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TAMMIKUU / JANUARY 2025
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New Year's Outlook and Exciting Updates! | |
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⚠️ Pasadena Office Update on Fires
Thank you for your concern regarding the fires in the LA and Pasadena area. We want to assure you that our team is safe, and while our office is not in an evacuation zone, the building will remain closed until further notice as a safety precaution. We appreciate your patience and understanding if there are any delays in processing during this time.
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National Sauna Week
ONE MONTH AWAY!
February 16-22, 2025
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Registration is OPEN for National Sauna Week sessions
Join us for live webinars, hot takes, and so much more!
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National Sauna Week, hosted by Finlandia Foundation National (FFN), celebrates the cultural and wellness benefits of the Finnish sauna tradition. In its fourth year, this week-long event (Feb 16-22) will feature a dynamic lineup of speakers sharing insights on sauna culture, history, and innovation.
Highlights include Eero Kilpi on sauna traditions, Risto Elomaa on global trends, Dr. Earric Lee on the science of sauna, Dalva Lamminmäki with Maria Alén on sauna vihta, and topics including the business of sauna, sauna diplomacy, sauna heritage in the Upper Peninsula, and the Sauna Route in Europe.
FFN is also partnering with sauna establishments across the U.S. to offer a 10% discount on bookings during the week. For full details and to register for events, visit nationalsaunaweek.com. Join us to explore the timeless benefits of sauna and experience the warmth of Finnish culture.
Visit NationalSaunaWeek.com to learn more!
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NATIONAL SAUNA WEEK:
NEW WEBSITE LAUNCHED!
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The American Finnish Club of Lake Worth Florida aka Kerhotalo celebrated 80 years this month at Suomi Talo. Here’s to another 80 years of supporting the Finnish-American community in Florida and beyond! | |
The Young Leaders Board kicked off the year with their first meeting this month, setting the stage for an exciting year packed with activities and events! | |
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Ready for Bookings!
Performer of the Year: Charlotte Loukola
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The 2025 Finlandia Foundation Performer of the Year, Finnish-American violinist Charlotte Loukola, is now available for booking! An accomplished musician with Master of Music degrees from The Juilliard School and Sibelius Academy, Charlotte is the assistant concertmaster at Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular Orchestra and regularly performs with the Palm Beach Opera and South Florida Symphony Orchestra. Her artistry spans chamber music at Carnegie Hall, collaborations with contemporary composers, and the rich traditions of baroque violin.
FFN chapters, affiliates, and cultural organizations are invited to book Charlotte for performances in 2025—don’t miss the chance to bring her exceptional talent to your community. Learn more and schedule her performance below.
Watch the teaser video here.
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Scholarship Spotlight: Daliyah Hammoud
Hear from one of our recent scholarship recipients
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ONLINE: New Directions in Finnish North American Research
Join us for an engaging webinar showcasing four innovative PhD dissertation projects exploring Finnish North American history and heritage!
We’re especially proud to feature Mirva Johnson, a member of Finlandia Foundation’s Young Leaders Board, presenting her research alongside fellow scholars. Discover fresh perspectives on history, folklore studies, linguistics, and literature as these experts share new approaches to understanding the Finnish-American experience.
Date: Thursday, January 23, 2025
Time: 8am - 10am PST
Link to register here.
This event is organized by the "Migrant Experiences, Past and Present" project, funded by the Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy in Finland, in collaboration with the Migration Institute of Finland, the Immigration History Research Center, Immigration History Research Center Archives, University of Minnesota Libraries, and the Finnish American Studies Association.
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IN-PERSON: Aalto University Alumni Gathering
Reconnect and celebrate: Join us for the Aalto University alumni and friends get-together in Chicago!
We are delighted to invite Aalto University alumni to a special get-together in Chicago, where we can reconnect, network, and celebrate our shared Aalto University connection.
Date: February 10, 2025
Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Venue: ArentFox Schiff, 233 South Wacker Drive, Suite 7100, Chicago, IL 60606
The event, hosted by FFN Board Member Jon K. Jurva, Finnish Honorary Consul for Illinois and Wisconsin, will be held at his law firm’s office. Tomi Erho, Aalto University’s Head of Innovation Ecosystem Services, will join to share insights on the latest innovations from Aalto.
RSVP here by January 31st.
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Announcement: New Consulate General in Houston
Finland is set to open a Consulate General in Houston, Texas, in 2025!
This exciting development reflects the longstanding political and trade partnership between the Lone Star State and the world’s happiest country. The new mission will play a vital role in strengthening ties between Finland and Texas, supporting Finnish companies entering the Southwest U.S. market and assisting U.S. businesses exploring opportunities in Finland.
Finlandia Foundation is proud to celebrate this milestone in fostering international collaboration and connection!
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Heikinpäivä, celebrated on January 25th in Hancock, Michigan, is a cherished Finnish-American tradition filled with culture and community. Finlandia Foundation will join the festivities, where Phyllis Fredendall and her husband, Hannu Leppänen, crowned as Hankookin Heikkis, will be honored for their incredible contributions to Finnish community life and their longstanding collaboration with FFN. Don’t miss this beautiful celebration—an experience everyone should enjoy at least once! See the schedule of events here. | |
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Jaana Erkkilä-Hill is a Finnish visual artist, researcher, and professor of visual arts at the University of Lapland whose work explores the profound connection between the everyday and the spiritual. Through her more than thirty years of artistic practice, Erkkilä-Hill has mastered printmaking techniques, particularly woodcuts and linocuts, layering color and imagery to reflect the interplay between the visible and invisible. Drawing inspiration from art history, nature, and society, her work philosophically examines the seen and unseen, offering a deeply felt exploration of spiritual and religious experiences that transcend culture, time, and circumstance. Recently, her academic research has focused on artist pedagogy, further enriching her creative practice.
Learn more at: fahc.finlandiafoundation.org/art-gallery/future-exhibits/
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In Memoriam: Eric Saarinen (1942–2025) | | |
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The Finlandia Foundation National community mourns the passing of Eric Saarinen, an acclaimed American cinematographer and director. Born to legendary architect Eero Saarinen and sculptor Lilian Swann Saarinen, Eric carried forward his family's creative legacy with a celebrated career in film.
Eric's distinctive eye for storytelling shaped iconic works, including Wes Craven's The Hills Have Eyes and Albert Brooks' Lost in America. His contributions to cinema and the arts will be remembered for their vision and artistry.
Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones as we honor his remarkable life and legacy.
Discover more about his extraordinary life and legacy in his interview with FFN.
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In 2016, Finlandia Foundation proudly supported the PBS documentary Eero Saarinen: The Architect Who Saw the Future with a grant.
This compelling film offers an intimate look at the life and legacy of renowned architect Eero Saarinen, whose groundbreaking designs include the St. Louis Gateway Arch and the TWA Flight Center at JFK Airport.
Narrated by Eero’s son, Eric Saarinen, the documentary explores his father’s visionary work and delves into the personal and professional journey of one of Finland’s most iconic figures.
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APPLICATIONS DUE SOON!
Scholarships & Grants Applications Deadlines approaching!
Deadlines:
Grants: Jan 17, 2025
Scholarships: Feb 1, 2025
Lindfors Law Scholarship: Feb 1, 2025
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A View into Finland
The countryside of Central Finland is blanketed in snow. The aurora borealis lights up the night sky.
Photo by Riku Kuurne at Redes Photography, Finland.
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Is planned giving in your future?
Join the Finlandia Legacy Society today!
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Our legacy is our people. What’s yours? Learn more about our Finlandia Legacy Society by emailing: office@finlandiafoundation.org | | | | |
