MFA: Finland Promotion Board, directing country image work, appointed for a new term

The Management Group of Finland Promotion Board coordinates country image work in Finland and comments on matters relating to the country image. It guides the planning of common tools for country image communications, and collects and utilises research data related to Finland’s country image. Every year it prepares a thematic calendar to support the country image work carried out by the network of Finnish missions, among other operators. Finland’s strategy for country image work was adopted in 2017.

“A Finland known around the world for its true strengths makes things easier for all those who work to uphold Finland’s international connections. Our goal is to boost Finland’s position in the world by efficient and coordinated country image work,” says Paula Parviainen, Acting Director General of Communications at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and chair of the Finland Promotion Board.

Country image work supports Finland’s political, commercial and economic influence. It plays a key role in attracting international talents, investments and tourists to Finland. Country image work is also an important element of the Team Finland network, which supports the internationalisation and export promotion of Finnish companies.

“There is a lot of interest in Finland at the moment, and we want to put it to good use and highlight different aspects of Finland, in addition to just answering the usual questions about our education system or happiness ratings. We want to depict Finland as an open, caring and efficient country where competitiveness is based on a high level of skills, sustainable development and on working together. It is also important to carry on with the Nordic story,” Parviainen says.

Finland’s country image work is a networking effort of public and private sector actors. The members of Finland Promotion Board are:

• Paula Parviainen, Acting Director General of Communications, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
• Mikko Koivumaa, Director of Communications, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment
• Päivi Anttikoski, Director of Government Communications, Prime Minister’s Office
• Laura Kamras,Director of the Unit for Public Diplomacy, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
• Jaana Palojärvi, Director of International Relations, Ministry of Education and Culture
• Tomi Korhonen, Executive Director of Communications, Business Finland
• Paavo Virkkunen, Director, Visit Finland
• Olli-Pekka Heinonen, Director-General, Finnish National Agency for Education
• Tove Ekman, Director, Finnish Cultural and Academic Institutes
• Liisa Kivelä, Communications Director, City of Helsinki
• Sanna Tarssanen, Managing Director, House of Lapland
• Atte Palomäki, Executive Vice President, Wärtsilä
• Johanna Jäkälä, Chief Marketing Officer, Finnair
• Veera Heinonen, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Sitra
• Mari-Kaisa Brander, Director of Communications, Ministry of Education and Culture
• Kaisa Rönkkö, Executive Director, Music Finland, and
• Mikko Keränen, Vice President of Marketing, Iceye

Inquiries: Paula Parviainen, Acting Director General of Communications, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 295 350 425, and Laura Kamras, Director of the Unit for Public Diplomacy, tel. +358 295 351 558.

The email addresses of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs are in the format firstname.lastname@formin.fi.