Selected Events, 2009
The Embassy sponsors and supports many special programs and events throughout the year. Please follow the links below to find out more.
Celebrating 90 Years of U.S.-Finnish Diplomatic Relations
November 12, 2009 This year the United States Embassy in Helsinki and our Finnish hosts have organized jointly a series of events, including seminars, speeches, and exhibitions to celebrate the 90th anniversary of U.S.-Finnish diplomatic relations. The latest event – an anniversary dinner and dance, was held in the Helsinki White Hall ball room.
Embracing Green Energy
November 12, 2009 Rocky Mountain Institute’s CEO Michael Potts and Executive Director Martha Pickett provided fresh insights on transitioning to clean, renewable energy during a presentation at SITRA – Finland’s Innovation Fund. The event was the second installment of the US Embassy’s Fall 2009 Energy and Environment Series.
U.S. and Finland to Cooperate in Prevention of Proliferation of WMD
October 30, 2009 U.S. Ambassador Bruce J. Oreck and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Pertti Torstila signed a “Memorandum of Understanding” through which the Government of Finland will contribute funding to a U.S.-led program to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the Kyrgyz Republic.
The Art and Science of Vanishing Glaciers
October 26-30, 2009 World renowned nature photographer James Balog visited Finland to talk about his work which documents the changes in glaciers all over the world.
Scratch Ambassadors Tour
October 25-30, 2009 Scratch Ambassadors Tour: Berklee Hip Hop Quartet in Finland
USS Cole Visiting Helsinki
October 21, 2009 The USS Cole, an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis-equipped guided missile destroyer, arrived in Helsinki for a port call October 21. Moored in Helsinki’s Western Harbor, the Cole hosted a group of Finnish journalists who met with Commodore John Kersh and Commander Edward W. Devinney II, CO USS COLE.
American Voices Seminar in Turku
October 16-17, 2009 The University of Turku, Fulbright Center, and the U.S. Embassy collaborated to organize the 17th annual American Voices Seminar at the university campus in Turku. The annual seminar brings together administrators, professors, and students in higher education.
President Halonen's Congratulations to President Obama
October 9, 2009 At a meeting at the Presidential Palace on Friday, October 9, Finnish President Halonen gave Ambassador Oreck a letter of congratulation for President Barack Obama on winning the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.
Smithsonian Photographer Carolyn Russo Visits Finland
September 28 - October 5, 2009 Carolyn Russo, a photographer and curator from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, spoke of her work to various audiences at the Universities of Joensuu, Turku and Tampere and to an enthusiastic crowd of students at the Juhana Herttua high school in Turku.
President Obama and President Halonen in New York
September 23, 2009 President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama pose for a photo during a reception at the Metropolitan Museum in New York with Her Excellency Tarja Halonen, President of the Republic of Finland, and Dr. Pentti Arajärvi. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)
Dr. Ann Carlson Weeks Discusses with Finnish Library Professionals
September 22-24, 2009 Professor of the Practice, Dr. Ann Carlson Weeks from the College of Information Studies at the University of Maryland visited Finland to meet with numerous library professionals representing the whole library network.
Mr. Greg Garramone, USEU Brussels, Visits Finland
September 21-22, 2009 Mr. Greg Garramone, Regulatory, Trade and Consumer Affairs Officer from the USEU Brussels was one of the keynote speakers at an AmCham Finland and ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) organized seminar attended by Finnish chemicals professionals and ECHA top management.
Helsinki Art School Students Learn About the Civil War at the ARC
September 21, 2009 As part of a program on American history offered by the Helsinki Art School, U.S. Embassy Helsinki arranged for Political Officer Robert Jenkins to speak on the U.S. Civil War.
Presentation of Credentials
September 10, 2009 U.S. Ambassador to Finland Bruce J. Oreck presented his credentials to President Tarja Halonen at the Presidential Palace. Copyright (c) Office of the President of the Republic of Finland.
Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor visited Finland
September 3-7, 2009 Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor visited Finland at the invitation of the President of the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland, Pekka Hallberg.
U.S. Embassy Celebrates 60th Anniversary of ASLA Fulbright Program
August 26, 2009 Over 100 guests gathered at the U.S. Embassy to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the ASLA-Fulbright program and to welcome 2009-2010 American Fulbright Grantees.
American Poet Ron Padgett in Finland
August 24-25, 2009 American Poet Ron Padgett visited Finland on August 24-25. He performed at “the Night of the Living Poets” organized by Nuoren Voiman Liitto in connection with the Helsinki Festival. He also held a poetry reading event at the America Resource Center where he read a selection of his poems followed by discussion with the members of the audience.
America Days in Hämeenlinna
August 14-16, 2009 The City of Hämeenlinna hosted the America Days celebration organized by the Hämeenlinna Finnish-American Society.
The Independence Day Celebration
June 17, 2009 The United States Embassy in Helsinki celebrated the 233rd independence anniversary on June 17 with Finnish friends, colleagues and contacts. One of the highlights of the program was the traditional presentation of colors by the Marine Corps Color Guard.
Great Grandson of Sitting Bull Drew Record Audiences in Finland
June 4-12, 2009 Ernie LaPointe, great grandson of Chief Sitting Bull, visited Finland on June 4-12 to talk about Lakota history and culture and his famous great grandfather, Chief Sitting Bull.
PAS Helsinki Hosts Viewing of President Obama’s Cairo Speech
June 4, 2009 A variety of guests gathered at the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki to view the speech of President Obama in Cairo.
Book donation to the North American Studies Program at the Renvall Institute
May 11, 2009 On Monday May 11, Chargé d’Affaires Michael Butler from the U.S. Embassy Helsinki presented a donation consisting of books, CDs, DVDs, and three artworks to the Renvall Institute, a centre for Area and Cultural Studies at the University of Helsinki.
Finnish High School Students Learn About the U.S. Civil Rights Movement
May 8, 2009 Sampo High School students and teachers traveled from their home in Tampere, Finland to visit the American Resource Center in Helsinki. PAO Nicole Conn gave an enlightening and moving presentation on the history, phases, and development of the civil rights movement in America and the lead-up to the election of President Barack Obama.
American Resource Center Announces the ARC Scholarship Recipients
May 2009 Liisa Matikkala from the University of Oulu has been selected as the winner of the 2008 ARC Scholarship with her Master’s thesis titled “Asset or Liability? The Image of Sarah Palin in the Media.”
90 Years of U.S.- Finnish Diplomatic Relations
May 6-7, 2009 May 6-7, 2009, the U.S. Embassy, the University of Helsinki, the Foreign Ministry of Finland and the Fulbright Center, with support from many other organizations and individuals, organized a two-day symposium at the Helsinki University to celebrate the 90th anniversary of U.S.-Finnish diplomatic relations.
Intellectual Property Rights Workshop for Police and Prosecutors in Helsinki
April 28-29, 2009 The Economic Section Helsinki, in cooperation with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) hosted a "Criminal Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in the Digital Environment” workshop for Police, Prosecutors, and Government officials in Helsinki
Consul Eric Meyer visits Joensuu
April 22, 2009 On April 22, Consul Eric Meyer visited Joensuu where he donated a book collection to the Joensuu University Library.
Apollo 17 astronaut, Sen. Harrison ”Jack” Schmitt visits Finland
April 16-18, 2009 Former NASA astronaut, Harrison "Jack" Schmitt (born July 3, 1935) met with Finnish and international space enthusiasts during his three days of programs in Finland April 16-18.
Women’s World Ice Hockey Championship – Gold Medal!
April 12, 2009 The United States won its second consecutive Women’s World Ice Hockey Championship gold medal and its third in Team USA’s history with an emphatic 4-1 victory over arch rivals Canada on April 12, 2009 in Hameenlinna, Finland.
American Hot Rods Roar at American Car Show in Helsinki
April 10, 2009 U.S. Embassy Helsinki Chargé d’Affaires Michael Butler paid a visit to the opening of the American Car Show, organized by the Finnish Hot Rod Association (FHRA).
Energy Security expert Ed Chow visits Finland
April 6-7, 2009 Edward Chow, a senior fellow in the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) Energy and National Security Program visited Helsinki April 6 and 7. Chow, who has 30 years of oil industry experience and a wide-ranging international career.
USA Women’s Hockey – Hämeenlinna
April 4, 2009 The USA Women’s Hockey team skated into Finland last week to defend their title as the reigning World Champions. The 2009 International Ice Hockey Federation World Women's Championship are being held from April 4-12 in Hameenlinna, Finland.
Afghanistan expert Marco Vicenzino visits Finland
March 24-27, 2009 Marco Vicenzino, President and Director of Global Strategy Project, a Washington-based non-partisan foreign policy think tank, visited Finland March 24-27, 2009, to discuss the new direction of the Obama Administration’s Afghanistan-Pakistan policy as well as a wide range of other U.S. foreign policy issues.
American Resource Center Honors Women’s History Month
March 19, 2009 American photographer Carrie Schneider gave a presentation on “The History of Women and Photography” at the American Resource Center on March 19. Ms. Schneider’s lecture consisted of two parts: first she introduced 12 remarkable female photographers, after that Ms. Schneider presented and discussed her own photographs and videos.
ASLA-Fulbright Reception held at the Finnish Museum of Photography
March 12, 2009 Photographer and former Fulbrighter Carrie Schneider presented her current exhibition at the National Museum of Photography to a group of more than 40 Finnish and American ASLA-Fulbright alumni.
Finns join Secretary Clinton’s Brussels "Town Hall" Meeting with Young Europeans
March 6, 2009 Young Finns representing Finnish political parties as well as student organizations and NGOs visited the Embassy on Friday, March 6, to join in a program centered around Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's town hall with young European leaders in the European Parliament in Brussels.
AEI Research Fellow John Fortier Visits Finland
March 1-5, 2009 American Enterprise Institute research fellow John Fortier visited Finland March 1-5, 2009 to speak with a broad variety of Finnish audiences about the early days of the Obama presidency.
Hip Hop Lecture Brings In Youth
February 25, 2009 February is the National African-American History Month in the United States and on February 25, the American Resource Center arranged the music lecture Hip Hop – lyhyt historia: mustasta CNN:stä Barack Obamaan [Hip Hop – a short history from black CNN to Barack Obama ] in the National Library auditorium.
Musée d’Orsay Exhibition of Disney Animation Art Opens in Helsinki
February 24, 2009 Chargé d’Affaires Michael Butler brought the U.S. Embassy greetings to the opening of the Disney and European Art exhibition at the Helsinki City Art Museum.
Chargé d’Affaires Michael Butler opens the Alex Katz exhibition
February 20, 2009 Chargé d’Affaires Michael Butler opened “The American Way of Seeing” which exhibits the works of Alex Katz at the Sara Hildén Art Museum in Tampere.
American Resource Center Celebrates Black History Month
February 11, 2009 Each February is celebrated in the U.S.A. as Black History Month, in order to honor the struggles and triumphs of millions of American citizens over the most devastating obstacles. In observance of the annual celebration, the American Resource Center arranged a literary event consisting of two presentations on February 11.
Juhana Herttua High School Wins the Recycled Art Competition
February 2009 Juhana Herttuan lukio won the first prize in the Recycled Art Competition for high schools organized by the U.S. Embassy and the League of Finnish-American Societies.
U.S. Embassy shows “In the Heat of the Night” to honor Black History Month
February 9, 2009 The U.S. Embassy in cooperation with the National Audiovisual Archives of Finland invited guests to watch the movie “In the Heat of the Night” starring Sidney Poitier.
First American Studies Seminar in Oulu, Finland
January 24, 2008 On January 24, for the first time in the town of Oulu, over 100 Finnish teachers of English participated in an American Studies Seminar, sponsored by the U.S. Embassy Helsinki and organized in cooperation with the Association of Teachers of English in Finland.
Counselor for Public Affairs Nicole Conn the Oulu University
January 23, 2009 Counselor for Public Affairs Nicole Conn visited Oulu University on January 23rd to speak to an audience of approximately 50 North-American Studies and English language students about the Civil Rights Movement in America and the course of events leading to the election of the first African-American President.
The inauguration of President Barack Obama
January 21, 2009 The inauguration of President Barack Obama was celebrated at the American Resource Center on January 21. The ARC arranged an event including a viewing of the inaugural speech and a live Digital Video Conference from Washington, D.C.
APAO Hargan brings U.S. Embassy greetings to Carrie Schneider’s photo exhibition
January 21, 2009 APAO Kim Hargan brought U.S. Embassy greetings to the opening of the Tense Territories photo exhibition at the Finnish Museum of Photography.
Hyvinkää Sveitsi High School Students Visit the American Resource Center
January 20, 2009 The American Resource Center hosted a group of 45 high school students and four teachers from the Hyvinkää Sveitsi high school on Jan 20.
Ted Plosser joined for the U.S. Inauguration celebration event
January 20, 2009 U.S. Embassy Management Counselor Ted Plosser joined over 100 students and faculty members for the U.S. Inauguration celebration event organized by the North American Studies Department at the University of Tampere on January 20, 2009.
Ambassador Barrett was invited to participate in the annual reindeer herding
January, 2009 Ambassador Barrett was invited to participate in the annual reindeer herding near Sevetti at the invitation of Saami Council President, Pauliina Feodoroff.