21.8.2012

Annual Assembly focuses on the Baltic

The visit of the Speakers of the Nordic and Baltic Parliaments to Turku

Speakers from the Nordic and Baltic countries are informed about co-operation in the Baltic Sea region by Eero Heinäluoma, Speaker of the Parliament of Finland.

Above: Eero Heinäluoma thanks Turku on for its active work on behalf of the Baltic Sea.

Above: The Speakers and Secretary Generals of the Parliaments of Denmark, Estonia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and Finland, plus Aleksi Randell, the Mayor of Turku, at the Archipelago Sea Square.

– The hundreds of scientists and researchers in Turku and Southwest Finland region collectively form a comprehensive database of knowledge on issues affecting the Baltic Sea. Through Centrum Balticum, and other institutes, Turku wants to create opportunities for experts, social policy makers and other stakeholders – national and international – to cooperate, stressed Aleksi Randell in his welcoming speech on August 17.

Continuing that idea, Eero Heinäluoma also emphasised the importance of the distribution of innovation in his speech at the Archipelago Sea Square in front of Forum Marinum.

– The micro-activism created by the name plaques in the Archipelago Sea Square is a good example of practical action for the benefit of the Baltic Sea. Please make room for this little innovation in your heart and take it back to your country, said Heinäluoma encouraging his fellow Speakers.

The Archipelago Sea Square has been built by selling name plaques to private individuals and organisations, each of which has the name of the donor on it. Through the donations people demonstrate their desire to commit to protecting the Turku Archipelago. A total of 120,000 € has been raised for conservation projects in the Turku Archipelago.

Heinäluoma's Turku visit was part the Annual Assembly of the Speakers of the Nordic and Baltic Parliaments, which was held on the Åland Islands.

In addition to Heinäluoma, the Assembly was attended by Mogens Lykketoft (Denmark), Ene Ergma (Estonia), Ásta R. Jóhannesdóttir (Iceland), Solvita Āboltina (Latvia), Irena Degutiene (Lithuania), Dag Terje Andersen (Norway) and Per Westerberg (Sweden). The Secretary Generals of the Parliaments also participated, with the exception of the Secretary General of the Latvian Parliament.