“This year, Finland is celebrating 100 years of independence. When we marked the bicentenary of the Norwegian Constitution in 2014, I greatly appreciated the fact that the other Nordic presidents of parliament took part in the jubilee. The Finland seminar is the Storting’s contribution to celebrating Finnish independence – a significant occasion for our neighbour,” says the President of the Storting, Olemic Thommessen.

Read more about the centenary of Finland’s independence.

The aim of the seminar is to increase knowledge about Finland and to encourage even closer collaboration at bilateral, Nordic and European levels.

As well as the President of the Storting, a number of Members of Parliament and government ministers will be attending the seminar. After a historical retrospective on Norwegian-Finnish relations, such issues as the Arctic, the common border with Russia, and collaboration in the fields of energy and technology will be discussed.

The return of a good colleague

Maria Lohela, the Speaker of the Finnish Parliament, an equivalent role to the President of the Storting, will be attending the seminar. She will be accompanied by a delegation of Finnish MPs.

“Visiting Norway is like meeting a close family member. Norway and Finland are similar in so many ways, and we share the same basic values. I’m very much looking forward to further developing our already close relationship,” Ms Lohela said when she last visited Norway in June 2016.

Read more about Ms Lohela’s official visit to Norway in June 2016. 

The Nordic states have a common set of values and interests and are consequently important collaborating partners.

“The Nordic presidents of parliament work together closely and productively, and in many ways we act as a small team,” said Olemic Thommessen.

Visiting Finland in March

The Finland seminar and Ms Lohela’s official trip to Norway in June 2016 are the latest in a number of visits between Finland and Norway. The President of the Storting has been invited on an official visit to Finland at the end of March, where he will not only meet Maria Lohela to discuss mutual interests and challenges, but will also talk to a selection of Finnish MPs and government ministers.