See pictures from the seminar. The pictures may be used freely if credited.

“This year Finland is celebrating 100 years as an independent state,” said President of the Storting Olemic Thommessen. “When we celebrated our Constitution in 2014, I greatly appreciated that the other Nordic parliamentary presidents took part in the commemoration. The seminar on Finland is the Storting’s contribution to celebrating Finnish independence – an important event for our neighbour.”

On 6 December, 100 years will have passed since the Finnish parliament, or Eduskunta, declared Finland an independent state. At that time Finland had been under Sweden, then Russia, for hundreds of years. In much the same way that Norway commemorated the bicentenary of its Constitution in 2014, the Finns will be celebrating their 100th anniversary with a variety of activities throughout 2017. Democracy, community and equality are values that the ​​anniversary seeks to highlight.

Read more about Finland’s past 100 years.

Close, warm neighbours

The President of the Storting’s Finnish colleague, Speaker Maria Lohela, brought a delegation of Finnish parliamentarians to the seminar at the Storting.

“We deeply appreciate the Storting’s recognition of this important year for Finland,” Speaker Lohela said. “The seminar illuminates the relationship between our two countries – a relationship that has been very important for Finland during its entire period of independence. It’s nice that the seminar covers opportunities and challenges, which it’s important for good neighbours to discuss.”

The aim of the seminar was to inspire greater cooperation, bilaterally as well as in the Nordic and European contexts. Norway and Finland are neighbours that share core values ​​and interests. They are also key partners in the Arctic and on issues such as energy, infrastructure and the health industry.

“We are similar enough to understand each other and benefit from each other, and yet different enough to inspire each other and see each other in perspective,” Mr Thommessen said.

Visiting Finland in March

The last time Maria Lohela visited the Storting was during her official visit to Norway in June 2016.

Read more about the Finnish Speaker’s official visit (in English).

The Storting president has been invited to make an official return visit to Finland in late March 2017. There he will again meet Maria Lohela, to discuss shared interests and challenges, in addition to Finnish members of parliament and ministers.