It has been suggested that author J.R.R Tolkien was greatly affected by Finnish mythologies. It was claimed that the “Kalevala”, a 19th-century work of epic poetry, which is regarded as one of the most significant works of Finnish literature, heavily influenced Tolkien. And so he wrote:
“All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost…”
The author of this piece was born and raised in Helsinki, the capital of Finland. The city, both ethereal and nonchalant, is fairly seldom ventured into.
Italians will vote on a controversial constitutional reform that may determine the fate of Matteo Renzi’s government. Yet neither Italy’s membership of the EU and the common currency, nor its financial stability are at stake.
On 4 December 2016, Italians will vote on a constitutional reform proposed by the current government of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. If accepted, the reform will change the institutional setup of the country. Most significantly, it would end Italy’s ‘perfect bicameralism’, in which the two legislative houses have nearly identical powers.
CAP's driving simulator is taken for a spin by Regional Manager Markus Vanhala.
Getting a driving licence in Finland requires attending an officially recognised school, but the problem for immigrants is that almost all driving schools teach in Finnish. CAP is a welcome exception.
CAP is Finland’s largest driving school. Providing five-star training to companies, individuals and the Finnish Defence Forces since 2005, the company’s wide range of courses cater to international students and learners of all abilities. Whether pupils are getting to grips with a scooter, a heavy truck or something in between, CAP is sure to have the ideal course for you in one of its 70+ nationwide locations.
Richard Caplan, Professor of International Relations at Oxford University.
The recent inauguration of a new U.N. Secretary-General, António Guterres, is an appropriate moment to reflect on how well the United Nations is performing its primary responsibility — ”to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war,” in the words of the U.N. Charter — and how it might up its game.
Peacekeeping is at the centre of U.N. efforts to maintain international peace and security.
Robert Hathaway, Director Emeritus of the Asia Program at the Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington, D.C.
Donald Trump hopes to leverage American power when he meets with foreign leaders on his trip through Asia this month. While threats and ultimatums may win him support at home, strong-arming other countries often produces a response opposite to the one hoped for.
President Donald Trump believes in American power. Specifically, he believes that America’s great strength gives him leverage to persuade or compel others to behave as he thinks they should.
Mahmudul Islam
When I was a teenager in my home country, Bangladesh, perhaps the only piece of information I knew about Finland was that it is the country where Nokia phones were made. Nokia 1100 and 3310 – two of the iconic phones made by the company – sold like hot cakes in Bangladesh back then. Nokia 3310 was widely hailed by its users, especially for its long battery life.
Mireya Solís, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution.
The administration’s single-minded pursuit of unilateralism in trade policy – as seen in the withdrawal from the TPP and seeking to rewrite NAFTA – is a recipe for disaster. The world is moving on and, ultimately, Americans will be the losers.
The Trump administration’s opening salvo in launching its “America First” trade policy was to pull out from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) – a move that many assumed effectively killed this 12-nation trade agreement comprising 40 percent of world GDP.
Jaron Lubin, Principal at Safdie Architects.
The stakes are high when it comes to adapting to rapid urban densification. Innovation is happening all over the world, but the most effective developments are realized when design and policy come together, as they have in Singapore.
Hip-hop supergroup De La Soul’s fourth album title, “Stakes is High,” may be an appropriate message to officials, architects and urban design professionals responsible for designing and building the cities of today and tomorrow.
Marina Gorbis, Executive Director at the Institute for the Future.
There was a time in America when spreading the wealth was instrumental in the nation becoming an economic powerhouse. In this age that sees money and assets tightly controlled in the hands of the few, it’s time to revisit that philosophy. The road map for finding that equilibrium on the new economic frontier? Universal Basic Assets.
Petri Honkonen, Member of Parliament for the Centre Party.
MP Talk gives members of parliament the opportunity to share their views on Finnish society with an international audience. The opinions expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Helsinki Times.
Finland has had forest policy longer than it has been an independent country. In the late 19th century, the slash-and-burn agricultural policy became illegal.
Nezar AlSayyad, author of Traditions: The Real, The Hyper, and the Virtual in the Built Environment.
Over several decades the tourism industry has transformed into a multi-billion dollar cash cow for cities, communities and governments alike. Yet, an emerging movement of anti-tourism campaigners threatens the relationship between people and their local built environment.
Tourism has always been an important human activity and business. But today, condemning tourists is becoming a trend with serious significance for future relationships between nations and people.
Gabriella Carolini, Assistant Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
A shift in the global powerhouses of international aid and development is opening the door for city governments in Africa, Asia and Latin America to pick their own partners with an eye toward south-south cooperation.
Does who you work with affect how well you perform or how well you learn?
The answer is seemingly obvious — yes, of course.
Every year, thousands of pets go missing in Finland. While some are eventually reunited with their owners, many never make it back home. The main hindrance to reunification is a lack of identification. To combat this problem, the Helsinki-based company ActiveMEDI has created the PetID – a coin-sized tag built to ease the localisation of our four-legged friends.
Hanna Sarkkinen, Member of Parliament and Vice Chair of the Left Alliance party.
Katariina Simonen, LL.D., Senior Researcher and Pugwash Council Member.
Every year, thousands of pets go missing in Finland. While some are eventually reunited with their owners, many never make it back home. The main hindrance to reunification is a lack of identification. To combat this problem, the Helsinki-based company ActiveMEDI has created the PetID – a coin-sized tag built to ease the localisation of our four-legged friends.
Hanna Sarkkinen, Member of Parliament and Vice Chair of the Left Alliance party.
MP Talk gives members of parliament the opportunity to share their views on Finnish society with an international audience. The opinions expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Helsinki Times.
Finland is globally well known for its equal, high-quality, cost-effective and productive education system. The reputation is well deserved and we, as a country, are proud of it.
Merja Mäkisalo-Ropponen, Member of Parliament for the Social Democratic Party of Finland and Vice Chair of the Committee for the Future.
MP Talk gives members of parliament the opportunity to share their views on Finnish society with an international audience. The opinions expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Helsinki Times.
The Committee for the Future at the Finnish Parliament is quite a unique institution. There are only a few countries and parliaments with a similar kind of committee.
Michael Grove and Tao Zhang, Principals at Sasaki.
By one measure, it’s the eighth most dynamic city in the world. It has achieved this success not by the isolated-tech-campus approach of Silicon Valley. Rather, Wuhan has become a fast-growing hotbed for tech, education, and innovation by fostering a symbiotic environment that draws upon academia, industry and culture.
Ask any CEO or mayor what the greatest asset of their company or city is and “people” is the word that most will offer first.
Mauri Pekkarinen, First Deputy Speaker of Parliament.
MP Talk gives members of parliament the opportunity to share their views on Finnish society with an international audience. The opinions expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Helsinki Times.
At the start of this millennium at the latest, the European Union took on a leading role in the global fight against climate change.
