) and its Greek Orthodox Church.

Sweden came out on top, as the peace treaty of 1323 between Sweden and Novgorod assigned only eastern Finland to Novgorod. The western and southern parts of Finland were tied to Sweden and the Western European cultural sphere, while eastern Finland, i.e. Karelia, became part of the Russo-Byzantine world.

The Swedish reign

As a consequence of Swedish domination, the Swedish legal and social systems took root in Finland. Feudalism was not part of this system and the Finnish peasants were never serfs; they always retained their personal freedom. Finland's most important centre was the town of Turku, founded in the middle of the 13th century. It was also the Bishop's seat.

The Reformation started by Luther in the early 16th century also reached Sweden and Finland, and the Catholic Church consequently lost out to the Lutheran faith.

The Reformation set in motion a great rise in Finnish-language culture. The New Testament was translated into Finnish in 1548 by the Bishop of Turku, Mikael Agricola (1510-1557), who brought the Reformation to Finland and created written Finnish. The entire Bible appeared in Finnish in 1642.

During its period as a great power (1617-1721), Sweden extended its realm around the Baltic and managed, due to the weakness of Russia, to push the Finnish border further east. With consolidation of the administration in Stockholm, uniform Swedish rule was extended to Finland in the 17th century. Swedes were often appointed to high offices in Finland, which strengthened the position of the Swedish language there.

Finland as a Grand Duchy of Russia

When Sweden lost its position as a great power in the early 18th century, Russian pressure on Finland increased, and Russia conquered Finland in the 1808-1809 war with Sweden.

During the Swedish period, Finland was merely a group of provinces and not a national entity. It was governed from Stockholm, the capital of the Finnish provinces at that time. But when Finland was joined to Russia in 1809 it became an autonomous Grand Duchy. The Grand Duke was the Russian Emperor, whose representative in Finland was the Governor General.

Finland's highest governing body was the Senate, whose members were Finns. Matters pertaining to Finland were presented to the Emperor in St Petersburg by the Finnish Minister Secretary of State. This meant that the administration of Finland was handled directly by the Emperor and the Russian authorities were therefore unable to interfere.

The enlightened Russian Emperor Alexander I, who was Grand Duke of Finland from 1809 to 1825, gave Finland extensive autonomy thereby creating the Finnish state. In 1812, Helsinki was made the capital of Finland, and the university, which had been founded in Turku in 1640, was moved to Helsinki in 1828.

The Finnish national movement gained momentum during the Russian period. The Finnish national epic, the Kalevala, created by Elias Lönnrot, was published in 1835.

The Language Decree issued in 1863 by Alexander II marked the beginning of the process through which Finnish became an official administrative language. Although only one-seventh of the Finnish population spoke Swedish as its first language, Swedish retained its dominant position until the beginning of the 20th century.

The Finnish Diet was convened in 1863 after a break of more than half a century. From then on, the Diet met regularly, and active legislative work in Finland began. The Conscription Act of 1878 gave Finland an army of its own.

The obliteration of "Finnish separatism," a policy also known as Russification, started during the "first era of oppression" (1899-1905) and continued during the second era (1909-1917). The 1905 Revolution in Russia gave Finland a short breathing spell, while a new legislative body to replace the old Estates was created in 1906. At that time this was the most radical parliamentary reform in Europe, because Finland moved in one bound from a four estate diet to a unicameral parliament and universal suffrage. Finnish women were the first in Europe to gain the right to vote in parliamentary elections.

The independent republic

On December 6, 1917, Parliament approved the declaration of independence drawn up by the Senate under the leadership of P.E. Svinhufvud (1861-1944).

At the same time, the breach between the parties of the left and the right had become irreconcilable. At the end of January 1918, the left-wing parties staged a coup, and the government was forced to flee Helsinki. The ensuing Civil War ended in May with victory for the government troops, led by General Gustaf Mannerheim (1867-1951). Finland became a republic in the summer of 1919, and K.J. Ståhlberg (1865-1952) was elected the first president.

The independent republic developed briskly during the 1920s. The wounds sustained in the Civil War were alleviated by conciliatory measures such as including the Social Democrats in the government; in 1926-1927 they formed a minority government on their own.

Although Finland first pursued a foreign policy based on cooperation with Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, the League of Nations was already the cornerstone of Finnish security policy in the 1920s. When the inability of the League of Nations to safeguard world peace became evident in the 1930s, Parliament approved a Scandinavian orientation in 1935.

In August 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union signed a nonaggression pact, which included a secret protocol relegating Finland to the Soviet sphere of interest. When Finland refused to allow the Soviet Union to build military bases on its territory, the latter revoked the nonaggression pact of 1932 and attacked Finland on November 30, 1939. The "Winter War" ended in a peace treaty drawn up in Moscow on March 13, 1940, giving southeastern Finland to the Soviet Union.

When Germany invaded the Soviet Union in the summer of 1941, Finland entered the war as a cobelligerent with Germany. The "Continuation War" ended in armistice in September 1944. In addition to the areas already lost to Russia, Finland also ceded Petsamo on the Arctic Ocean. The terms of the armistice were confirmed in the Paris Peace Treaty of 1947.

Marshal Mannerheim was made president of the republic towards the end of the war. He was succeeded in 1946 by J. K. Paasikivi (1870-1956), whose aim was to improve relations with the Soviet Union.

The Olympic Games were held in Helsinki in 1952, and in 1955 Finland joined both the United Nations and the Nordic Council. Among the major achievements of Nordic cooperation were the establishment of a joint Nordic labour market in 1954 and a passport union in 1957.

Urho Kekkonen, who was elected president in 1956, worked to increase Finland's latitude in foreign policy by pursuing an active policy of neutrality. This was evident for instance in initiatives taken by Finland, such as the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe held in Helsinki in summer 1975.

Kekkonen led Finland for a quarter of a century before resigning because of poor health. Mauno Koivisto was elected president in 1982.

Recent history

Spring 1987 marked a turning point in the government, when the conservative National Coalition Party and the Social Democrats formed a majority government that remained in power until 1991. After the 1991 election, the Social Democrats were left in opposition, and a new government was formed by the Conservatives and the Centre Party (formerly the Agrarian Party).

The upheaval that took place at the end of the 1980s and early 1990s, including the dissolution of the Soviet Union, was evident in Finland in both a liberalised intellectual atmosphere and in greater latitude in foreign policy. Finland recognised Russia's position as the successor to the Soviet Union and a treaty on good relations between the neighbouring countries was concluded in January 1992.

The need and opportunity for Finnish membership in the European Community (EC) increased greatly when Sweden submitted its membership application and the Soviet Union was dissolved in 1991. Finland submitted its own application to the EC in March 1992 and the Parliament of the EC (by then the European Union), approved the application in May 1994. In a referendum held in Finland in October 1994, 57 percent of the voters supported membership, and in November 1994 Parliament approved Finnish EU membership as of the beginning of 1995 by a vote of 152-45.

In the 1995 parliamentary elections the Finnish Centre Party suffered a crushing defeat and Paavo Lipponen, the new chairman of the Social Democratic Party, formed a unique government by Finnish standards. Apart from its backbone, comprising the Social Democrats and the National Coalition, the government included Greens, the Left-Wing Alliance and the Swedish People's Party.

Parliamentary elections in spring 2003 also changed the political composition of the government. The National Coalition Party was excluded from Centre Party leader Anneli Jäätteenmäki's government, which comprised the Centre Party, the Social Democratic Party, and the Swedish People's Party. Jäätteenmäki herself, under political pressure, soon had to resign and in June 2003 Matti Vanhanen became prime minister.

In 2006, an unexpectedly close presidential election took place. The incumbent, President Tarja Halonen, representing the left side of the political spectrum, defeated her opponent Sauli Niinistö, from the conservative National Coalition Party, by less than four percentage points.

In the elections of 2007, the Parliament shifted noticeably to the right when the National Coalition Party scored a big victory and the Social Democratic Party suffered a marked loss. Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, from the Centre Party, continued in his post, gathering together a conservative-centrist coalition government, which began its term in April 2007. Of 20 ministers, eight represented the Centre Party and eight the National Coalition Party. The Green Party and the Swedish People's Party were also granted ministerial posts.

Finland's security policy has recently been the subject of energetic debate. Adding their own spice to the discourse were the enlargements of the European Union and NATO in 2004, events that placed Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, Finland's neighbours to the south, among the new members of both organisations. In June 2008, Finland's Parliament approved the changes to the constitution of the European Union in the Treaty of Lisbon.

By Dr Seppo Zetterberg, professor of history, University of Jyväskylä, updated May 2017

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Main outlines of Finnish history - thisisFINLAND

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We'll run through the main events in Finnish history. Broadly speaking, it can be divided into three chapters: the Swedish period prior to 1809, the Russian period from 1809 to 1917, and the independent period from 1917 to the present day.

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1. What was surprising to learn about Finland?

In winter, I saw some Finns did not wear winter coats. I was surprised and they said that sauna helped them warm.

2. What you didn’t know before?

I did not know that Finns can enjoy sauna in anytime. I said to myself they maybe just enjoy it in winter but I was wrong.

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http://www.expat-finland.com/

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Moving to, Living in & Working in Finland. Expat Finland

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Expat Finland's mission is to help people get things done and enjoy life in Finland, simply and affordably. Made in Finland since 2004, expat-finland.com

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Rights and Regulations

http://www.nationalparks.fi/en/hikinginfinland/rightsandregulations

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Rights and Regulations - Nationalparks.fi

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Parking lot is American.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTYO-sfkXZYkD01x7tUX0RI28YWTNGVUHW4CHsJe7ASvz15RtJrdA

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The Anthem (Tarja Turunen) Amazing! Watch it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3bLSpX8e3o

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https://www.visitfinland.com/article/join-the-finns-in-the-sauna/

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Join the Finns in the Sauna - VisitFinland.com

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Sharing a sauna with someone is about bonding, about discussing real issues - no small talk. In Finland, major decisions get made in saunas, not boardrooms.

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THE FINNISH EXPATRIATE PARLIAMENT (the FEP)

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THE FINNISH EXPATRIATE PARLIAMENT (the FEP)

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(This post in this column and one in Past and starting time column are the same)

The Finnish Expatriate Parliament is a cooperation forum for Finnish societies throughout the world. The aim of the Finnish Expatriate Parliament is to voice better the opinions of Finns living abroad. Expatriate Finns have welcomed their own interest representation forum with great enthusiasm.
http://www.usp.fi/index.php?lang=uk&PHPSESSID=2f825f099e3874fffa2559123b883ed1

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Expatriate Finns are a resource for Finland. They contribute to make Finland and Finnish culture known abroad. They also bring with them knowledge and skills which they have acquired home to Finland. Expatriate Finns advance links between their home countries and Finland and it is important for Finland that this link stays strong and that expat Finns remain involved with the Finnish society.

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Nightwish - Lappi (Lyrics&Translation)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxl3jAMuN7M

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https://i.pinimg.com/736x/70/eb/54/70eb546a630b64b0402f2c84de715c11--magic-wells.jpg

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Miriam Greenberg introduced this website to forum Possible additional material in Genaral.
http://randomfinnishlesson.blogspot.com/

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A blog about Finnish language. I'm a native Finn and a professional Finnish teacher writing in English or easy Finnish.

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Tapan sinut = I will kill you.
Tapaan sinut = I will meet you
http://cdn.ebaumsworld.com/mediaFiles/picture/730195/85171017.jpg

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http://www.listal.com/list/100-greatest-finns

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Suuret suomalaiset (Great Finns) was a 2004 television show broadcast in Finland by YLE (the Finnish Broadcasting Company), which determined the 100 greatest Finns of all time according to the opinions of its viewers. The viewers were able to vote during a programme which lasted from October to December 2004.

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Sari Tolonen introduced this website to forum Possible additional material in Genaral.
https://www.aamulehti.fi/hyvaelama/how-to-deal-with-finns-and-finnish-culture-11-tips-for-starting-out-in-the-country-of-a-thousand-lakes-200653540/

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Finns are a friendly and cooperative bunch, but keep in mind that a great majority of them take some time to warm to interaction. Finns do not like bargaining and they don't talk much. If they say something, they usually really mean it.

Jukka-Petteri Eronen

You may have come to Finland to study, to work, for business, seeking political asylum or for family reasons.

Whatever your motivation may be, there are some things everyone should be aware of when they arrive to this country.

Compiled here is a concise list of Finnish characteristics and quirks that aims to make your life more pleasant in Finland. Please take note especially if you plan to remain here for a longer period of time or even permanently. This is how you should go about when interacting with Finns and dealing with the Finnish society.

1. Dealing with the Finns

Finns are generally friendly and cooperative, but remember that a great majority of them take time to warm to interaction. I have noticed that Finns need a longer reactionary time compared to many other nationalities.

Therefore, when you approach an ordinary Finn or an official do not start talking very fast, instead:

1. Greet them first

2. Be a bit hesitant or slip intentionally

3. Present your issue in a plain manner

4. Expect a pause or some time to react

5. Get a reply and

6. Continue. Finns are very factual, perfectionist and non-emotional in official situations - your words should support your papers or facts. Do not lie to Finns.

2. Importance of the Finnish Language

Proficiency in the Finnish language is very important in opening up doors for opportunities, getting and keeping a job and becoming a part of the Finnish society. A foreigner should start learning Finnish from day one when arriving to Finland.

Finnish is a difficult language to learn but it's not impossible - everything depends on how passionate you are towards learning Finnish.

Here are some ways to get started in Finnish:

1. Join one or two language courses

2. Use the language in daily life without paying any heed to mistake

3. Read Finnish newspapers on a daily basis and keep a dictionary nearby

4. Watch TV programmes including the news regularly

5. Choose a topic (ice hockey, football, politics, weather, etc.) to strike up a conversation with a Finn. In general, Finns do not talk with others without a specific topic.

3. Equality in the Finnish Society

Discrimination by gender, age, religion, or ethnic background is not allowed nor even legal in Finland.

Children go to daycare or kindergarten mostly at the age of two or even earlier and grow up with a sense of gender equality. Consequently one may consider Finland as one of the most gender-neutral countries: men and women participate equally in household work, business activities, politics and everyday working life.

In higher education, women have surpassed men long ago. Therefore, it is not impossible that a PhD holding high-ranking female official is married to a male ambulance driver, or a female doctor is married to a male welder.

A sense of gender equality and its practice are necessary preconditions for being a part of the Finnish society.

4. Individualist Culture

Individualism is the primary cultural dimension of the Finnish society.

People live in a nuclear family comprised of parents and their immediate children. Kids grow up to be self-dependent, respect others' opinions, be career-oriented and establish their own household once they reach adulthood.

Consequently, children move away from home around the age of 18 to 20 and start their own household. It is likely that one will have three homes in his or her entire life cycle: a childhood home with their parents, their own home in adulthood and an elderly care home in their old age.

Children start to develop an identity of "I" instead of "we " at a very tender age - you are responsible for your own actions.

5. Shy People All Around

Finns are typically rather shy especially when compared to my native Bangladesh. They may sit next to you for eight hours on the bus without saying a single word unless you take the first initiative.

They are also very reactive and introvert, at least at first. In general, it is highly uncommon for a Finn to start talking to a stranger first.

However, Finns are very honest, helpful, caring, and sincere people - do not hesitate to ask a Finn if you have any questions while in Finland.

6. Correlation Between Words and Deeds

Finns do not like bargaining and do not talk much. If they say something, they really mean it.

There is a strong correlation between words and deeds in Finland - Finns seldom make promises, but if they do, they keep them. I have to say that Finns are a straight-spoken people or "suorasanaisia ihmisiä".

Finland is one of the most peaceful countries you can find. Finland is always in the top 5 of lists of least corrupt countries in the world. While in Finland, always stand by your words and avoid dishonesty.

7. Sauna-loving Nation

Finns love sauna, which many consider a holy place. In old times, Finns used to give birth in the sauna. A Finn visits a sauna usually twice a week.

Sauna is a place to relax; find refreshment and warmth; discuss daily issues with family members and friends plus make decisions and solve critical problems.

Sauna can be considered to be an integral part of the Finnish lifestyle or a national hobby. There are 3 million saunas in a country of 5.5 million people. Visit a sauna whenever you have the chance - it will bring you closer to Finnish people and Finnish culture.

8. Take Vitamin D Every Day

Finland has a beautiful, sunny, and short summer (from June to July), a delicate autumn (from August to October), a long, dark, and cold winter (from November to February) and a shiny spring (from March to May).

Regardless of the season sunlight is so sparse that the amount of vitamin D is not sufficient for most folks. Lack of vitamin D, among other reasons, makes us feel depressed and prevents our bones from using calcium for their growth.

Finns use vitamin D supplements from birth to death. Different kinds of vitamin mixtures and concentrations are available in pharmacies and grocery stores. Start your day with a vitamin D tablet - ask your doctor first about appropriate dosage.

9. Pay Your Taxes

Religion is a taboo in Finland. However, paying your taxes is something more than a religion here.

Do you know how the Finnish society is funded? It functions mainly on progressive taxation and transfer payment - these two are the lifeblood of the social welfare system. We go to work and pay tax on a progressive principle and the government transfers the tax money to less well-off and vulnerable members of the society in the form of study benefits, child benefits, maternal benefits, paternal benefits, unemployment benefits, housing benefits, health care benefits, elderly care benefits, and so on.

Pay your tax per rate when you earn because tax evasion falls on the list of serious crimes.

10. The Forest May Enrich Your Life

Forests cover three quarters of the surface of Finland. Therefore, from almost anywhere, one may wander into a forest by walking just 5 to 10 minutes.

An interesting feature of a Finnish forest is that one may own the forest but cannot forbid others from picking up berries, mushrooms or herbs - do not forget to enjoy these forest produce while in Finland.

Walking and biking in the forest especially during the summer season may be a cure to loneliness and source of joy.

11. A Country of a Thousand Lakes

Finland is a nature rich country of a thousand lakes. In fact, there are 187,888 lakes in total in Finland.

Lakes hold a special place in Finnish life, which is demonstrated by the fact that Järvinen (Lake Person) is a very common Finnish surname.

Swimming in a lake during the Finnish summer is fun and free, that is, if you know how to swim. Is fishing a hobby of yours? Finnish lakes welcome you all year round. Try ice fishing - many call it Finnish meditation.

Therse tips merely scrape the surface of Finnish life and are meant to aid you in your journey in becoming a member of Finnish society and culture. Hopefully they can help you one day feel a sense of belonging here.

The writer of this article: Shaidul Kazi, PhD, is a Senior Lecturer of Economics and International Business Behaviour at The Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK).

Lue myös nämä

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How to Deal With Finns and Finnish Culture - 11 Tips for Starting Out in the Country of a Thousand Lakes

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Jukka-Petteri Eronen You may have come to Finland to study, to work, for business, seeking political asylum or for family reasons. Whatever your motivation may be, there are some things everyone should be aware of when they arrive to this country.

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THE FINNISH EXPATRIATE PARLIAMENT (the FEP)

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THE FINNISH EXPATRIATE PARLIAMENT (the FEP)

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(This post in this column and one in Culture column are the same)

The Finnish Expatriate Parliament is a cooperation forum for Finnish societies throughout the world. The aim of the Finnish Expatriate Parliament is to voice better the opinions of Finns living abroad. Expatriate Finns have welcomed their own interest representation forum with great enthusiasm.
http://www.usp.fi/index.php?lang=uk&PHPSESSID=2f825f099e3874fffa2559123b883ed1

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Expatriate Finns are a resource for Finland. They contribute to make Finland and Finnish culture known abroad. They also bring with them knowledge and skills which they have acquired home to Finland. Expatriate Finns advance links between their home countries and Finland and it is important for Finland that this link stays strong and that expat Finns remain involved with the Finnish society.

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Sourse: Content of this post is copied from whole content of topic NON-FINNISH FINNS in topic 1 on Moodle.
(The original topic on Moodle) Last modified: Saturday, 28 April 2018, 7:08 PM
https://moodle.xamk.fi/mod/page/view.php?id=960168

Finland's foreign community accounts for only 1.5 percent of the population. The number may be small, but the history is long. First there were German merchantsand craftsmen. Then there were Russians and Tatars. There are the Romany people - our first refugeesdeported from Sweden in the 17th century. As a result of the Russian Revolution in 1917, the following years brought some 40,000 refugees into the country.

The Geneva Convention of 1951 defines refugee status and the right to asylum. Finland took its first refugees from Chile in 1973 - 1977 and from 1979 onwards from Vietnam. Nearly all of them came as quota refugees or as members of disunited families. The largest group of refugees today are the 4,000 Somalis who unexpectedly arrived through the ex Soviet Union in the early 1990s. There are some 2,500 persons from former Yugoslavia, as well as 1,000 each from Turkey, Iran and Iraq. There are also more than 1,000 Thais and Filipinos, most of whom are married to Finnish men.

Foreigners in Finland speak more than 60 languages, and almost half of them live in the Helsinki area. Recession and unemployment are some of the problems which haven't made it any easier for the newcomers to adapt and become accepted in Finnish society. Tolerance instead of racism or hospitality will help in the integration process. The key elements are language and vocational trainingoffered to immigrants and refugees.

Link of picture on that post (eagle1): https://moodle.xamk.fi/pluginfile.php/1216938/mod_page/content/4/eagle1.jpg

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Sourse: Content of this post is copied from whole content of topic THE LANGUAGE (an article) in topic 1 on Moodle.
(The original topic on Moodle) Last modified: Thursday, 26 April 2018, 12:46 PM

Linguistically, Finns, together with the Estonians and Hungarians, belong to the Finno-Ugric group of the Uralic language family. The group consists of only 23 million people. Of the five million inhabitants of Finland roughly 4.6 million have Finnish as their native language. Outside Finland, Finnish is spoken by 1.3 million speakers, mainly in the United States (600,000), Sweden (450,000) and Canada (90,000).

Until the time of the first written documents, in the middle of the 16th century, early Finnish existed in an oral form only.Latin and Swedish were used in education and administration. The first books were religious ones, because the Reformation brought the local language into churches. During the Swedish era, a lot of loan words were borrowed via Swedish from as far as Greek and Latin, and Finnish vocabulary was Europeanized to an extent.

Finnish gained official status back in 1863, under the liberal reign of Czar Alexander II. Finnish schools were established and many Swedish speakers choose to adapt the vernacular. Kalevala, our national epic composed by Elias Lönnrot in 1830s and 1840s, had been published. It is now recognized as one of the great epics of world literature translated into 45 languages. The Finnish language theatre was born, as well as texts by such authors as Aleksis Kivi and Minna Canth.

Finnish differs from any other language we learn at school. Most European languages, including Swedish, German and English, belong to the Indo-European group of Languages. They are typically analytic, and operate with the help of articles and prepositions. Finnish is linguistically a synthetic language: the words are inflected and there are a dozen cases to each noun, both in the singular and in the plural. Thus, plus writing compounds and single words, results in complex structures and lengthy words. Word order is liberal and may vary for thematic reasons, and passive sentences have neither subjects nor agents.

On the other hand, Finnish pronunciation is rather logical. If a double consonant is written, it is pronounced too. If a vowel is long, we write a double vowel. The main stress is always on the first syllable of the word. There are no difficult consonant clusters, especially initial ones. There is so called vowel harmony: either front or - more often - just back vowels in one word. Some structural solutions are very rational, even ascetic. Nouns have no articles, either for denoting gender or the definite or indefinite meaning of the word. And the most peculiar feature of all is that all women and men are treated equally: there's no difference between he and she, as there is just one personal pronoun for the third person singular: 'hän'.

Link of picture on that post (ft-finnish-language-front): http://finlandtoday.fi/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/ft-finnish-language-front.jpg

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http://www.euro-countries.com/anthem_coat_of_arms/finland.html

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National anthem and coat of arms of Finland

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Border controls on Schengen internal traffic

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Border controls on Schengen internal traffic

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http://www.raja.fi/facts/news_from_the_border_guard/1/0/what_does_the_prospective_reinstating_of_border_controls_on_schengen_internal_traffic_mean_75846

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Internal border controls can be temporary reinstated by the Finnish Government for a limited time according to the precisely defined principles of the Schengen Borders Code to protect public order and security.

The Finnish Border Guard is preparing for the reinstating of internal border controls. Internal border controls are not exhaustive and are allocated according to the risk analysis.

The decision does not bring about any changes in the current situation. The internal border may further be crossed according to operative legislation. The actions on internal security border controls will be allocated to the most central airports and harbours but they can also be conducted on land borders between Finland and Sweden and between Finland and Norway.

Further, the decision does not affect passengers' obligation to carry travel documents. The operative legal acts about travel documents still stand during the internal border controls.

The leading principles concerning required travel documents when travelling to or from Finland during the internal border controls are:

Citizens of Nordic countries

When travelling directly from another Nordic country to Finland, Nordic citizens are not required to hold a passport or other identity card which has been approved as a travel document. However, also Nordic citizens must be able to prove their identity and citizenship in a reliable way in a possible border control.

Finnish citizens always have the right to enter their home country.

Citizens of other countries of the European Union

The precondition of arrival in the country is a valid identity card or passport when entering Finland, as it always is.

Other foreign nationals

The precondition to other foreigner nationals for arrival in the country is a valid passport and if necessary a visa or other required document.

Notice: Passengers do not need to take care of seeking themselves into border controls for example on airports but the authorities will guide to the controls if necessary.

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News from the Border Guard - The Finnish Border Guard

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Internal border controls can be temporary reinstated by the Finnish Government for a limited time according to the precisely defined principles of the Schengen Borders Code to protect public order and security. The Finnish Border Guard is preparing for the reinstating of internal border controls.

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Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
https://www.csce.gov/

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We are a US government agency that promotes human rights, military security, and economic cooperation in 57 countries in Europe, Eurasia, & North America.

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Finnish Language (video, a very important one)

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Finnish Language (video, a very important one)

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Topic 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-uWYvlyeBc

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► Special italki "buy 1 get 1 free" offer for Langfocus viewers: http://go.italki.com/1Ojye8x You may have noticed that italki is now a partner of the Langfocus channel, which is why I mention them in the first 12 seconds. :) I've had many offers from other companies, but they were the one partner I was happy to work with.

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Finnish past and Finland Population Demographics

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Finnish past and Finland Population Demographics

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Forum The Finnish Past in topic 1

1. What else did you know about the Finnish past?

Some new things happened in past in Finland, what I know yet. The 1st thing, LGBTI community has safe and protected living in Finland with laws and rights. The 2nd thing, the suicide rate was alarming but from 2010, it has tended down and down. The 3rd thing, the Finns can enjoy sauna in several ways.

2. Do you know what the current demographics of the population looks like?

I used the below link as material for answering this question. The distribution of population in Finland is uneven. This below picture is from this below link.

http://www.htplastic.info/finland-population-demographics.html

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Sourse: Content of this post is copied from whole content of topic Early imports in topic 2 on Moodle.

Topic 2: THE ROOTS OF THE ECONOMY & THE ECONOMY TODAY

The most significant imports into Finland during the Swedish era were ferrous metals from Sweden and salt, first from Western Europe, but in the 18th century from the Mediterranean countries. The Swedish imports were politically speaking part of the national economy, and therefore no proper statistics are available.

During years of poor harvest, grain had to be imported, whereas in high yielding years, little extra was needed. The main grain exporters to Finland were Riga, Germany and Estonia. Other necessary imports included hemp and flax, both needed for spinning. As early as in the 16th century, there were minor imports of such durables as guns, household equipment and other metal goods. Some spices were necessities, too.

THE SWEDISH ERA

Luxuries accounted for a good share of imports: wool, silk and cotton fabrics, jewelry and decorative items as well as tobacco, wines and German beer, and gradually some fruits, too. In the 18th century, sugar and coffee started gaining popularity. The countries of origin were numerous: handicrafts were purchased from Germany, Flanders and England, wines from the Rhine valley and southwest Europe. The Dutch transported spices all the way from India and Indonesia. Tobacco came from northern America, mainly from Virginia, but cheap varieties came from Russia, too.

THE GRAND DUCHY

The statistics in the Grand Duchy are much more exact. Grain accounted for 20 percent of all imports until the mid 19th century. Grain was followed by salt and iron until the 1840s, when these two were surpassed by fabrics, coffee and sugar. This change was due to two reasons. The consumers' habits were changing and Finland was now behind the protective customs barrier of Sweden. During the last decade of the century, there was a sharp rise of the imports of such capital goods as machinery and raw materials.

Russia was the main supplier until Germany became a serious competitor. In 1905 Germany became number one with a 40 per cent share against Russia's 30 per cent. This situation remained unchanged until the First World War. Britainaccounted for for some 10-20 per cent, and Sweden gradually dropped to 5 per cent. Germany acted as a middleman for south-Russian wheat, ground in Germany and Brazilian coffee. Sugar came first from Germany, but after a change of the law in 1897, from Russia. Britain was the major supplier of fabrics and coal.

Tukru has been the major port and harbour in the Swedish era, whereas in the Russian era Helsinki was by far the most important port for imports. Kotka, Viipuri and Hanko were the main exporting ports. The first motor vehicle, a car, was acquired in the year 1900, and they took quite a while to become really popular. In 1923, the country had 3,600 automobiles, in 1929 there were as many as 35,000, but by 1939 there were not more than 52,000 cars in the country.

In her first years of independence, Finland imported lots of grain and other foodstuffs from Europe's colonies, but as her own crops increased in the 1930's, metals and machinery accounted for as much as 30 per cent of all imports. The country had become more self-sufficient in foodstuff and consumer goods. That is why the share of capital goods rose quickly to 40, 50 and finally to well over 60 per cent of all imports.

(The original topic on Moodle) Last modified: Tuesday, 17 August 2010, 11:22 AM

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Verla https://www.verla.fi/

https://www.verla.fi/en/visitverla#gettinghere
The Verla World Heritage site is located in the village of Verla.
THE VERLA MILL MUSEUM
Verlantie 295, 47850 VERLA, Finland
Tel. + 358 2041 52170

"Verla is a unique UNESCO World Heritage site that brings the turn of the 20th century to life." -> WORLD HERITAGE, THE VERLA AREA, HISTORY.

"Culture, history, architecture, activities and nature come together at this multifaceted site." -> VISIT VERLA, THE MILL MUSEUM.

"Verla has something for everyone, from couples and families with children to school and work groups." -> VISIT VERLA, SCHOOL GROUPS.

"At Verla, you can stay in the mill village workers’ cottages in the middle of the World Heritage site."  -> ACCOMODATION.

"Repovesi National Park and Kouvola’s other cultural attractions are just a short drive away." -> REPOVESI-VERLA, THE KOUVOLA AREA.

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Tehdasmuseo on avoinna kesäkaudella 2.5.-30.9. tiistaista sunnuntaihin klo 11-16 ja juhannuksesta elokuun loppuun joka päivä klo 10-18. Päivän viimeinen opastettu kierros alkaa merkittyyn sulkemisaikaan. Juhannusaattona, juhannuspäivänä ja talvikaudella tehdasmuseo on suljettu.

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" How to get covered by the Finnish social security system and what happens when you move from Finland to another country In Easy English "
https://www.kela.fi/documents/10180/578772/Moving_to_or_away_from_Finland_brochure.pdf/1227c8f2-a10e-4d11-a546-c7e4f4f7da4c

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1. Research team recommends expansion of basic income experiment in 2018 https://www.kela.fi/web/en/news-archive/-/asset_publisher/lN08GY2nIrZo/content/research-team-recommends-expansion-of-basic-income-experiment-in-2018?_101_INSTANCE_lN08GY2nIrZo_redirect=%2Fweb%2Fen%2Fnews-archive

2. Objectives and implementation of the Basic Income Experiment https://www.kela.fi/web/en/basic-income-objectives-and-implementation

3. Basic Income Experiment 2017–2018 https://www.kela.fi/web/en/basic-income-experiment-2017-2018

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https://oikeusministerio.fi/en/constitution-of-finland

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The Finnish Government comprises 12 ministries, each responsible for the preparation of matters and the functioning of administration within its own sector.

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http://www.nationalparks.fi/en/huts/typesofhuts/rulesforusingopenwildernesshuts

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Rules for Using Open Wilderness Huts - Nationalparks.fi

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Guidelines on using Reservable Wilderness Huts

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https://www.iittala.com/about-us
"What started as a glass factory in Iittala, Finland"
"The progressive philosophy of our design heroes, Kaj Franck and Alvar Aalto, still inspires us to keep Iittala forever relevant."

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The breakthrough came in the early years of modernism and functionalism during the 1930s and 40s. At that time it was pioneers like Alvar Aalto, Aino Aalto and Kaj Franck who led the development of the Iittala brand. Their belief was that objects should always be designed with thought and make them available for everyone.

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"Lumene is a Finnish manufacturer of cosmetics, based in Kauklahti, Espoo. The Lumene products are developed and manufactured in Finland. The company's key markets are Finland, Scandinavia, USA and Russia." (Wikipedia)

"By capturing the power of these light-charged actives, Lumene channels this reviving light in its formulas. We call it “Arctic Lumenessence”. This is the secret of Nordic beauty: the beauty of pure, naturally luminous skin.

Inspired by Nordic women

Created with Finnish nature

Born of Arctic light"
http://lumene.com/en/content/our-story

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Despite the piercing cold and drying winds of the northern longitudes, Nordic women tend to look exceptionally fresh-faced and youthful, with an unmistakable healthy radiance that glows throughout the long winter darkness. This resilient beauty forged by a primal relationship with an extreme yet generous arctic nature is our inspiration at LUMENE.

Rooted in the wellbeing rituals of Northern Finland, our formulas harness the power of one of the last un-spoilt sanctuaries on earth combining pure oxygen-rich, pH skin friendly Arctic spring water, with a variety of hand-picked Arctic ingredients unlike any other. Berries, seeds, plants, tree saps and even mushrooms have evolved in the wild over thousands of years to survive and thrive under a uniquely disruptive and challenging annual light cycle. 8 months of purifying, unbroken winter darkness -save for the magical Northern lights, followed by 4 consecutive months of intense life-giving light 24-hours a day.

This light phenomenon, further amplified by an unusually stable low ground temperature, stimulates Arctic plants to produce unparalleled high levels of potent nutrients and Antioxidants.

By capturing the power of these light-charged actives, Lumene channels this reviving light in its formulas. We call it "Arctic Lumenessence". This is the secret of Nordic beauty: the beauty of pure, naturally luminous skin.
Created with Finnish nature

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Despite the piercing cold and drying winds of the northern longitudes, Nordic women tend to look exceptionally fresh-faced and youthful, with an unmistakable healthy radiance that glows throughout the long winter darkness. This resilient beauty forged by a primal relationship with an extreme yet generous arctic nature is our inspiration at LUMENE.

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https://www.officeholidays.com/countries/finland/vappu.php

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http://www.visitaland.com/en/

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1. Midsummer Festival in Finland - the celebration of "Juhannus"
http://www.finland.org.sg/Public/default.aspx?contentid=195732
2. Midsummer madness: Why 'Juhannus' is Finland's best and worst celebration https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/midsummer_madness_why_juhannus_is_finlands_best_and_worst_celebration/9683230

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"Ice swimming (avantouinti) on its own is especially popular in Estonia and Finland." (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_swimming

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"Rapala RAP-ə-lah is the world's largest manufacturer of fishing lures and other fishing related products. It was founded in Finland in the 1930s by Lauri Rapala." (Wikipedia) https://www.rapala.com/eu-en?utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=brand&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8P23-aDI3AIVWKWaCh0MAQrCEAAYASAAEgIU6_D_BwE

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"Karelian pasties, Karelian pies or Karelian pirogs are traditional pasties or pirogs from the region of Karelia. Today they are eaten throughout Finland as well as in the neighbouring Estonia and northern Russia." (Wikipedia)

RECIPE FOR FAMOUS FINNISH KARELIAN PIES

https://www.saimaalife.com/a-recipe-karelian-pies/

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Love it or hate it: Finland’s Easter mämmi https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/love_it_or_hate_it_finlands_easter_mammi/7191109

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Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships http://www.mobilephonethrowing.fi/
Mobile Phone Throwing (Wikipedia) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_throwing

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Finland’s most valued brand https://www.fazer.com/our-brands/karl-fazer/finlands-most-valued-brand/

The Fazer Story (1891) https://www.fazer.com/fazer-since-1891/the-fazer-story-/

What are the best Finnish chocolate brands? (Quora) https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-best-Finnish-chocolate-brands

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https://finland.fi/life-society/aaltos-foreign-lecturers-learn-finnish/

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Founders of Marimekko: Armi Ratia, Viljo Ratia, Riitta Immonen
Our story: https://www.marimekko.com/us_en/about/our-story

Info about Armi and Viljo Ratia is in this column. Info about Marimekko is in Economy & Business column.

Marimekko is a Finnish design house celebrated worldwide for its prints and colours.

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https://www.kimiraikkonen.com/
Finnish racing driver
Kimi-Matias Räikkönen, nicknamed "Iceman", is a Finnish racing driver currently driving in Formula One for Scuderia Ferrari. He won the 2007 FIA Formula One World Championship, in which was his first season at Ferrari. Wikipedia

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https://suomifinland100.fi/is-sauna-a-finnish-invention/?lang=en

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silversmith Pekka Antilla
https://www.lapponia.com/fi_en/lapponia/history
1960s: the Story of Lapponia Jewelry begins.
Lapponia Jewelry was founded by silversmith Pekka Anttila (1931 – 1985) in 1960. The story of Lapponia Jewelry begins with two courageous men – entrepreneur and visionary Pekka Anttila and gifted jewelry designer / artist Björn Weckström.

Back to the future: the Finnish jewellery brand who adorned Star Wars’ Princess Leia https://www.wallpaper.com/watches-and-jewellery/lapponia-jewellery-star-wars-princess-leia

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About Arabia (1873) - Moomin mug listing http://www.arabia.fi/eng/products/moomin-mug-listing

The Kaj Franck Web Exhibition http://franck.kokoelma.fi/default.aspx
Moomin mugs (Wikipedia) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moomin_mugs

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Marimekko is a Finnish design house celebrated worldwide for its prints and colours. https://www.marimekko.com/gb_en/the-brand

Info about Armi and Viljo Ratia is in this column. Info about Marimekko is in Economy & Business column.

Founders of Marimekko: Armi Ratia, Viljo Ratia, Riitta Immonen

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Responsibility at the heart of developing the bio-economy

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Responsibility at the heart of developing the bio-economy

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Finnish forest industry commitments to environmental and responsibility issues
https://www.metsateollisuus.fi/uploads/2017/03/30041759/888.pdf

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Small business success: A tale of two Finnish stores

http://www.goodnewsfinland.com/feature/small-business-success-tale-two-finnish-stores/

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A tale of a Finnish small business: Arctic Choc

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Finland ranks 4th in global competitiveness

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Finland ranks 4th in global competitiveness

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http://www.goodnewsfinland.com/finland-ranks-4th-in-global-competitiveness/

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Finland second best country in the EU for quality of life

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Finland second best country in the EU for quality of life

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http://www.goodnewsfinland.com/finland-second-best-country-in-the-eu-for-quality-of-life/

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... began producing iron products in the 17th century.

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... began producing iron products in the 17th century.

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Fiskars 1649
https://www.fiskarsgroup.com/sites/default/files/Fiskars1649_en_low.pdf

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The Finnish school system helps foreign and mixed-nationality families to bring their kids up to be truly multilingual.

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Finnish schools provide welcome support to parents who wish to bring up their kids speaking other languages in addition to Finnish or Swedish.

Richard Berman from England and his Finnish wife Heidi have brought up their children Demi, 11, and Gabi, 9, to speak both English and Finnish at home. The girls switch fluently between the two languages, depending on which parent they are talking to.

Demi and Gabi attend the local school a stone's throw from their home in Helsinki. Classes are taught in Finnish, and the girls initially learnt to read and write in Finnish. But the Bermans have taken advantage of a free scheme set up within the Finnish school system to give children of immigrant or mixed linguistic background extra lessons in any other languages they may speak at home.

To boost their daughters' bilingualism they send them to extra classes in a nearby school - with help from Granny as a chauffeur. "Our class of about 15 kids meets for 90 minutes every Thursday afternoon after my normal lessons," says Gabi. "We do reading, writing, some grammar exercises and games like word searches, and we get a bit of homework too."

"I haven't minded going on to extra English classes as they've been fun and I've made good friends there - though it's best when the group is small and the teacher can help more," says Demi. "We also talk about things like seasonal festivals, and the teacher recommends good books."

Extra tuition on vital skills

Finnish has very straightforward pronunciation and spelling rules, so learning to read, write and spell in another language such as English is a new challenge. "It was a good time for the girls to start on these extra lessons just when they were learning to read and write," says Richard.

"The lessons really helped them - in fact Demi's spelling is possibly better than her father's now!" agrees Heidi.

Leena Nissilä, an expert in multilingual education from the Finnish National Board of Education, explains that the nationwide scheme provides funding enabling local education authorities to set up free classes in any language wherever they can connect suitably skilled teachers with at least four school-age children who speak the target language at home. Some groups also include Finnish children who have learnt a language while their family was living abroad.

Aside from acquiring a job here in their chosen profession, students at Työväenopisto have different motives for learning the language.

"Of course two hours a week isn't enough to build up language skills to native standard, and families must still help their children, especially by reading with them and providing books," says Nissilä. "The main goal is to give children tools to develop their own interactive language skills, but lessons also cover the literature, food and traditions of the culture behind the language."

Polyglots an asset for Finnish society

The Finnish authorities recognise the value of children learning other languages than Finnish or Swedish to native-speaker standard. "In future Finnish society will certainly need skills in different languages, including smaller minority languages," says Nissilä.

More than 50 languages are taught through the scheme. In autumn 2012 about 14,000 pupils attended such classes around the country. Russian, Arabic, English, Estonian, Chinese and Spanish are widely taught, as well as languages of significant immigrant communities including Somali, Kurdish, Albanian and Vietnamese.

"When it comes to immigrant families, the thinking in Finland is not to 'assimilate' them into Finnish society, but to 'integrate' them effectively. Countries whose systems don't value the linguistic and cultural backgrounds of immigrant communities tend to have more problems with integration," says Nissilä.

Bilingualism good for kids

Given Finland's long experiences of bilingualism involving Finnish and the country's other official language, Swedish, the Finnish educational authorities are convinced of the benefits of bilingualism.

"Research shows that bilingual or multilingual children tend to learn additional new languages more easily than monolingual children, and there is no evidence that bilingualism hinders any aspect of learning," explains Nissilä.

"Scheduling the lessons can be tricky, and we're pleased that so many municipalities understand the importance of this issue and provide lessons," says Nissilä. "We're also happy that so many families take advantage of this opportunity, which doesn't exist in most countries."

The lessons are voluntary, so it's important that both parents and teachers motivate the children and make learning enjoyable.

"We're very glad these lessons have been offered, and it's been worth the effort to get the girls to them," says Richard Berman. Demi and Gabi are clearly proud to be bilingual. Demi has started Swedish at school and is doing well, and both girls are often asked by their friends and even their teachers to act as translators and interpreters.

By Fran Weaver, October 2013

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Finland makes multilingualism easy - thisisFINLAND

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Finnish schools provide welcome support to parents who wish to bring up their kids speaking other languages in addition to Finnish or Swedish. Richard Berman from England and his Finnish wife Heidi have brought up their children Demi, 11, and Gabi, 9, to speak both English and Finnish at home.

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Finland world’s fourth most innovative country

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Finland world’s fourth most innovative country

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http://www.goodnewsfinland.com/finland-world-s-fourth-most-innovative-country/

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https://www.erih.net/how-it-started/industrial-history-of-european-countries/finland/

Picture: Fiskars. Ironworks
https://www.erih.net/fileadmin/_processed_/e/6/csm_IH_Finland_cdf5817f24.jpg

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European Route of Industrial Heritage, the tourism information network of industrial heritage in Europe

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ERIH = European Route of Industrial Heritage

ABOUT US – ERIH’s HISTORY https://www.erih.net/about-erih/erihs-history-and-goals/

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... began producing iron products in the 17th century.

FROM 1649 TO THE PRESENT https://www.fiskarsgroup.com/about-us/our-heritage

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During the seventeenth century a number of ironworks were founded in Finland. The large tracts of forestland in the Pohja region along with its unharnessed water power and good water routes made it an ideal centre for the Finnish iron industry. The ironworks at Antskog were founded around 1630, and Billnäs followed in 1641. Fiskars was started in 1649, and today is one of the oldest businesses in the western world.

1649 - Fiskars ironworks founded

When the ironworks were founded in Fiskars, Finland was under Swedish rule, and Sweden was one of Europe's biggest producers of iron in the seventeenth century. In 1649, Peter Thorwöste was granted the privilege of setting up a blast furnace and bar hammer in Fiskars and for the manufacture of cast iron and forged products. The iron ore used in Fiskars was mainly brought in from the Utö mine in Stockholm's outer archipelago and most of the bar iron manufactured at the ironworks was shipped to Sweden to be sold on the Iron Market in Stockholm's Old Town. In Fiskars, the iron was also used to make nails, thread, knives, hoes, iron wheels and other things.

Eighteenth century - From ironworks to copperworks

In 1783, the ironworks was taken over by the Björkman family and production focused on processing copper ore from the nearby Orijärvi copper mine. By the nineteenth century there was little copper left to be mined in Orijärvi, so the blast furnace was closed in 1802. Since then there has been no basic iron manufacturing done in Fiskars Village.

1822 - the Julin family era begins in Fiskars

In 1822 the apothecary Johan Jacob Julin (later, von Julin) from Turku bought Fiskars ironworks and village. In his time, the ironworks were actively developed and production focused on processing iron. With the 1832 founding in Fiskars of Finland's first cutlery mill the production range increased from knives to include forks and scissors. In 1837 Fiskars saw another first in Finland, when its machine workshop was founded in the village. In the 1830s, Finland's first steam engine was manufactured at the workshop. The Fiskars tradition of implementing reform and innovation has its roots in this period. Many social reforms also took place during Julin's ownership, during which the ironworks village got its own school and hospital. Farming in the village was greatly improved. Fiskars had a significant influence on the development of Finnish agriculture, and in its day the Fiskars plough workshop manufactured more than a million ploughs. Under Julin's leadership, Fiskars became known for its farm and household implements, and the Fiskars name became synonymous with high quality.

1883 - Fiskars becomes a limited company

On the death of J.J. Julin, the ironworks were lead by a guardianship administration. Little by little the power was amassed by Emil Lindsay von Julin and the limited company Fiskars was founded. 1915 Fiskars was listed at Helsinki Stock Exchange.

1918 - Fiskars grows and develops

The productivity of the ironworks was raised by developing improved methods of processing steel and by renewing the rolling mill at Åminnefors. The product range was expanded and Fiskars founded Finland's first metal spring factory. The company also bought Inha Works in Ähtäri as well as the companies Billnäs Bruks Ab and Oy Ferraria Ab.

1929 - the great stock market crash and the recession

The Finnish economy suffered from the great stock market crash of 1929 and this slowed down expansion at Fiskars. In Finland, the effects of the crash were felt into the mid 1930s. Not until the end of the Second World War did the Fiskars' management team realize its plans for reforming the company structure to accommodate mass production.

1967 - Fiskars manufactures the world's first plastic-handled scissors

The orange-handled scissors are one of Fiskars' best known products. But how was it decided to make the handles of the scissors orange? In 1967 when the first basic models were about to be manufactured the designer wanted the scissors to be black, red or green. As the prototype went into production, the machinist decided to finish off the orange color he had in his machine. This meant prototypes were made in four different colors, of which the orange and black were most popular. A choice had to be made. An internal vote was taken at Fiskars, and the result gave birth to Fiskars orange-handled scissors.

Fiskars has registered the color orange in scissors in Finland, the United States and Canada.

1977 - Fiskars scissors factory founded in the USA

Fiskars' expansion began with the founding of a scissors factory in the United States. Setting up in the strongest economy in the world, the US, proved to be a successful choice. It has provided a basis for international trade, a growing market and valuable commercial and professional experience.

Twenty-first century

In the twenty-first century, Fiskars has focused on consumer products and grown through acquisitions. The acquisition of Iittala in 2007 strengthened Fiskars position in kitchenware, while Leborgne strengthened the Corporation's garden tools business. The acquisition of Royal Copenhagen in 2013 complemented Fiskars dining offering with fine hand-painted porcelain and strengthened the company in the Nordic countries and in Asia. In 2015, Fiskars acquired the WWRD group of companies (WWRD) and its portfolio of iconic luxury home and lifestyle brands, which include Waterford, Wedgwood, Royal Doulton, Royal Albert and Rogaška.

Since 2008 Fiskars has consistently evolved towards a focused and efficient integrated consumer goods company.

Fiskars today

Fiskars serves consumers and customers around the world with a brand portfolio of globally recognized brands including Fiskars, Gerber, Iittala, Royal Copenhagen, Waterford, and Wedgwood. Building on our mission to create a family of iconic lifestyle brands, Fiskars' vision is to create a positive, lasting impact on our quality of life.

Fiskars is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.

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During the seventeenth century a number of ironworks were founded in Finland. The large tracts of forestland in the Pohja region along with its unharnessed water power and good water routes made it an ideal centre for the Finnish iron industry. The ironworks at Antskog were founded around 1630, and Billnäs followed in 1641.

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Finland is the world’s least fragile country

# data[].attributes.subject
Finland is the world’s least fragile country

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http://www.goodnewsfinland.com/finland-is-the-world-s-least-fragile-country/

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Finland scores highest in EU in happiness and physical activity

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Finland scores highest in EU in happiness and physical activity

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http://www.goodnewsfinland.com/finland-scores-highest-in-eu-in-happiness-and-physical-activity/

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Vaasa – The energy capital of the Nordics

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Vaasa – The energy capital of the Nordics

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#Suomi100
http://www.goodnewsfinland.com/feature/vaasa-energy-capital-nordics/

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https://eh.net/encyclopedia/an-economic-history-of-finland/

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One of the aspects of "integration" into the Finnish society means speaking one of the official languages. -> True
What are quote, evidence, witness?

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https://www.infopankki.fi/en/living-in-finland/as-an-immigrant-in-finland/integration-into-finland

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Finnish Language as an Agent of Integration for Immigrant Women

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Finnish Language as an Agent of Integration for Immigrant Women

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really?
http://www.elore.fi/arkisto/2_98/ogu298.html

really?

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The Finnish school system helps foreign and mixed-nationality families to bring their kids up to be truly multilingual.

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Finnish schools provide welcome support to parents who wish to bring up their kids speaking other languages in addition to Finnish or Swedish.

Richard Berman from England and his Finnish wife Heidi have brought up their children Demi, 11, and Gabi, 9, to speak both English and Finnish at home. The girls switch fluently between the two languages, depending on which parent they are talking to.

Demi and Gabi attend the local school a stone's throw from their home in Helsinki. Classes are taught in Finnish, and the girls initially learnt to read and write in Finnish. But the Bermans have taken advantage of a free scheme set up within the Finnish school system to give children of immigrant or mixed linguistic background extra lessons in any other languages they may speak at home.

To boost their daughters' bilingualism they send them to extra classes in a nearby school - with help from Granny as a chauffeur. "Our class of about 15 kids meets for 90 minutes every Thursday afternoon after my normal lessons," says Gabi. "We do reading, writing, some grammar exercises and games like word searches, and we get a bit of homework too."

"I haven't minded going on to extra English classes as they've been fun and I've made good friends there - though it's best when the group is small and the teacher can help more," says Demi. "We also talk about things like seasonal festivals, and the teacher recommends good books."

Extra tuition on vital skills

Finnish has very straightforward pronunciation and spelling rules, so learning to read, write and spell in another language such as English is a new challenge. "It was a good time for the girls to start on these extra lessons just when they were learning to read and write," says Richard.

"The lessons really helped them - in fact Demi's spelling is possibly better than her father's now!" agrees Heidi.

Leena Nissilä, an expert in multilingual education from the Finnish National Board of Education, explains that the nationwide scheme provides funding enabling local education authorities to set up free classes in any language wherever they can connect suitably skilled teachers with at least four school-age children who speak the target language at home. Some groups also include Finnish children who have learnt a language while their family was living abroad.

Aside from acquiring a job here in their chosen profession, students at Työväenopisto have different motives for learning the language.

"Of course two hours a week isn't enough to build up language skills to native standard, and families must still help their children, especially by reading with them and providing books," says Nissilä. "The main goal is to give children tools to develop their own interactive language skills, but lessons also cover the literature, food and traditions of the culture behind the language."

Polyglots an asset for Finnish society

The Finnish authorities recognise the value of children learning other languages than Finnish or Swedish to native-speaker standard. "In future Finnish society will certainly need skills in different languages, including smaller minority languages," says Nissilä.

More than 50 languages are taught through the scheme. In autumn 2012 about 14,000 pupils attended such classes around the country. Russian, Arabic, English, Estonian, Chinese and Spanish are widely taught, as well as languages of significant immigrant communities including Somali, Kurdish, Albanian and Vietnamese.

"When it comes to immigrant families, the thinking in Finland is not to 'assimilate' them into Finnish society, but to 'integrate' them effectively. Countries whose systems don't value the linguistic and cultural backgrounds of immigrant communities tend to have more problems with integration," says Nissilä.

Bilingualism good for kids

Given Finland's long experiences of bilingualism involving Finnish and the country's other official language, Swedish, the Finnish educational authorities are convinced of the benefits of bilingualism.

"Research shows that bilingual or multilingual children tend to learn additional new languages more easily than monolingual children, and there is no evidence that bilingualism hinders any aspect of learning," explains Nissilä.

"Scheduling the lessons can be tricky, and we're pleased that so many municipalities understand the importance of this issue and provide lessons," says Nissilä. "We're also happy that so many families take advantage of this opportunity, which doesn't exist in most countries."

The lessons are voluntary, so it's important that both parents and teachers motivate the children and make learning enjoyable.

"We're very glad these lessons have been offered, and it's been worth the effort to get the girls to them," says Richard Berman. Demi and Gabi are clearly proud to be bilingual. Demi has started Swedish at school and is doing well, and both girls are often asked by their friends and even their teachers to act as translators and interpreters.

By Fran Weaver, October 2013

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Finland makes multilingualism easy - thisisFINLAND

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Finnish schools provide welcome support to parents who wish to bring up their kids speaking other languages in addition to Finnish or Swedish. Richard Berman from England and his Finnish wife Heidi have brought up their children Demi, 11, and Gabi, 9, to speak both English and Finnish at home.

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