Stories from Quick Reads and Finland
Architects in Finland Battle Over the Helsinki Guggenheim and the “Next Helsinki”
In early December 2014, the shortlist for a competition of the desing of the new Guggenheim museum in Helsinki was announced. The bulk of the building of the new Finnish venue of the famed museum of modern and contemporary art will be financed by the government of Finland and the...
Non-Japanese Who Stayed in Sendai After 3.11 Earthquake Walk for Recovery
Despite being uncertain of what the future might bring, dozens of non-Japanese people decided to remain in their adopted home of Sendai, a coastal city located in the north of Japan hit by massive tsunami triggered by the earthquake of March 11, 2011. Sharing the footsteps to recovery, those standing together...
European Citizens Call for the Protection of Media Pluralism
“European institutions should safeguard the right to free, independent and pluralistic information”. The quote, from the Media Initiative website, summarizes the main idea behind a pan-European campaign that aims at urging the European Commission to draft a Directive to protect Media Pluralism and Press Freedom. The Media Initiative is running a European Citizens’ Initiative – a tool...
Russia: Foreign Ministry Critique of Human Rights Violations
Finrosforum argues against a report from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which criticizes neighbouring countries for human rights violations.
Slovenia: New Twists in Arms Bribery Affaire
Sleeping With Pengovsky posts an update about new developments in Slovenia's scandal over bribery in the Patria affaire concerning purchase of Armoured Personnel Carriers from a Finnish company.
Africa: Helsinki Africa Film Festival
Wanjiku wa Ngugi, the founder of the Helsinki African Film Festival talks to Beti Ellerson about the representation of Africa in Finland and this year’s theme “Women’s Voices and Visions”
Baltics: Any need for Baltic Sea cooperation
Litauen writes about [GER] the Council of the Baltic Sea states and how this organization is becoming increasingly superfluous as basis for Baltic Sea cooperation.
Finland: The Language Issue
Nordic Voices writes about Finland's “language issue.”
The Baltics: Deportations of 1941 and 1949
Eric Dickens guest-blogs at A Step At A Time about the Baltic deportations of 1941 and 1949.
Europe: Entropa
Belatedly, links to some posts on Entropa: Margarete of The Foreigner's Guide to Living in Slovakia believes “it should be taken down”; Kosmopolito thinks that “the debate around the project is also part of the installation”; BBC's Mark Mardell writes that “the fact that it is a hoax does not...
Estonia, Finland, Russia: Relationship Now and Then
A Step At A Time writes in depth about the relationship between Finland, Estonia, and Russia – now and in the past.
Slovenia: Janez Janša and Magnus Berglund
Borut Peterlin thinks that Finnish journalist Magnus Berglund should be awarded “a Slovenian national medal of honor” for making public PM Janez Janša's graft allegations. There's even a Facebook group (with 662 members so far) devoted to Berglund and the story he broke.
Finnish voice on death of Ingushetian publisher
Istori posts a speech by and publishes a statement about the Ingushetian publisher Magomed Yevloev, who was killed by Russian police in the weekend. Together with Anna Politkovskaya, Yevloev – the publisher of closed-down news site ingushetiya.ru – was a frequent guest at the Finnish-Russian Civic Forum.
Russia, Georgia, EU: Will There Be No Sanctions?
BBC's Mark Mardell reports from the emergency EU summit in Brussels that “it seems all but decided that there will no sanctions against Russia.”
Russia, Finland: Maria Kirbasova's Case
A Step At A Time and Vera's Log report on the Finnish Immigration Service's decision to deport Maria Kirbasova, a half-paralyzed 67-year-old Russian citizen, who was one of the founders of Soldiers’ Mothers organization.
Estonia: Finnish Muslims; Childhood Memories
AnTyx writes about the Finnish Muslim Party's protest against Estonia's presence in Iraq – and shares a few Soviet/post-Soviet childhood memories.
Estonia, Finland: Police
Itching for Eestimaa reports that “Estonia is considering hiring 300 unemployed Finnish police officers to handle its internal shortage of police.”
Japan: Filtering going global
Blogger and social activist Sakiyama Nobuo [ja] (see earlier coverage) picks up a number of recent news stories and predicts that it may not be long before Chinese filtering policy is no longer thought of as “another country's problem” [ja]. He points to the launch of the Mobile Alliance against...
Armenia: Scandinavian Invasion
Armenia and me posts an account and photographs of what is a rare sight indeed — 150 Scandinavian running through Yerevan's Victory Park as part of a World Wide Orienteering Promotion. Arriving in the country from Iran, the blog reports that local onlookers were at first shocked to see so...
Russia, Finland: Sale of Karelia
Vilhelm Konnander writes on how Boris Yeltsin had nearly sold Karelia to Finland.
Estonia: International Relations
“But why waste so much energy on that relationship with diminishing returns?” writes Itching for Eestimaa about Estonia's relations with Russia, and continues with an overview of Estonia's relations with other countries.