Many people have asked me, “What have you thought of your experiences in Finland?” I can honestly say that I have thoroughly enjoyed living and working in Finland. The people I have met – whether we’ve had just one conversation or the opportunity to work together – have been friendly, kind, and generous-hearted. You have [...]
Posts Tagged ‘US Embassy Helsinki’
Happy 4th of July!
The United States of America celebrates its independence from Great Britain every year on July 4. Like the Finnish Midsummer and Vappu, the 4th of July calls for a big celebration! First, it’s a Federal holiday observed by the U.S. government, which means that many government offices and workplaces are closed. If the 4th falls [...]
From North-to-South and Coast-to-Coast: American Citizens Embrace Earth Day
On April 22nd, countries around the world will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. In a recent video address to commemorate the event, President Obama highlighted Washington’s role in protecting the environment. The 2009 Recovery and Reinvestment Act has invested billions of dollars in clean energy and water projects throughout the U.S., as well [...]
Finland and US: Partners in Tackling Climate Change
To say that the Finns have a certain reverence for their summer season is no understatement. From May to August, nearly every Finn heads outdoors to take advantage of the twelve-plus hours of sunlight before the long, dark winter creeps back in. Government and other activity slows down, prompting many to travel to forest cottages [...]
90 years – a very good beginning
For the past two days, the U.S. Embassy, the University of Helsinki, the Foreign Ministry of Finland and the Fulbright Center, together with many other organizations and individuals, have celebrated the 90th anniversary of U.S.-Finnish diplomatic relations. We were especially honored to have President Tarja Halonen speak at the opening session of the seminar. We [...]
Earth Day
Mothers have Mothers’ Day. Dads get Fathers’ Day. In the US even the groundhog gets his own day on February 2. So it seems only fitting that Mother Earth should get her spot in the limelight on April 22. After all, without the Earth there would be no moms, dads or groundhogs. Earth Day was [...]
Welcome to our new blog!
Terve! I am Wendy Kahler, Environment, Science and Technology Officer at the American Embassy in Helsinki. I arrived in Finland in August 2008 and will be working here for three years to promote cooperation between the US and Finland on environment, climate and technology issues. This is my first time living in Europe, having spent [...]