Blue Wings Summer 2015

SUMMER 2015

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NORDIC ISSUE TRENDS, DESTINATIONS AND INSIGHTS FOR TRAVELLERS

VOYAGE THROUGH CHINAS WATERWAYS

TOP 5 DESIGNERLY SWEDEN

BRINGING SIBELIUS TO JAPAN

fishing chase Finlands ultimate

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The Art of Expressionamore design bjrn weckstrm

The Nordic experience

On a recent visit to Koko, a lovely small jazz club in Helsinki, I was truly impressed by the dedica-tion of Timo Hirvonen and Anna Veijalainen, the young couple who own and run the club.

They are ambitious and uncompromising when it comes to music: they simply want people to hear the best jazz in the city.

With many domestic performers, Koko also has a growing number of internation-ally renowned visitors who have fallen in love with the clubs cosy atmosphere.

We at Finnair share the same goal as Koko: we want to offer our customers around the world the best possible experi-ence. As such, we continuously develop our

services to meet and exceed expectations. Even before you touch down in Finland,

on board we introduce you to the Nordic way of life with an array of delights ranging from award-winning cuisine to our state-of-the-art fleet in the autumn we will start flying the new Airbus A350 XWB planes as the first European airline to do so. (You can read more about these leading-edge planes on pages 59 and 93.)

Whether youre en route to Asia or Europe, Finland has a lot to offer travellers this summer this issue of Blue Wings is dedicated to the Nordics and packed with ideas and insider tips on where to go and what to do.

Wishing you an inspirational journey,Arja Suominen

EDITORIAL

My 3 tips:

1Finnair (@FeelFinnair) is now on instagram.com

2 I love Marimekkos new pink duvet covers and towels. See more on page 97.

3For excellent informa-tion and advice on visiting Finnairs home-base, check out Visit Finland: visitfinland.com

HEAD OFFICE FINLANDCONTENT DESIGNER

Amanda SoilaVISUAL DESIGNER

Sirpa rmnen SUB-EDITORShelly Nyqvist

ENGLISH EDITINGSilja Kudel

REPROGRAPHICS Faktor Oy

ON THE COVERFish Marathon by

Ville PalonenBEHIND THIS ISSUE

Daniel Allen, Tommi Anttonen, Simon Fry, Laura Iisalo, Helen Korpak, Silja Kudel, Mirva Lempiinen, Jorma Leppnen, Ville Palonen, Katja Pantzar, Hernan Patio,

Anu Piippo and Mikko TakalaSUBMISSIONS

[email protected] WINGS ONLINE

www.issuu.com/headofficefinlandEDITORIAL OFFICES Porkkalankatu 20 A,

00180 Helsinki, Finland, Postal address P.O.Box 100, 00040 Sanoma, Finland, tel. +358 9 1201,

[email protected] SALES

Media Assistant Sirkka Pulkkinen tel. +358 9 120 5921

PUBLISHER Head Office Finland

PRINTED BY Hansaprint, Turku, Finland 2015

PAPER UPM Valor 61g

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Arja Suominen

[email protected] HEAD OFFICE

Tietotie 9 A, Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, 1053 Finnair, Finland, tel. +358 9 81881,

Postal address: P. O. Box 15, 01053 Finnair, Finland

CUSTOMER FEEDBACKwww.finnair.com > Information and

services > After the flightor by mail: Customer Relations, SL/08,

FI-01053 FINNAIR.www.finnair.com, www.finnair.fi

www.finnairgroup.com

SUMMER 2015 BLUE WINGS 3

MIKKO

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BY ARJA SUOMINENSENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS

AND CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY

MARKKINOIDEN TEHOKKAINMAALMPPUMPPU

*Uuden tiukemman EN14511 standardin mukaisesti testattu

MAAHANTUOJAStiebel Eltron Oy, Kapinakuja 1, 04600 MntslPuh. 020 720 9988, [email protected]

Lhes 40 vuoden kokemus lmppumpuista Lmppumppujen tuotantokapasiteetti yli 50.000 kpl/v Yli 130 erilaista lmppumpputuotetta Ptuotantolaitoksen koko 135 000 m 5 eri tuotantolaitosta Toimituksia 120 maahan

COP5Sijoittamalla 1 shkenergiaa lmppumpulle se tuottaa 5 edest lmmitysenergiaa! Eli 4 on ilmaista ja uusiutuvaa energiaa omasta maasta.

PYHSALMI, rv. 1969KOKO: 116 m2

ENNEN NYT

SST / vuosi

3300 967

2333 KUOPIO, rv. 2005KOKO: 170 m2

ENNEN NYT

SST / vuosi

2970

2302

668

AURA, rv. 1920KOKO: 330 m2

ENNEN NYT

SST / vuosi

4700

1350 6050

COP5 pumpuilla toteutettuja esimerkkisstkohteita: Stiebel Eltron:in tunnuslukuja:

www.stiebel-eltron.fiwww.energiapakkaus.fi

MENOVESI

IN THIS ISSUE SUMMER 201526 36 42 44 54 63 70 74

LIFETYLE FISHING AROUND THE CLOCKWho gets Finlands biggest catch in 24 hours?

DESTINATION STEAM AND GLORYCruising the Saimaa waters on an old-time steamboat

TOP 5 SWEDISH DESIGN CLASSICSMeet brands that combine history with a fresh twist

DESTINATION SAILING THROUGH CHINA Discover the secrets of the Yangzte River

LIFESTYLE BRILLIANT IDEASLighting up city planning, wellbeing and design

CULTURE SIBELIUS: BIG IN JAPANWhats the secret of successful cultural exporting?

DESTINATION COASTAL PORVOOSee the lesser-known side of the Finnish archipelago

FOOD THE RETURN OF SMRREBRDRethinking the classic Danish treat

TAKEOFFNEWSThe most unusual saunas ........12

SPORTManchesters Hotel Football ..14

DESTINATIONSustainable Stockholm ............16

FOOD&DRINKArtisanal ice creams ...................18

DESIGNTapio Wirkkala jubilee ..................20

WORLDAquatic games in Kazan ..........22

FINLANDChinese art in Helsinki .............24

26

36

42

The Fish Marathon is dubbed Finlands most challenging angling competition.

Four old-time steamboats still ply the waters of Lake

Saimaa.

Design store Svenskt Tenn in Stockholm doubles as a

tea salon.

Tapio Wirkkalas designs.


IN THIS ISSUE

Travel moment ........................................... 8Alexander Stubb ....................................34Sixten Korkman ......................................60Finnair news .............................................72Finland in figures....................................98

REGULARS

FLYING FINNAIRTips for takeoff .......................................80Inflight wellbeing ...................................81Entertainment .........................................82Shopping ....................................................83Sustainability ............................................84Border crossings ....................................85Helsinki Airport ......................................86Maps and destinations ........................88Fleet .............................................................92Frequent flyer benefits .......................94

Lapland, p. 12Manchester, p. 14Stockholm, p. 16, 42Helsinki, p. 18, 24, 26Kazan, p. 22

Saimaa, p. 42Chongqing, p. 48Japan, p. 63Porvoo, p. 70Copenhagen, p. 74

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74The cruises on Chinas Yangtze River pass through the Three Gorges a trio of spectacular canyons.

Tapio Rosenius makes his mark on lighting design.

Copenhagens Schnnemann is known for its extensive menu of smrrebrd.

6 BLUE WINGS SUMMER 2015

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TRAVEL MOMENTBY VILLE PALONEN

ROCK CLIMBER Jimi Ansio belays Ulrika Uotila on a route called Ruotsalaisten reitti on Olhava cliff, a near perpendicular rock face at 50 metres high. Located in Repovesi National Park, a couple of hours drive from Helsinki, Olhava is regarded as

the rock climbing mecca of Finland. From a climbing point of view,

Olhava is the best Finland offers, says Ansio. Its an all-encompassing place you dont go there just for climbing, a trip to Olhava is all about spending quality time in nature.

FINNISH ON TOP


Anzeige_Lindroos.qxp_Layout 1 11.05.15 12:12 Seite 1

TAKEOFFNEWS / SPORTS / DESTINATION / FOOD AND DRINK / DESIGN / WORLD / FINLAND

Fabulous gymnasticsPHOTO BY FRANCOIS SCHWEIZER

SOME OF THE WORLDS best gymnasts descend on Helsinki this July as the 15th World Gymnaestrada brings 21,000 participants to the Finnish capital. Held in Finland for the first time, the event features gymnastic varieties from acrobatics to dance and embraces per-formances from amateurs and top athletes. In addition to the large spectacles held in the main venues, the line-up also includes a num-ber of free city performances held on smaller stages around town.

Gymnaestrada 2015, HelsinkiJuly 1218

wg-2015.com

HELSINKI


TAKEOFFNEWS

PEAK CONNECTIONFinnair flies daily during the summer months to Kittil, about 40 kms from Mount Ylls, and to Rovaniemi, about 170 kms from Ylls, four times daily year-round.

WELLBEING

Steamy surprises SOME SAUNAS are simply a notch above the rest. Hotels.com has listed some of the worlds most unusual saunas, one of which is found at Mount Ylls in Lapland. The worlds only sauna gondola takes you for a steamy 20-minute ride up and down the mountain in a four-person ski lift merci-fully equipped with one-way windows.

Germany, meanwhile, is home to the worlds largest sauna. Located inside the giant Thermen & Badewelt Sinsheim spa complex, its long wooden benches accom-modate up to 166 patrons. As an added eyebrow-raiser, the sauna shares a window with a huge aquarium.

Visitors to the Terme Milano Spa in Italy are in for a hot ride if they dare to

enter the historic tram parked in the spa garden. Inside the 1928 streetcar is a wooden sauna complete with a real Finn-ish hot-coal heater. The best time to gaze out of the tram windows is at night, when the garden is lit up with sparkling lights and video projections.

Swedens Kldesholmen in turn boasts the worlds fastest floating sauna, while Teugen airport in Netherlands is home to a sauna installed in a former GDR plane converted into a luxury hotel in 2009.

Yllas.fi/en/yritykset/tuotteet/sauna-gondola

Badewelt-sinsheim.deTermemilano.com

HELSINKI

Summer summitFINLANDS WHITE nights make it all too easy to forget the worlds cares, but exactly the opposite is slated to hap-pen at the biannual Northern Light Summit in Helsinki. The European Business Leaders Convention (EBLC) is a think-tank initiated in 2003, bringing together more than 100 Euro-pean and Russian business leaders, politicians and experts to discuss Europes challenges. This years theme is The scary new world: How to do busi-ness in a world without order? The EBLC will delve into hot-button topics includ-ing Islamic State, Russia, The Internet of Things, the US elections and the stagnation of the euro zone. Confirmed participants include Finlands former prime minister Alexander Stubb, Sir Win Bischoff of JP Morgan Securi-ties and Victor Vekselberg of the Skolkovo Innovation Center in Russia. The invita-tion-only summit will be held at the scenic Hilton Helsinki Kalastajatorppa hotel.

eblc.org

ACCESSORIES

Totin it up SUMMER IS all about picnics in the park, impromptu road trips and days at the beach all of which require a durable tote bag. Suitable arm candy can be found in the Matkaaja travel bag series by Finnish


design company Saana ja Olli, created by a young couple from Turku. All products are made of 100 per cent hemp textile and manufactured locally. Prices start at 39.

Saanajaolli.com/matkaaja-en

UNTO RAUTIO

The sauna gondola at Mount Ylls in Finnish Lapland takes you for a

steamy ride in a four-person ski lift.

COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY MIRVA LEMPIINEN


TAKEOFFSPORTS

GAME BREAKFinnair flies twice daily to football city Manchester.

HOTEL

Footy dreams

COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY SIMON FRY

MANCHESTER TAKES the football experience to a new level with the recently opened 133-room Hotel Football.

Founded by former United players Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and brothers Phil and Gary Neville, the four-star hotel overlooks Manchester Uniteds 76,000-seat Old Trafford ground 40 metres away.

Throughout the closing years of my playing career, I always had one eye on what to do next, says Gary Neville. Both Ryan and I have been lucky enough to experience some of the worlds best hotels and restaurants and we wanted to use our

experience to create something completely unique.

All executive rooms and half of the standard ones come with a view of the Old Trafford while the artwork throughout depicts the beautiful game, via images of icons such as Pel, David Beckham and Diego Maradona.

Facilities include a top-storey Astroturf football pitch, a ground level Caf Football restaurant (Londons Westfield Stratford City has a sister operation) and a base-ment sports bar.

hotelfootball.com

GEAR

Snazzy sneakers THESE RUNNERS are the latest collabo-ration between 99-year-old Finnish sports brand Karhu and the Moomins. Based on Karhus Albatross shoe silhouette, the 2015 versions come in two colourways with a cheerful Moomin print. (100)

karhu.com

WATCHES

Sporty summerBe ready for a winning workout with these recently-launched, stylish, sporty watches.

SWIMMO IS THE first smart-watch created with pro and cas-ual swimmers in mind, tracking distance, pace, heartrate and calories burned. It has no buttons and communicates with vibrations.

swimmo.com

THE NEWLY LAUNCHED Apple Watch also comes in sporty collection featur-ing a lightweight anodised alumin-ium case with a Retina display protected by strengthened Ion-X glass. The matching high-performance fluoroelastomer sport band comes in five colours.

apple.com

SUUNTOS AMBIT3 Run smart Bluetooth-enabled GPS watch combines style and functionality. A running partner, coach and guide, it lets you plan, progress and recover more efficiently.

Suunto.com/ambit3

Hotel Football is a new football-themed hotel and restaurant beside Manchester Uniteds Old Trafford.

*Time zone data as of January 2014. Time zone can be also manually adjusted as required.

By connecting to the GPS network, the new Astron adjusts at the

touch of a button to your time zone* and, by taking all the energy it

needs from light alone, never needs a battery change.

ASTRON.THE WORLDS FIRST GPS SOLAR WATCH.

LaatukoruHelsinki- Espoo- Vantaa- Hyvink- Riihimki- Lahti- Lappeenranta- Tampere

TAKEOFFDESTINATION

TRAVEL TIPOne of the fastest and most climate-friendly ways to travel from Arlanda Airport to Stockholm city centre is via the Arlanda Express train. arlandaexpress.com

DESTINATION

Sustainable Stockholm

COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY KATJA PANTZAR

AS SWEDEN IS one of the worlds recy-cling leaders less than one per cent of household waste ends up in garbage dumps the Swedish capital boasts an inventive array of upcycling.

Kumvana Gomani is one of a grow-ing number of Swedish designers who employ recycling, sustainability, and fair trade practices that help local producers in developing countries.

I lived in Malawi, Africa, as a child so the idea of being sustainable always upcycling was a given and something I have done all my life, says Gomani.

Her creations range from sparkly snow-flake earrings made from reused plas-tic bottles to colourful necklaces made together with local artisans in Cambodia.

Gomani also collaborates with other design companies to help them produce sustainable and ethical collections such as the Upcycled Landmine Jewellery series.

The pieces are made using metal from

LOCATED IN the Sdermalm area of central Stockholm, Konsthantverkana is the countrys oldest and largest handi-craft co-operative with changing exhibi-tions and a gallery shop full of lovely takeaways such as these Slag candle-sticks made by Scottish-born Stockholm-based David Taylor, who creates

CLOTHING

Jean genieHIP SWEDISH CLOTHIEr Nudie Jeans started upcycling old jeans into housewares such as rag rugs and sofa covers a few years ago. Now, its Nudie Jeans Repair Shops with locations around the world from Harajuku in Tokyo to Shoreditch in London will repair Nudie Jeans for free in an effort to keep old jeans out of landfills.

Nudie Jeans repair shopJakobsbergsgatan 11, Stockholm

nudiejeans.com


products from found objects. They were made from pieces of iron found at the site of an abandoned iron foundry dating back to the 1600s in the Swedish woods.

Konsthantverkana, Sdermalmstorg 4

konsthantverkarna.se

Kumvana Gomanis

designs employ

recycling, sustainability and fair trade

practices.

Kumvana Gomanis jewellery takes upcycling to the next level.

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landmine and UXOs (unexploded ordi-nances) in Cambodia that have been safely neutralised and all the gunpowder removed before being passed on to our partner workshops who remake them into beautiful pieces of jewellery, says Gomani.

kumvanagomani.com

Kumvana Gomanis jewellery is available in Stockholm at Design Torget shops (Sergelgngen 29, St Eriksgatan 45, Nybrogatan 16, Kungsgatan 52 and Gtgatan 31).

designtorget.se

David Taylors Slag candle-sticks are formed from iron found in the forest. Lost and found

Powered by UPM BioVerno

UPM is the frontrunner of the new forest industry. UPM BioVerno is based on UPMs own innovations. It is derived from tall oil, a residue of our pulp production. UPM BioVerno is produced in Finland completely outside the food value chain.

UPM BioVerno is now available from St1 and ABC service stations.

More fuel for thought at www.upmbiofuels.com

#UPM #BioVerno

Driving in Finland?You can now fill up your car with diesel that stems from the Finnish forest. UPM BioVerno is suitable for all diesel engines. An award-winning, thoroughly tested renewable diesel that cuts down greenhouse gas emissions.

UPM_Biofore_BioVerno_ENG_215x285_200515.indd 1 20/05/15 11:07


TAKEOFFFOOD & DRINK

ICE CREAM

The coolest trend

COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY ANU PIIPPO

WHAT HAPPENS if you take a photog-rapher, a chef, an advertising whiz and two organic dairy farmers, and ask them to come up with a cool new food hit? The answer is organic Jymy ice cream, sold in smartly designed black tubs.

We wanted to make the best possible ice cream for people who are just like us: ice cream gourmands, says Horst Neumann, photographer and managing director of the company behind Jymy.

Launched only last September, Jymy is already selling up a storm. Both consum-ers and the media seem to love the idea of a small family farm sending organic milk daily to a nearby ice cream factory that was once home to Finlands famous Sisu liquorice. The Jymy ice cream family

has newly expanded from five flavours to seven aptly including liquorice.

Jymy is not alone: artisanal ice cream factories seem to be popping up all over the country. Kolmen Kaverin Jtel (Three Buddies Ice Cream) is the name of a brand founded by three friends who produce handmade ice cream in Helsinki from all-Finnish ingredients. Look out for their easy-to-spot orange tubs. And who could forget Jdelino, an ice cream bar that serves fresh, artisanal Italian-style gelato in Helsinkis trendy Teurastamo (Abattoir) food quarter.

jymy.fi3kaveria.fi jadelino.fi

PENTIK is a household name in Finnish tableware, textiles and interior decoration. One of the companys novelties this summer is the marine-themed Ahti collection designed by Lasse Kovanen, featuring artsy renditions of Finnish fish such as vendace, perch and bream. Ahti kitchen towel 11.

pentik.com

SPARKLY SALESGet ready for summer celebrations with some bubbly and check out Finnair shops seasonal sale! All pre-order products are discounted by 15% from June 15 to July 31.www.finnairshop.com

BEER

Summer of craft beersFinnish beer expert Mikko Salmi shares his top three Finnish beer picks for the summer season. The first can be purchased in large retail stores, the two others in Alko outlets.

Stallhagen Blueberry Ale, 4.6% Stallhagen brewery in the land Islands is known for its balanced beers, and this time theyve bottled the fin-est that Finnish nature has to offer: blueberry. Let this soft ale rest at room temperature for a moment to bring out the blueberry aromas. Price: 2.69

Rekolan Panimon Funky Luomu, 6.5%True to its name, this organic beer is packed with plenty of charac-ter. Funky is made in a microbrewery in the historic ironworks vil-lage of Fiskars, 100 km west of Helsinki. Try it with summer salads and warm vegetable dishes.Price: 6.71

Suomenlinnan Hoppe IPA, 6% Hailing from Suomen-linna fortress island only a short ferry trip from Helsinki, this brew is a great exam-ple of the popular India pale ale style, balanc-ing heavy bitterness with mild malty and fruity flavours. Price: 4.37

Fish swim into the kitchen

One of the founders of Jdelino ice cream bar, Tiina Karhu (middle), takes a gelato break with her daughters.

AMANDA SOILA

HSTENS STORE HELSINKI Mannerheimintie 8, 00100 HelsinkiTel. 020 780 1370 hastens.com

Master craftsmen in front of the Hstens factory at the beginning of the 1900s.

Manufacturers of sleepBefore Henry Ford put the world on wheels,my great-great-grandfather founded Hstens.

J A N R Y D E , F I F T H - G E N E R A T I O N O W N E R O F T H E F A M I L Y C O M P A N Y

W I T H A N O B S E S S I O N F O R Q UA L I T Y


TAKEOFFDESIGN

DESIGN DEALSTapio Wirkkalas classic Ultima Thule glasses for Iittala can also be found in the Finnair PlusShop. Check out finnairplusshop.com.

GLASSWARE

CHEERS, TAPIO!

COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY SILJA KUDEL

IF YOURE SIPPING a beverage in Busi-ness Class, chances are youre holding the most famous glass design by Tapio Wirkkala often dubbed as Finlands internationally best-known designer. Fin-nair began using his Ultima Thule glass-ware on its New York route back in 1969.

Wirkkala designed a significant proportion of his work for Iittala and to mark the centenary of his birth, the design brand has released a limited-edition set of four Wirkkala schnapps glasses. The centenary also marks the return of Ultima Thule in two new plates, a sparkling wine glass, pitcher and beer glass all featuring the icicle effect that took glass-

blowers thousands of hours to perfect. Kicking off the official centenary pro-

gramme is a trio of must-see exhibitions opening in Helsinki this June. The Ate-neum Art Museum will host a photogra-phy show curated by Wirkkalas daughter, the artist Maaria Wirkkala. The Colours of Venice at Design Forum Finland will introduce Wirkkalas work for the Venini glassworks, and Wirkkala Revisited at the Design Museum will showcase the grand-daddy of Scandinavian style in dialogue with new voices in contemporary design.

iittala.comwirkkalabryk.fi/juhlavuosi

ANTIQUES MARKET

Pop-up Portobello Heres some catnip for vintage design hounds: Helsinkis answer to Portobello Road is a new pop-up market in the trendy Puna-vuori district. Local antiques dealers will bring their treasures to Fredrikintori Square on sum-mer Sundays, with an open-air caf adding a laid-back continen-tal vibe to the street happening.

Our market is strictly for high-quality design objects and furniture. Its not a flea market we already have Hietalahti for that, says organiser Christine Kangaspunta, referring to the popular outdoor market on the nearby Hietalahti Square.

facebook.com/events/382727445248974/ARTISTIC ANNIVERSARY

Facebook pals at 150THIS YEAR MARKS the 150th anniversary of two of Finlands most acclaimed painters, Akseli Gallen-Kallela and Pekka Halonen. As part of the sesquicentennial line-up, Facebook profiles have been created for both artists, who are posthumously sharing their thoughts and new friends are commenting on these posts as if the artists were still alive. The Gallen-Kallela Museum will host special guided tours on the theme of Friends 150 Years on June 14.

gallen-kallela.fi

The idea for the new market came from Christine Kangas-punta and Eeva-Liisa Nsi.

Tarvasp Museum, former home of painter Akseli Gallen-Kallela.

PIVI MATALA / GALLEN-KALLELA MUSEUM

Marja Kurki SHOP | Pohjoisesplanadi 25-27 | 00100 Helsinki | marjakurki.com


TAKEOFFWORLD

KAZAN CALLINGFinnair flies to Russias sports capital Kazan three times weekly.

COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY MIRVA LEMPIINEN

KAZAN

The world aquatic gamesJULY 24AUG 16Russias sports capital Kazan will see altogether 8,500 aquatic stars from 180 countries competing in five water sports at the bi-annual FINA World Championships and the FINA World Masters Championships. Both events will put Kazans 30 new world-class sports facilities to the true test.

Fina.org

NEW YORK

Park vibesUNTIL OCTOBER 4 Angelique Kidjo, Scarface and Caribou are among the artists whose talent can be enjoyed for free as part of New Yorks four-month SummerStage Festival. Now in its 30th anniversary season, the expanded festival will feature over 140 events in city parks from May through October, ranging from poetry and music to modern dance. Cityparksfoundation.org/summerstage

Summer eventsCALENDAR

JULY 319KORPPOO/HEINVESI. Entrepreneur Mirja Krn once walked from Finland to Spain in seven months. Today she leads summer walking retreats for small groups in Finland on the themes of silence, com-munity and life flow.

Http://happyhuman.fi/kalenteri

JULY 27AUG 1 STOCKHOLM. Founded in 1998, Stock-holm Pride Week has grown into Scandi-navias biggest gay pride event. A lively line-up of debates, films, art exhibitions and five days of partying culminates in the iconic August 1 parade. stermalms Pride Park is the centre of action.

Stockholmpride.org

AUGUST 710SINGAPORE. The island will be staging events all through 2015 to celebrate its 50th year of independence, but the fun doubles on August Jubilee Weekend with aerial shows by the Singapore Air Force, firework displays in the marina and a floral depiction at Gardens by the Bay.

Singapore50.sg

Angelique Kidjo

Mirja Krn

SATU U

LVI

Jensen on perinteiks laatupatjojen valmistaja. Jensen Original -vyhyke-

jrjestelm ja yksilllinen sdettvyys tarjoavat ainutlaatuisen nukkumis-

mukavuuden. Nyt sinulla on mahdollisuus nauttia elmsi unista. Jensen

Limited Edition Diplomat Dream -stvuode, norm. 5.040,- NYT 2.990,-.

Vuoteen koko 180 x 200 cm. www.jensen.

www.vepsalainen.com

Elmsi unet Jensenilt.

Sdettv vuode TAVALLISEN VUOTEEN

HINNALLA!


TAKEOFFFINLAND

CHINA ON OUR MINDSFinnair flies to a number of Chinese destinations several times daily. The airline also sponsors this years Helsinki Festival.

COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY LAURA IISALO

IN AUGUST over 800 Chinese artists will descend upon the Helsinki Festival, the biggest annual arts event in Finland. Renowned composer Tan Dun is one of the eagerly awaited guests who will provide insights into both classical and contempo-rary Chinese culture.

China is, in view of its global role, rela-tively unknown here in Finland, says festi-val director Erik Sderblom. China has a very well-preserved cultural heritage. On the other hand, new generations are quick to react to global changes and generate new ideas. Its fascinating how a country with such strong traditions can be so modern.

The two-week festival is a celebration

of music, art, dance, theatre, circus, design and food. Many concerts will be hosted in and around the waterside Huvila Festival Tent, with satellite events taking place all over the capital.

Music lovers mustnt miss the two-day Modern Sky Festival, where contemporary Asian rock, pop and electro bands will get rhythms going with selected Nordic music acts.

Rock music is still relatively young in many parts of Asia, but the scene has exploded in recent years. We want to intro-duce this cool urban culture to local audi-ences, says Jani Joenniemi, director of the Modern Sky Helsinki Festival.

CULTURE

Eyes and ears on China Composer Tan Dun gives a concert at Helsinkis Music Centre.

The Contemporary Chinese Ink exhibi-tion features new forms of Chinese painting, Guhu.

FINLAND

JULY 1119ALL THAT JAZZ. Over 120,000 people will head west to take part in the annual Pori Jazz festival. The 50th anniversary line-up includes Emeli Sand, Kool & The Gang, Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club and Jessie J.

porijazz.fi

JULY 1225STRENGTH OF STRINGS. The Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival is a celebration of acoustic music set amidst the beauty of nature. With Time as its theme, this years festival is directed by viola player and composer Vladimir Mendelssohn.

kuhmofestival.fi

AUGUST 1416GET WITH THE FLOW. Flow Festival is the highlight of the summer for many locals who get together for three days of live music, great food and a unique urban chill-out just a short bike ride from Helsinkis city centre.

flowfestival.com

Events subject to change

Jani Joenniemi ja Krista Huovinen, producers of Modern Sky Helsinki Festival

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TAKEOFFFINLAND

Set in a secluded harbour area sur-rounded by old cranes and red brick walls, guests can sample Nordic and Asian deli-cacies, with with ships serving as floating bars and aprs-concert party venues.

Helsinki Festival: August 1430Modern Sky Helsinki Festival: August 28 29

helsinkifestival.fi

modernskyfestivalhki.com

Summer events

Flow Festival is the highlight of the summer.

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Its dubbed the most challenging angling competition in Finland the winner of the Fish Marathon is the team that catches the greatest variety of species in 24 hours.

TOTALLY HOOKED: 24-HOUR

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY VILLE PALONEN

Fish marathon


TOTALLY HOOKED: 24-HOUR

Fish marathon


Time is money: in case of a draw, the winner is the

team that catches ten species first.

Team Fish Sticks (Kalapuikot) takes the competition quite seriously they even have matching fishing hook tattoos for the 2014 competition.

F ive centimetres of wriggling silvery minnow all but disappears in the hand of angler Fredrik Kankare. His catch doesnt look like much, but in this com-petition, even a tiny belica is just as val-uable as a 25-inch trout.Were at an urban fishpond in Viikki, a neighbourhood in northeast Helsinki. Kankare knows the place well. This is the only spot in Helsinki where you can catch belica, he says, with a secretive smile.

TEAM FISH STICKSKankare is the captain of Kalapuikot (Fish Sticks), a three-man team consisting of Kankare, his brother Kristian, and his father Seppo. All three are keen anglers, and have participated in the Fish Marathon since its inception in 2001. Their best ranking was in 2013, when they finished second with 29 different species only one fewer than the winning team.

Team Fish Sticks take their angling seriously and even have matching fish hook tattoos. They have prepared for the competition meticulously. Kris-tian has been training day and night, and has even taken the whole week off work. During the last cou-ple of days, they have been throwing boilies a spe-cial bait mixture of fishmeal, oat flakes and parmesan cheese in the spots where they plan to fish during the competition.

Within half an hour, the team have caught their second fish, a Prussian carp. The lads immediately pack their thin rods and hurry to the car and the next spot. Time is money: if theres a draw, the winner is the fastest team to catch ten species.


A species fisher-man needs to know where certain types of fish live, when theyre active, and what methods are best for catching them.

GEEKS AND GOBIES The Fish Marathon is said to be the most challeng-ing fishing competition in Finland, but the rules, at least, are relatively simple. Every fish species brings one point, no matter what its size (except with fishes such as trout, salmon and zander that have a legal minimum limit). All three members of the team must remain within a 100-metre radius of each other. Fish must be caught with a line and hook: a net can be used for lifting fish, but not for catching them.

The competition takes place in May, which is spawning season for species such as bream, crucian carp and common rudd. In addition to Helsinki, the competition is held in Kotka, Turku and Joensuu. And were thinking about expanding to Stockholm and Tallinn, too, says Jukka Halonen, director and

creator of the Fish Marathon.Today there are 64 teams in the competition, the

same as last year. Species fishing is getting more and more popular, especially among the younger crowd, and Halonen has a theory why: Its like playing a computer game. Every time you catch a new species you move to the next level with a different target that requires a new approach and technique.

Even the Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute (RKTL) participate in the event, although unof-ficially: both of the main judges are top researchers. Their job is to carry out the final identification of the catch.

Helsinki has 41 different fish species, and some-times even an experienced angler has difficulties tell-ing apart species such as tench, crucian carp, silver bream and common rudd.


One of the judges is fish biologist Jussi Pennanen, for whom the competition provides useful information about the distribution of fish species. The prevalence of round goby is especially interesting to scientists, as this newcomer to Finland is taking over the established habitats of native black goby at a rapid rate.

Round goby travels from harbour to harbour in the ballast water of boats, and then spreads into the surrounding area, says Pennanen. Frankly, were quite helpless to stop it from spreading, he says.

MAGGOT OR CORN?The area around Vanhankaupunginkoski rapids is the best angling spot in Helsinki, declares Juha Salonen. In spring you can catch pike and sea trout, in the summer zander and asp, and in the autumn whitefish and even salmon.

Salonens team is one of the frontrunners in the competition. Unfortunately for them, theyre not alone at the rapids. Around them at least two dozen long rods jut towards the water. Passersby have to be careful not to trample all the tackle lying on the ground.

A species fisherman someone who wants to catch as many different species as possible needs to know the habits and habitats of dozens of different

The most important gear is a small enough hook. When the target fish is only a few centimetres

long, a regular worm fish-ing hook simply doesnt fit

into its mouth.

The Fish Marathon takes place every May, which is the best time of year for bream, crucian carp and common rudd.

fish. When the target is a tiny ten-spined stickleback, its crucial to know where it lives, what it eats, and what time of day its active.

A small enough hook is the most important piece of tackle. When the targeted fish is only a few centi-metres long, a regular fish hook simply wont fit in its mouth. Micro hooks are baited with pieces of colour-ful maggots or corn. Regular rods and reels are used only for bigger fish such as pike, zander and asp.

Salonen nabs a ten-centimetre ruffe, after which his team mate gets lucky. Its exactly what the team is after:


a Baltic vimba. Salonen shouts Lets go! before he even nets the fish, and soon the team are running to their car.

Team Fish Sticks watches them leave with crest-fallen faces. Theyve spotted no sign of the two impor-tant species theyre after, vimba and asp.

CITY FISHING IN HELSINKIYOU COULD HARDLY imagine a more urban spot to fish, but Siltavuorensalmi a narrow bay between Hakaniemi and Kruununhaka is a highly popular wintertime destination for ice fishers trying to catch zander.

Another top spot is Lauttasaari bridge. The sea-son is short but all the more hectic: in late April and early May, dozens of fishermen fill their buckets with Baltic herring. In late autumn, the south end of Laut-tasaari island is a prime spot for catching sea trout.

The most popular place for angling is Vanhankau-punginkoski, about five kilometres north of the city centre. Theres a decent 200-metre stretch of rapids where fly fishermen vie to catch sea trout and rain-bow trout. A large pool between the rapids and the sea is a good spot for zander, pike, perch and asp.

A fishing permit in Helsinki costs 10 per day or 15 per week. Anglers also need to purchase a national fishing licence (7 per week, 22 per year).

Round goby is newcomer to Fin-land. Its taking over the estab-lished habitats of native black goby at a rapid rate. Some of the best spots to catch round goby are Ruoholahtis urban canals.

NIGHT-TIME NIBBLERS The sun has set. Team Fish Sticks have caught a tiny ten-spined stickleback from their secret spot, but catching a zander proves difficult. Its one of the most popular game fishes in Finland, and Helsinki waters are teeming with undersized youngsters, but zander has a minimum limit of 40 centimetres. Catching a fish that size is easier said than done, especially when the clock is ticking mercilessly.

Suddenly Kristian gets a bite. His rod bends for a second, but the fish manages to fight off the hook. Its a real setback.

The next morning Team Fish Sticks is in Aurinkolahti, one of Helsinkis most eastern neighbourhoods.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Ville PalonenVille Palonen is a photojournalist who loves adven-tures and the great outdoors. His most memorable moments with fish include catching an electric eel on the Amazon River and snorkeling with a whale-shark in Mozambique. When not travelling in exotic places, Palonen goes angling or kayaking in Finland.

The team pack their rods and reels and get out lighter tackle. Many of the tiniest species like goby and minnow are most active at night.

Catching a fish thats only a few centimetres long requires special tricks. Fredrik wades in knee-deep, peering into the water with his headlamp. When he spots movement, he carefully drops a micro-sized hook baited with a tempting piece of maggot in front of the fish.

After two hours of hard work in the darkness, the team has caught only one new species, a sand goby. Half their time is up and they only have 20 points. The Fish Marathon isnt going according to plan. The team needs closer to 30 points to make it to the podium.

WHATS THAT FISH? The next morning Team Fish Sticks hits the east Hel-sinki neighbourhood of Aurinkolahti. All three men look tired: they havent slept all night, their faces are sunburned, and their hands are smeared with boilie paste. Nevertheless, they smile and chat cheerfully about the sauna and sleep they plan to enjoy after the competition ends in less than two hours.

When 24 hours is up, all the teams gather with their catches. The organisers identify every little crea-ture one by one common rudd, gudgeon, ruffe, and so on until a tiny fish in a small plastic bag has eve-ryone puzzled. Its taken indoors, where biologist Jussi Pennanen confirms with a microscope that the 38-millimetre fish is a common goby.

The winner is clear even before the award cere-mony: its Juha Salonens team, with a new record of 32 different species. The silver team scores 30 points, but theres a tough battle for third place as two teams are tied at 28 points. In the end, third prize goes to Team Fish Sticks, who caught ten species faster than the other team. Wide smiles spread across the tired faces of the Kankare family.

The participants head home for sauna and bed, but what happens to all the fish? The catch certainly doesnt go to waste. Its fed to bears and otters at the Helsinki Zoo on Korkeasaari island. l

This article was compiled following the May 2014 competition. Team Fish Sticks placed second in this years Fish Marathon.

skes.fi/kalamaraton_sivut

FINNISH FISHING GLOSSARYbelica = allikkosalakkaPrussian carp = hopearuutanabream = lahnacrucian carp = ruutanacommon rudd = sorvatench = suutarisilver bream = pasuriround goby = mustatpltokkoblack goby = mustatokkopike = haukitrout = taimenzander = kuhaasp = toutainwhitefish = siikasalmon = lohicarp = karppiten-spined stickleback =kymmenpiikkiBaltic vimba = vimpaminnow = mutusand goby = hietatokkogudgeon = trruffe = kiiskicommon goby = liejutokko


The Best Dreams in TownExciting new hotel opening in August 2015

Hotel Lilla RobertsPieni Roobertinkatu 1-3, 00130 Helsinki

+358 9 6899 880www.lillaroberts.fi | [email protected]

Exciting new hotel opening in August 2015

BY ALEXANDER STUBB

AlexAnder Stubb, the former prime minister of Finland, was negotiating a new ministerial portfolio when this article went to press. twitter.com/alexstubb


The art of negotiation

L ast month Finland formed a new govern-ment after three weeks of intense talks. We have a tradition of coa-lition governments, which means that we have to agree on fairly detailed government programmes.

I wrote my PhD on EU negotiations in the late 1990s. I remember reading lots of literature on the subject, everything from game theory to practical guides on how to achieve results. Some of the theoreti-cal stuff is pretty far off. In practice negotiations are about human rela-tions, not mathe-matical formulas.

There is something that appeals to me about the process. Most of the time it is about finding a solution between differing views and interests. Sometimes it is difficult to agree on small things. At other times, big differences are ironed out in no time.

We are actually involved in negoti-ations most of the time, often without

realising it. As a father of two young-sters I am engaged in peace media-

tion or conflict management on a weekly basis.

At work I try accommodate different views every day. Small things, like office space, can cause big rows. Ideological dif-ferences lead to different kinds of prac-tical solutions, which have to be taken into account.

German sociologist and economist Max Weber once said: politics is the art of compromise. How true. In the middle of that compromise is an issue, which has to be solved by people with different views and interests.

The human touch or emotional intelligence as psychologist and

science journalist Daniel Goleman would put it, is the key to any solution. In that sense negotiations are more about psy-chology than political science.

Nevertheless negotiations often take place on many different levels. In inter-national relations you always have to take into consideration that the final result must be approved at home.

Professor Robert Putnam calls this two-level game theory. If I approve something in Brussels, it had better be cleared by our parliament first. The same goes for gov-ernment negotiations. The final result has

to be approved by your party and voters.

The end game of a negotiation is never easy. You end up defining a few key issues

that are important for all participants. The moment when a deal is struck, you often feel a sense of relief.

This is followed by a period when you try to fully understand what was actu-ally agreed upon. The end result is rarely as good as you thought, but usually much better than what you feared at some stage during process.

Once the deal is done, you should stick to it and defend it. This is when implemen-tation becomes key. No one cares about a contract that is not implemented.

Oh, and by the way. The government negotiations went well. We ended up forming a three-party government. All the participants seemed happy. And now it is time get to work which inevitably will involve some negotiation. l

EUROPEAN VOICES

WE ARE ACTUALLY INVOLVED IN NEGOTIATIONS MOST OF THE TIME, OFTEN WITHOUT

REALISING IT.

Duffel No. 6 on tilava ja erittin kestv laukku, jonka sisn mahdutat kaikki vlineesi, henkilkohtaiset tavarasi ja viel vhn extraa - silloin kun lhdet pitklle matkalle toiselle puolelle maa-

ilmaa. Laukkua on mukava kantaa ja siin on ktevi yksityiskohtia, jotka hel-pottavat toimintaa lhtselvityksess ja vhentvt riski laukun osien tarttumi-selle ja hajoamiselle kuljetuksen aikana.

Duffel No. 6 on saatavilla 50, 70 ja 110 litran koossa ja on valmis lhtemn kanssasi pidemmllekin reissulle.

Valmistettu jmkst G-1000 Heavy-Duty kankaasta, joka kest kovaakin ksittely ja suojaa laukun sislt.

Vedenpitvn ja kestvn polyamidi-pohjan ansiosta voit asettaa laukun mrlle alustalle ilman, ett laukun sislt psee kastumaan.

Laukun pdyiss olevat kiristys-remmit pitvt laukun sislln tiukasti paikallaan silloin kun kassi on vajaasti tytetty.

Avaa, sil, sulje olkahihnat saa siltty kuljetuksen ajaksi laukun pll olevien topattujen lppien alle. Tm helpottaa toimia lhtselvityksess ja vhent riski, ett laukkusi jisi vahingossa kiinni esim. matkalaukkuhihnalla.

Voidaan kantaa joko kdess tai repun tapaan. Kantoremmien kahvat ovat luonnon-vrist nahkaa.

Sdettvt olkahihnat ja laukun plliosan lpt ovat topatut, mik est laukun sisll olevien tavaroiden painautumista selk vasten.

Laukun molemmissa pdyiss on tuplakahvat, jotka helpottavat laukun ksittely nostellessa.

Laukun plokerossa on erityispitk vetoketju. Nin ollen pakkaaminen ja laukun sislln tarkastelu on helpompaa.

Suurikokoinen sistasku sek pienempi tasku arvotavaroille, molemmat vetoketjulla.

Ulkotaskut ovat ktevt lehdille, kartalle ja muille tavaroille, jotka haluat pit helposti saatavilla. Voit mys piilottaa kantokahvat nihin taskuihin; piiloneppari pit ne paikoillaan.

Ulkopuolinen vetoketjullinen tasku tavaroille, jotka haluat pit turvassa, mutta helposti saatavilla.

Duffel no. 6 Kategoria: OutdoorKoot: 50 l / 70 l / 110 lMateriaali*: G-1000 HeavyDuty: 65% polyesteri, 35% puuvilla Paino: 1500 g koossa 70 l

Minne ikin matkaatkin

* Sislt muuta kuin tekstiili olevia elinperisi ainesosia

RIDING A WAVE OF nostalgia ON LAKE SAIMAA

DESTINATIONFINLAND


A charming steamboat ride on the pristine waters of Lake Saimaa is the ideal prelude to a night at the world-famous Savonlinna Opera Festival.TEXT AND PHOTOS BY HERNAN PATIO


The city of Savonlinna in Eastern Fin-land is best known for its world-famous Opera Festival hosted in St Olaf s medieval castle every July. An equally cherished part of the citys heritage, however, is the fleet of mag-nificent old-time steamboats that have dotted the scenery of Lake Saimaa for over a hundred years.

At the turn of the century, Savonlinna was a busy hub of commerce and tourism, most of its traf-fic being by water. In the 1920s, between 50 and 150 passenger steamboats plied the Saimaa Lake region. By the 1960s, Savonlinnas passenger harbour was one of the busiest in the Northern hemisphere, with the steamboat industry gearing increasingly towards tourism.

Today there are four of these old steamers still in operation. The S/S Punkaharju weaves a picturesque 1.5-hour route from Savonlinna to Punkaharju on weekdays, as well as shorter cruises on the weekends.

The captain Janne Leinonen makes a point of greeting each passenger cheerfully: Welcome on board!

Once, twice, three times the whistle blows and off we set into the sunny waters of Lake Saimaa. My daughter Sof a and I make our way through cosy-looking saloons and climb upstairs to the main deck. There are roughly 15 passengers aboard: families, cou-ples, solo travellers. An impressive lake panorama opens up as we make our way to the stern.

SEAL SURPRISESMeasuring 4,400 square km in area and with over 13,000 islands, Saimaa is Finlands largest lake and the fourth largest in Europe. Last year the Wall Street Journal listed it among the five most beautiful lakes in the world.

As more islands and inlets begin to appear, the captain tells us to keep our eyes peeled for the mas-cot of Lake Saimaa, the rare freshwater Saimaa ringed seal. Theyre not easy to spot, but Leinonen reportedly caught a glimpse of one just two days ago.

You need the right water conditions, as we have today: dead calm waters which we locals call ras-vatyyni, which literally means as still as grease.

Sure enough, 20 minutes later our captains well-trained eye spots a seal directly 50 metres ahead. From afar it looks like a dark, symmetrical stone pro-truding from the water, but sure enough it really is a seal. Three or four seconds later it vanishes with a splash.

VIP PASSENGERSBuilt in 1905, the S/S Punkaharju is still in fine work-ing order and could go for another hundred years, says Leinonen.

Its superb condition was noted by the German President Joachim Gauck, who took a steamboat ride in the summer of 2013 with Finlands President Sauli Niinist.

Gauck told me that his father had been a captain as well and that he was impressed by how well these

Captain Janne Leinonen jovially greets passengers.

A family enjoying the breathtaking scenery on the upper deck.


www.kultaseppakulmala.fi | www.facebook.com/kultaseppakulmala | www.pinterest.com/gskulmala

Blue Wings 5.2015 .indd 1 19/05/15 09:33

SAVONLINNA SALUTES SIBELIUS Held every summer, the Savonlinna Opera Festival is one of the worlds most acclaimed international opera festivals. First organised in 1912, it takes place in the romantic medi-eval fortress of St Olafs Castle. This years festival will be held between July 3 and August 2. The 2015 repertoire includes The Mar-riage of Figaro, Puccinis Tosca and Verdis La Traviata. A special grand finale concert will end the season commemorating the 150th anniver-sary of the birth of the renowned Finnish composer Jean Sibelius.

operafestival.fi/en

ALL STEAMED UPMost of Finlands historic steamboats were built in Varkaus for exclusive use in the Saimaa region. Four of them still survive in Savonlinna: the S/S Savonlinna, S/S Paul Wahl, S/S Heinvesi and S/S Punkaharju.

The S/S Savonlinna is a museum ship that can be rented by groups of 15 to 25 people to explore Lake Saimaa on an overnight cruise. Similar steamers can also be found in Jyvskyl, Tampere, Turku and Helsinki. The season in Savon-linna lasts from June to August, but group bookings are also accepted in May and September. The steamers carry an average of 25,000 passengers per season.

Visit the Lake Saimaa Nature and Culture Centre to view exhibitions on the history of Lake Saimaa and its vintage steamboats.SCENIC CRUISE: Duration 1.5 hours, adults 19, children aged 717 9, and family package 45SAVONLINNA-PUNKAHARJU ROUND TRIP SCENIC CRUISE: Duration 2.5 hours, adults 50, children aged 717 20 OPERA CRUISE WITH ONBOARD BUFFET: Enjoy a buffet dinner while cruising Lake Saimaa and return to St Olafs Castle for the opera. Boat trip 90 + opera ticket starting at 40. Duration: 6.5 hoursCUSTOM CRUISES (fishing, weddings, birthdays, business, wilderness tours): 325 per hour

Check out the website for 2015 timetables.

vipcruise.info/en

savonlinna.travel/en/home/

savonlinna.fi/riihisaari

steamboats were kept and how beautiful Lake Saimaa was, says Leinonen.

He eagerly adds that Finlands former president Tarja Halonen has also been on the ship many times, along with other heads of state and opera stars.

As the steamer turns back towards Savonlinna, St Olaf s Castle towers right above us, basking in full splendour in the golden afternoon light, setting off a chorus of camera clicks. Half an hour later, were back at the harbour.

We return to our small but cosy quarters aboard another steamboat, the S/S Savonlinna, which is tem-porarily anchored in the harbour waiting for a larger group. From our cabin we watch the sun as it ada-mantly refuses to set, bathing the whole of Savonlinna harbour in its gentle glow well into the wee hours. l

Sof a waits her turn at trying the helm while captain Ari Mikkonen checks the course.

Hernan PatioHernan Patio is a freelance photographer born in Colombia and living in Helsinki with his family. His projects have taken him to dif-ferent lands and seas, including a book and documentary film about belugas in Solovetski and the White Sea.

BEHIND THE SCENES


Uusi Kia Sorento autoveroton hinta alk. 32.506,39 , arvioitu autovero alk. 10.483,61 , kokonaishinta alk. 42.990 .Vapaa autoetu alk. 835 /kk, kyttetu alk. 655 /kk. EU-yhd. 5,7-6,7 l/100 km, CO2-pstt 149-177 g/km.Takuu 7 vuotta tai 150 000 km, kolme ensimmist vuotta ilman km-rajaa. Kia 24h tiepalvelu vuodeksi veloituksetta.Kuvan auto erikoisvarustein.

Hyvn ja tydellisen vlill on paljon eroa. Ja uudella Kia Sorentolla me todellathtmme tydellisyyteen. Lopputulos? Auto, jossa yhdistyy ylellinen mukavuus jopa7 matkustajalle, innovatiivinen teknologia, kuten mukautuva vakionopeudensdin, parantunut turvallisuustaso ja tyrmv ulkomuoto. Kia Sorentolla jokainen piv on nautinnollinen. Jopa niille, joita on lhes mahdoton tyydytt.

Pyritk tydellisyyteen?Miksi et ajaisi sill?

Uusi Kia Sorento.Tydellisyytt tavoitteleville. Tydellinen kaikille.

www.kia.fi

STOFinn

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1 LUXURIANT IN LEATHER Many famous fashion and furniture brands swear by this trademark: founded 140 years ago, Trnsj Garveri remains world-renowned for its high-quality, locally-sourced, vegetable-tanned leather. Axel Bodn who took over from his father as director 12 years ago recently hired Simon Hjlte as crea-tive director. His new Icon Collection features hand-finished accessories for urban lifestyles.

tarnsjogarveri.com

Swedish long-living brands

TOP5


2 FRANKLY FABULOUSEstrid Ericson opened a little pew-ter workshop in Stockholm back in 1924. Ten years later she hired the Austrian-born designer Josef Frank, and together they built an interiors company loved for its bold, colourful style. Svenskt Tenn collaborates regularly with contemporary designers and hosts a beautiful tea salon in its flagship store as a tribute to Ericson, who drank two and a half cups every morning and the same again with lunch.

svenskttenn.se

5 BRASS AMBITIONSkultuna was founded in 1608 by King Karl IX to foster the Swedish brass industry. Over the centuries the brass manufacturer has trans-formed itself into a design brand. These days Skultuna collaborates with many edgy designers including Luca Nichetto, Claes-son Koivisto Rune and Lara Bohinc, whose can-dleholders sold out last year and have been relaunched for summer in pretty pastels.

skultuna.com

4 A TOUCH OF GLASS Founded in 1742, Kosta Boda started off as a glass manufacturer of useful glassware items such as window panes, bottles and chan-deliers for the well-to-do who could afford them. Today seven in-house design-ers produce everything from utility glassware to art glass. The company even has its own hotel near the factory, boasting a bar made entirely of glass and a pool with an underwater exhibition.

kostaboda.se

3 BOOKS WITH LOOKSThe history of Bookbinders Design goes back to 1927, when Martin hnberg acquired the equipment he needed to start binding books. He went on to start his own company, hnbergs Bokbinderi in 1965, which later became Bookbinders Design in 2001. Still specialising in Scandi-navian-style handcrafted prod-ucts such as notebooks, boxes and other accessories made of natural materials, the company collaborates with creative talent including Swedish illustrator and designer Hanna Werning.

bookbindersdesign.com

These five Swedish design icons lead the industry by combining a strong skills legacy with a bold, reinventive take on design.

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY LAURA IISALO


DESTINATIONCHINA


The legendary Three Gorges of Chinas Yangtze River may no

longer be brimming with rapids and whirlpools, but their spectacular

sights still have the power to bewitch waterborne travellers.

STILL WATERS

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY DANIEL ALLEN


Less than two days downstream from the skyscrapers and urban sprawl of Chong-qing and the scenery beside the Yang-tze River begins to change. Limestone cliffs rear up beside the rivers swollen, chocolate waters, topped with dense green vegetation and cloaked in ser-pentine tendrils of mist. Higher up, naked peaks can be glimpsed through a swirling blanket of low-lying cloud. The wild wonders of Qutang Xia, the first of Chinas fabled Three Gorges (San Xia), are about to reveal themselves.

Looking out from his bridge, Xie Shou Gui sur-veys the spectacular scenery with a steady eye. The captain of the Victoria Katarina, a 100-metre long, multi-deck luxury cruise ship, is part romantic, part realist.

This is the mother waterway of China, says Xie, putting down a cup of green tea. Ive worked on the Yangtze for 30 years and its still a joy to contemplate the ever-changing views.

The worlds third longest river, the Yangtze rises in the icy wastes of the Tibetan Plateau before flow-ing over 6,000 kilometres eastward to the East China Sea. Today Yangtze cruises typically start in the mega-lopolis of Chongqing, with voyages downstream pass-ing through the Three Gorges a succession of three spectacular canyons before ending in the city of

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Captain Xie Shou Gui surveys the scenery of the Yangtze River as his ship approaches the city of Fengdu.

A Yangtze cruise ship moored at the city of Fengdu.


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Yichang in Hubei Province, or at the river mouth in Shanghai.

The Chinese are a nation fond of their idioms. If you havent travelled the Yangtze, you havent been anywhere, runs one well-known saying.

I know some people in Beijing and Shanghai who might disagree, says Michael Darby, the Victo-ria Katarinas American cruise director, with a laugh. Still, a cruise on the Yangzte is a voyage through the very heartland of China.

If you havent travelled the Yangtze, you havent been anywhere, runs one well-

known saying.

Passengers disem-bark the Victoria Katarina en route to Fengdu.

The spectacular crimson pagoda at Shibaozhai.

Traditional Chinese cuisine aboard the Victoria Katarina cruise ship.

Most Yangtze cruise ships provide a colourful pro-gramme of evening entertainment.


CRUISE LOW-DOWNCRUISES ON the Yangtze travel upstream and downstream. Travelling downstream, most begin in the city of Chongqing and either end in Yichang, just below the Three Gorges Dam (four days), or Shanghai (seven days). Major cities along the route include Wuhan and Nanjing.

While some companies operate cruises all year round, spring and autumn are the best time for making the trip due to weather condi-tions. Passengers typically sleep (and dine) on the boat, with cabins of various sizes and com-fort levels offered.

On Victoria Cruises (victoriacruises.com), the cheapest price for a four-day trip between Chongqing and Yichang is around 420 (low season). The most expensive seven-day trip between Chongqing and Shanghai costs 3500 (high season). These prices include all meals, but not shore excursions.

A TALE OF TWO RIVERSIn addition to their varied landscapes of epic beauty, the middle reaches of the Yangtze are also the loca-tion for one of mankinds most ambitious and contro-versial projects the Three Gorges Dam a concrete leviathan whose completion in 2009 created a reser-voir over 600 kilometres long.

With water levels rising above 100 metres in places, the creation of the Three Gorges reservoir behind the dam forced 1.3 million people from their homes. It also allowed supersized tour boats such as the Victoria Katrina to travel farther upstream than they ever could in the days of Mao Zedong.

People often ask me whether the Three Gorges Dam was a good idea, says captain Xie Shou Gui. To be honest it has brought mixed blessings to the Yang-tze and the people who live along it. Navigation is cer-tainly simpler. We can sail at night, for a start.

With the mountainous peaks of western Hubei Province constricting the Yangtzes powerful flow, this stretch of Chinas longest river was both famed and feared for its savage splendour.

A treacherous succession of whirlpools and rapids, shoals and reefs, for centuries the Three Gorges pre-sented a formidable obstacle: there were days when one in 20 ships navigating here were lost to the Yang-tzes boiling waters.

Indeed, in the days of sail, teams of trackers who frequently operated naked to avoid friction burns

would haul junks and other vessels upstream by hand, circumventing the worst of the white water.

The Yangtzes trackers have long since disappeared, and the roar of the Three Gorges has been silenced by the dam. Yet despite the diminished danger, the beauty and drama of the Three Gorges thankfully remains undimmed.

This part of the Yangzte is still wild enough for most, says Darby with a smile.

DEATHLY DELIGHTSSome 170 kilometres downstream from Chong-qing, the ship passes the Ghost City of Fengdu. At the Nothing-To-Be-Done-Bridge a group of tourists patiently wait to see whether they are virtuous enough to pass over the narrow stone span. Those of poor character may be destined for a soaking in the pool below, although the guardians of the bridge seem in a particularly lenient mood.

Sitting beside the Yangtze, the whimsically maca-bre city of Fengdu is a colourful complex of Bud-dhist and Taoist temples perched on a hill known as Ming Mountain. The place received its reputation as a ghost city during the Han Dynasty (25220 CE), when two imperial court officials surnamed Yin and Wang settled here to teach Taoism and supposedly became immortal. Taken together their names sound like King of Hell in Chinese, and so the ghoulish connection began.

To the Chinese, the King of Hell was more like the Greek god Hades, explains local tour guide Tu Wei Wei. It was widely believed that in his kingdom good people would be treated well in the afterlife, while the bad would be punished. This is why the entire com-plex is covered in demonic images and instruments of torture.

Until the 1960s boats on the Yangtze would often moor in the middle of the river to avoid getting too close to Fengdus ghosts, adds captain Xie.

Nowadays the only ghosts inhabiting Fengdu appear to be temple workers in costume or children in gruesome face masks. I think we can manage to repel both if necessary, says captain Xie with a smile.

FANTASTIC FORTRESSToday the Yangtze is an eclectic mix of the low and high-tech. A little farther downstream from Fengdu is an architectural marvel that stands in stark contrast to the Three Gorges Dam. Built without the use of a sin-gle nail, Shibaozhai is a vermilion, 12-storey pagoda-fortress that leans against the side of a huge rock, now an island thanks to the rising waters of the Yangtze.

Known across China as the Pearl of the Yangtze, Shibaozhai dates back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE), with each of its 12 storeys dedicated to a famous general, poet or scholar. Sitting on the top of the rock is a Buddhist temple which offers spectacular panoramic views over the river and attendant cargo ships.

Prior to the construction of the pagoda, visitors to the temple were hoisted to the top of the rock using a system of chains, explains tour guide Tu. Not the ideal method of transport for worshippers afflicted with vertigo.

A card game in the village of Shibaozhai, close to the pagoda of the same name.

Taking the plunge near the city of Yichang, where many Yangtze cruises begin or end.

The Three Gorges Dam is Chinas largest infrastruc-ture project since the Great Wall.


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Hotel Haikko Manor is located in the middle of a beautiful park by the sea, only 35 min. drive from Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and near the picturesque and historical town of Porvoo.

GORGEOUS PASSAGEOf the Three Gorges Qutang, Wu and Xiling which in their entirety stretch for nearly 200 kilome-tres the former is said to be the most dramatic and the latter the most dangerous. Wu is considered the most beautiful.

As the cruise ship sweeps into Qutang Gorge, pas-sengers gather on deck to admire the spectacle. Short-est of the gorges at just eight kilometres long and the

farthest upstream of the three, Qutangs entrance is guarded by the twin sentinels of Mount Chijia and Mount Baiyuan, towering to heights of over 1,000 metres. This is the Kui Gate, once famed as the most dangerous pass in the world and still awe-inspiring with its vertiginous rock faces hewn from the native limestone.

Half an hour later and the ship sails past a colour-ful array of mountaintop temples, pagodas and towns into the next of Chinas grand canyons.

Wu Gorge is another world expansive yet still dramatic. Nearly six times the length of Qutang, it takes 90 photogenic minutes to traverse. The high-light of the gorge are the Twelve Peaks of Mount Wu

RECORD-BREAKING RIVERAROUND 6,300 KILOMETRES long, the Yangtze is the worlds third longest river (after the Nile and Amazon). It is the longest river in the world to flow entirely within one country, draining one-fifth of the land area of China. Its basin is home to one-third of the Chinese population.

Tour guide Tu Wei Wei looks across the Yangtze toward her home in the new city of Fengdu.

To pass through the dam, all ships must rise or fall over 100

metres. A five-stage ship lock acts as a massive elevator,

allowing vessels to make the transit in about three hours.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Daniel AllenLondon-based writer and photographer Daniel Allen lived for five years in China. Before I took this cruise I had already expe-rienced many of Chinas most scenic places. But this recent trip was still a real eye opener for me. Despite all the changes the Yangtze still has an awe-inspiring and unique beauty.

(Shier Feng) a series of cloud-covered mountains of which nine are visible from the water. Look out for Shenn Peak (Goddess Peak), which is said to resem-ble a graceful maiden shrouded in fog.

DAMNED IMPRESSIVEAt the eastern end of the Xiling Gorge lies the the Three Gorges Dam, Chinas largest infrastructure pro-ject since the Great Wall and potent symbol of Chi-nas rising economic might. More than 40,000 workers toiled for over 13 years to build it, at a cost of around 27 billion euros. However you feel about its massive social and environmental impact, its awe-inspiring scale is simply breathtaking.

To pass through the dam, all ships must rise or fall over 100 metres. A five-stage ship lock acts as a mas-sive elevator, allowing vessels to make the transit in about three hours.

When those gargantuan lock gates clang shut and the water drains away, you feel like youre in the belly of a whale, says Michael Darby. Underneath the huge spotlights, hemmed in by the naked walls of the lock, its a surreal environment.

For many passengers, soon to disembark in nearby Yichang, its a chance to reflect on a voyage of discovery that speaks volumes about China, both new and old. l

The Three Gorges Scenic Spot is a traditional stop on cruises between Yichang and Chongqing.


Are You always in a constant rush, your laptop in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other? These days the demands of effectiveness have led to a stressful and busy lifestyle. We try to be effective and think that being on the run all the time is the key to a good life, but actually, the opposite is true. If we neglect to sleep well our effectiveness will finally slow down and the quality of our life will suffer notably.

If You really want to be effective and creative, make good sleep one of your priorities in life. Youll see the difference and simply feel great. It is important to find out your personal requirements for improving your sleep quality. Therefore its important to evaluate the factors influencing your sleep quality such as sleeping habits, sleeping positions, health condition, and individual preferences.

A Good Mattress Helps Millions of people suffer from daily back pain. In many cases, the pain is unnecessary and caused by incorrect muscular balance. The main reasons for these kinds of muscular imbalances is wrong sleeping and working positions, in addition to insufficient exercise and stretching. Many people are doing sedentary work that strains the back and especially the lower back. It is therefore very important to have a good bed that allows a good sleeping position, thus relaxing and relieving the stressed muscles.

The quality of the mattress is a very important factor in defining the position you sleep in. If your mattress doesnt fit you, it is very hard to find a good and stable position. After a good nights sleep, you feel excellent in the morning and energetic all day long.

Unikulma is a Finnish bed manufacturer that makes individually customized high quality beds on the grounds of the latest technological solutions. From the very beginning of the 30-year corporate history, Unikulmas basic idea has been the genuine caring of the customers by means of offering their clients the healthiest and best individually customized sleeping solutions.

The Unikulmas customized mattress helps you find a healthy sleeping position, reducing the unnecessary tossing and turning leading to impaired sleep quality. An individually tailored mattress can help you get approximately 35% more deep NREM sleep.

Individual Sleep Analysis

Unikulmas physiotherapists design your customized mattress using UnikLab- test results. UnikLab- tester carefully measures the pressure that your body creates on the mattress and makes pressure charts of your body. The tester is careful enough to detect even the smallest muscular imbalances or tensions.

The sleep analysis and the UnikLab- pressure charts are translated into an individual spring mattress. You are unique, therefore your bed should be unique too.

Unikulma Showroom Helsinki, Erottajankatu 19, +358 40 585 6029.

A good nights sleep creates solid basis to our day-to-day health and well-being. Sleep affects our memory both linguistic and mathematical skills, speech, creativity, effectiveness, alertness and lots of other daily functions. By making good sleep a priority, youll find your self taking delight in the newly found success and happiness in your life.

The Better You Sleep The Better You Feel.

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A350XWB

FINNAIRS AIRBUS A350 XWB aircraft sets new standards for pas-senger experience and environmen-tal performance. In this series, we explore how noise reduction, good lighting, cleaner air and a better digital experience all distinctive in the A350 planes have significant impact on your wellbeing.


As the worlds first District of Light takes shape on the Helsinki waterfront, the

power of lighting arises as the talking point in city planning, wellbeing and design.

BRILLIANT JOURNEYS

TEXT BY KATJA PANTZAR

Helsinki is one of the few European capitals surrounded by sea, with 100 kilometres of shoreline and about 330 islands dotting the waterfront.Slightly further east from the tour-isty cluster of Suomenlinna Fortress Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the lesser-known area for now, at least of Kruunuvuorenranta, where the worlds first District of Light is taking shape. Designed wholly around the principles of light, this first-of-its-kind residential area will house 11,000 people by the mid-2020s.

To brand a whole district by light is revolutionary: it simply hasnt been done before, says award-winning lighting designer Tapio Rosenius, who is the founder

of the Lighting Design Collective (LDC), an interna-tional studio with a focus on light for the built environ-ment and architecture.

The master plan by the Speirs + Major and West 8 team is really clever its an infrastructure for resi-dents to manipulate their own environment with their own lights and lanterns, says Rosenius.

From a competition called Lights Over Kruunuvu-orenranta that ran during the Helsinki World Design Capital Year in 2012, the two winning proposals were Into the Light by the Austrian group Bartenbach Lichtlabor (now simply Bartenbach), and Natures Lanterns by Dutch West 8 urban design and landscape architecture firm and UK-based design practice Speirs + Major.


Souvenirs that smell, taste and feel like

the forest from PilkeShop

foreStSee the like youvebefore!never Seen it

See the foreSt for the treeS

ounasjoentie 6, rovaniemi, finland tel. +358 205 64 7820 [email protected] www.sciencecentre-pilke.fi

open 1 June 31 August 2015: Mon-fri 9 a.m.6 p.m., Sat-Sun 10 a.m.6 p.m.

At Science Centre Pilke in Rovaniemi, explore Finlands close relationship with the forest and forest industry innovations, using all your senses.

The Luonnos (Draft) exhibition 1June 30 September: Finnish design inspired by the nature of Lapland.

Included in the price of the entry ticket, play in the Forest arcade 17June31 July!

The City of Helsinki chose to develop the Speirs + Major and West 8 teams innovative vision for the lighting masterplan, and lighting and landscape con-cepts. When the District of Light is finished in the mid-2020s, it will be an illuminated stage visible from numerous vantage points in Helsinki.

As the area is developed, ten euros per developed square metre of building will be spent on light art.

A MOMENTARY GLOWRosenius is the mastermind behind the areas first beacon of light, Silo 468, a massive re-purposed oil storage container that doubles as a work of art and a public gallery.

Stepping inside the silo, which is painted a shade of dark red, is like entering a carousel of dancing light and colour.

The silos 2,012 handmade holes, commemorat-ing the Helsinki World Design Capital 2012 year for which it was commissioned, are fitted with 1,280 LED dome lights and small mirrors. The LED lights flicker on and off in waves, controlled by a computer pro-gramme that uses swarm intelligence and nature-stimulating algorithms that respond to changes in wind, temperature and weather conditions.

The idea was to preserve a memory, not to shy away from the idea that this was previously an indus-trial site an oil silo. To me, darkness is luxury, one that doesnt exist in many parts of the world owing to light pollution, says Rosenius.

Silo 486, a massive re-purposed oil storage container, doubles as a work of art and a public gallery.

Finnish design icon Marimekko held their spring/ summer 2015 fashion show inside the Silo.

SILO 468 is accessible by boat, public transport as well as by car. The City of Helsinki pro-vides updates of opening hours and access on its website:

hel.fi

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Souvenirs that smell, taste and feel like

the forest from PilkeShop

foreStSee the like youvebefore!never Seen it

See the foreSt for the treeS

ounasjoentie 6, rovaniemi, finland tel. +358 205 64 7820 [email protected] www.sciencecentre-pilke.fi

open 1 June 31 August 2015: Mon-fri 9 a.m.6 p.m., Sat-Sun 10 a.m.6 p.m.

At Science Centre Pilke in Rovaniemi, explore Finlands close relationship with the forest and forest industry innovations, using all your senses.

The Luonnos (Draft) exhibition 1June 30 September: Finnish design inspired by the nature of Lapland.

Included in the price of the entry ticket, play in the Forest arcade 17June31 July!

Helsinki is a city uniquely shaped by seasons of light owing to its northerly position perched on the edge of the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Russia. At the height of summer the sun shines around the clock, flooding the Finnish capital with endless daylight. In sharp contrast, during the dark depths of winter there are just a few meagre hours of natural light when the sun (on the days it chooses to shine) hovers above the horizon like an orange orb.

THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF WELLBEINGLight has a direct effect on health, says Rosenius, who grew up in the northern Finnish city of Oulu and is now based in Madrid.

Circadian rhythms are the mental, physical and behavioural changes that respond to light and darkness

in the environ-ment of a person, animal or plant in the 24 hours that comprise a sin-gle day and night cycle.

Theres a con-vincing body of research that links

the quality and quantity of artificial light to melatonin and serotonin production basically the hormonal balance in your body that allows you to feel naturally tired in the evenings so you fall asleep, have a good sleep and wake up naturally in the morning. So the man-made lighting around you does have a surpris-ingly strong impact on wellbeing, says Rosenius.

VISIONARIESDuring the winter months there can be up to 18 hours of darkness a day in the far north. As such, many peo-ple in Finland suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), or winter depression, which has resulted in a bustling bright light therapy lamp business.

With an annual turnover of more than five million

Lighting designer Tapio Rosenius is the mastermind behind Silo 468.

Yki Nummi famously said, People dont buy lamps, they buy light.

LUIS DAZ DAZ

www.jarvenpaa.fi/sibeliusanniversary

The Story ofAino Sibelius

In Jrvenp Art Museumuntil 4th Oct, 2015TueSun 11am6pm

AuthenticHome Museum of the Sibelius

Family2nd May30th Sep, 2015

TueSun 10am5pmwww.ainola.fi

WELCOME TO

THE HOMETOWN OF Jean Sibelius

JRVENP

SUN SALUTATIONSDozens of waterfront cafs and bars dot the Helsinki waterfront during the summer. Relax-ing in lounge chairs sipping champagne on the shores of Kaivopuisto Park at Mattolaituri sig-nals the start of the outdoor patio season and celebrates the season of endless natural light. Mattolaituri, Ehrenstrmintie 3 A

mattolaituri.com

euros, Innolux is one of the countrys top manufactur-ers of dynamic bright light therapy lamps.

Headquartered in the Helsinki suburb of Kurki-mki, Innolux is led by founder Jukka Jokiniemi, who is legally blind. He founded his company in the early 1990s when he started gradually losing his sight owing to an incurable eye condition. Creating good light was his way of countering darkness.

Jokiniemis firm makes a range of bright light therapy lamps and design lights that have garnered awards ranging from the Red Dot Design prize to accolades from style guide Wallpaper* magazine. The Modern Art table lamp and Lokki pendant lamp by Yki Nummi (19251984), one of the top Scandina-vian designers of the 1950s, 60s and 70s, are still in production.

As Nummi famously said, People dont buy lamps, they buy light. l

Lounging at Mattolaituri marks the start of summer.

BEHIND THE SCENESKatja PantzarKatja Pantzar is the author of Helsinki by Light (Siltala Publish-ing), which is out this month and offers a bright new perspective on the Finnish capital.

KATJA THJ

KATJA PANTZAR

www.jarvenpaa.fi/sibeliusanniversary

The Story ofAino Sibelius

In Jrvenp Art Museumuntil 4th Oct, 2015TueSun 11am6pm

AuthenticHome Museum of the Sibelius

Family2nd May30th Sep, 2015

TueSun 10am5pmwww.ainola.fi

WELCOME TO

THE HOMETOWN OF Jean Sibelius

JRVENP

FINNAIR IS THE FIRST European airline to operate the next-genera-tion Airbus A350 XWB aircraft, the first four of which will join the fleet for their inaugural flights this autumn.

In addition to a spacious, modern cabin, the new Airbus 350 XWBs offer state-of-the-art lighting.

Designer Vertti Kivi has created the sleek interiors of the cabins, which have large panoramic win-dows that let natural light in.

The latest LED lighting technol-ogy allows for a range of 16.8 million different colours, which means dynamic lighting, colours and moods to suit the time of day, destination or season. This in turn helps passen-gers relax and adjust to new time zones, says Kivi.

For example, when descending

in Asia the aircraft can be awash in warm orange tones, or surface inte-riors may glow in fresh blue hues when arriving in Helsinki, says Kivi, whose leading-edge Airbus 350 XWB cabin design recently won Finnair a prestigious International Yacht & Aviation Award for design.

The first long-haul Airbus 350 XWB destination will be Shanghai in October, with Beijing, Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Singapore to follow.

Finnair has also firmed up eight additional Airbus A350 XWB aircraft options initially made in its 2006 order with Airbus. These eight A350s will be delivered to Finnair starting in 2018. At Airbus list prices, the value of the eight A350 aircraft is approximately 1.9 billion euros. Finnairs total number of A350 orders is currently at 19 airplanes.

A350XWB

FLYING LIGHT

The vision of a Nordic federal state

Once upon a time there was a Nordic union. The Kalmar Union (1397-1523) brought together all five Nordic countries: Denmark, Iceland, Nor-way, Sweden and Finland.

The Swedish historian Gunnar Wetter-berg proposed in 2009 that all five should again merge into a new Nordic Federal State. His arguments received favourable attention, but triggered no serious action.

The Nordic economy is among the 12 biggest in the world. A Nordic union would have a seat at the G20 table and could aspire to key posts in the EU and other interna-tional organisations.

A Nordic federation would need a con-stitution and a two-

chamber parlia-ment. It would have a common foreign and secu-rity policy, a framework for fiscal policy, a common currency, labour market and immigration policy as well as deeper cooperation in areas such as educa-tion and research.

A United North is neither legally nor administratively unreal-istic. The Nordic countries have a shared history, similar institutions and a common socio-economic model. Their citizens have similar values and a high level of trust in each other and public institutions.

So why havent the Nordic gov-ernments set up a committee to pave the way for a new Kalmar Union? Is it just a case of political and administrative inertia?

One problem exists: Who should be king or queen? Wetter-berg has a ready solution: It should be Margarethe of Denmark, because Margaret was the key head of state of the first Kalmar Union.

A more serious argument against the Nordic federation is that there is no urgent need for it. There have been no conflicts between the Nordic countries for more than two centuries. All enjoy a relatively high level of economic efficiency and social equity. If it aint broke, why fix it? What could change to create new political impe-tus for reconsidering the matter?

The crisis in Ukraine and renewed ten-sions with Russia have caused serious con-cern about security in Eastern and Northern Europe. This has triggered a renewed wish for stronger Nordic defence cooperation and growing public interest in the option of joining NATO. Further security-related turbulence in Northern Europe could cause fundamental changes in the Nordic political

landscape. The euro-

zone debt crisis is far from being resolved and Greece is not the only source of concern. The euro

might well face another existential crisis in coming years, and if it does, the old idea of a common Nordic currency might reappear on the agenda. A British exit from the EU, certainly undesirable and hopefully unlikely, could also nudge us on the path towards Nordic integration.

Friends of the Nordic Federal State face a dilemma. If all goes well, it will never hap-pen. If things go wrong, then Nordic inte-gration might look considerably more attractive. Perhaps we should hope that the Nordic Federal State remains nothing more than an inspiring vision. l

EUROPEAN VOICES

A UNITED NORTH IS NEITHER LEGALLY NOR

ADMINISTRATIVELY UNREALISTIC.

AALTO UNIVERSITY professor Sixten Korkman is the former director general at the Council of the EUs Directorate for Economic and Social Affairs. His latest book is Euro: valutta vailla valtiota (Euro: the currency without a state).

BY SIXTEN KORKMAN


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Blue Wings Summer 2015