MFA: Opening of Finland’s Arctic Council Chairmanship in Parliament

MINISTRY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
http://formin.finland.fi/english

Press release 89/2017
17 May 2017

Opening of Finland’s Arctic Council Chairmanship in Parliament

Finland’s Chairmanship of the Arctic Council will be opened in the Annexe of the Parliament Building on Thursday 18 May 2017 at 8.00–12.00. The Chairmanship will present the themes of Finland’s two-year term and there will be discussion on Finland’s Arctic cooperation.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini will open the event.

Keynote addresses will be given by Member of Parliament Katri Kulmuni, Permanent Secretary Hannele Pokka and Senior Arctic Official Julie Gourley from the United States.

The following persons will participate in the panel discussion: Tiina Sanila-Aikio, Chair of the Saami Parliament, Tero Vauraste, Chair of the Arctic Economic Council, Liisa Rohweder, Secretary General of WWF Finland, and Juhani Damski, Director General of the Finnish Meteorological Institute. The discussion will be moderated by Teija Tiilikainen, Director at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs.

During its Chairmanship, Finland aims to promote Arctic cooperation and emphasise Finland’s Arctic expertise. The Chairmanship will prioritise environmental protection, meteorological cooperation, connectivity, and education in the Arctic.

The event will be broadcast live at https://formin.videosync.fi/2017-05-18-arcticcouncil

Those participating in the event in social media should use hashtag #fiarctic

Inquiries: René Söderman, Senior Adviser, tel. +358 50 362 9536, Annariina Kukkonen, Assistant Desk Officer, tel: +358 50 596 2944.

The Foreign Ministry's email addresses are of the format firstname.lastname@formin.fi.