Current affairs

Amendments to the Nationality Act (Kansalaisuuslaki 359/2003) will enter into force as of 1 September 2011. The Act aims to improve the social cohesion and integration of immigrants by making naturalization more flexible.

In 2003 Niklas Hed and his friends dreamed up a video game that would eventually become a worldwide phenomenon.

Finnish citizens need to keep their address updated in the Population Register System to ensure that they are informed about their right to vote in the parliamentary elections of spring 2011. Finnish citizens who reside abroad are obligated to make a notification of change of address to a local register office in Finland. It is advisable to inform the address to the nearest Finnish diplomatic or consular mission too.

The Winner of the 2010 Millennium Technology Prize is Professor Michael Grätzel from Switzerland for his third generation, low cost, dye-sensitized solar cells. President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen handed the EUR 800,000 Grand Prize and the prize trophy “Peak” to Professor Grätzel today at the Grand Award Ceremony at the Finnish National Opera, Helsinki.

In its cabinet evening session of 21 April 2010, the Finnish Government debated applications submitted for decisions-in-principle on the additional construction of nuclear power. The intention is to bring these applications before the Government for its consideration on 6 May 2010.

Three scientists have been shortlisted for the 2010 Millennium Technology Prize, the world’s largest award for technological innovation. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in Helsinki, Finland on 9 June 2010.

The participants of the Millennium Youth Camp (MY Camp), to be organised in June in Helsinki, have been selected. From the initial 995 applications, one hundred 16 to 19 year olds were elected for the second round, and of these, 30 talented young people were finally selected for the camp.

As from 5 April 2010, Schengen visas will be applied electronically. The new form is linked with the entry into force of the Community Code on Visas and with the harmonisation of processing of applications.

The new population information act obligates Finns residing abroad to update their personal data by notifying any changes thereto to the Population Information System, maintained by the Finnish local register offices.

Finland’s national epic, the Kalevala, will be 175 years old this year. This major work compiled by Elias Lönnrot has had a strong influence on Finnish culture and national identity. Kalevala Day will be celebrated in Finland on the 28th of February.