MFA: Heads of Missions meet in Helsinki

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

Press release 136/2017
16 August 2017

Heads of Missions meet in Helsinki

The Heads of Finland's diplomatic and consular missions abroad gather to their annual meeting in Helsinki on 21 to 24 August. Ambassadors play a central role when the 100-year-old Finland practises active diplomacy internationally and the 99-year-old Ministry for Foreign Affairs works for Finland and Finns at the international level.

These are among the topics for discussion when the Heads of Missions convene next week in the Annexe of the Parliament Building: the new approach adopted by the United States to international cooperation, global security policy hot spots, protectionist tendencies in the world trade, and implementation of the sustainable development goals.

The keynote speakers will include Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Kai Mykkänen, Prime Minister Juha Sipilä, Minister for Finance Petteri Orpo, and President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö. The meeting will be opened by Peter Stenlund, Secretary of State at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

The public speeches of the event can be accessed as a live webcast at https://formin.videosync.fi/slsk2017. The meeting can be followed on Twitter using hashtag #slsk17.

Video recordings, speeches and press releases will be available afterwards on the Foreign Ministry's website at http://formin.finland.fi. Photos can be viewed on Facebook at  www.facebook.com/ulkoministerio.

Public programme of the meeting

Monday, 21 August

9.00-9.30	Opening of the meeting Secretary of State Peter Stenlund (public)
9.30-10.45	Speech by Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini (public)  Discussion (not public)
10.45-11.15	Break
11.15-12.15	Speech by Prime Minister Juha Sipilä (public) Discussion (not public)
12.15-13.30	Break
13.30-14.45	Speech by Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Kai Mykkänen (public) Discussion (not public)
14.45-15.00	Break
15.00-16.00	Speech by Minister of Finance Petteri Orpo (public)

Tuesday, 22 August

10.00-11.00

Speech by President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö (public) Discussion (not public)

Inquiries: Administrative Services of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 50 322 2046.

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