Cultural affairs officer Pirjo Pellinen: "The embassy establishes a foothold for Finnish culture in Great Britain"
We get to know cultural affairs officer Pirjo Pellinen as part of our series on the everyday working lives of staff at the Embassy of Finland. Pellinen is responsible for promoting Finnish culture in Britain and responds to general questions and enquiries about Finland. She is the longest serving staff member in the London building, having joined the Embassy in the early 1990s.
Back then she was hired as a political secretary. Her career has since progressed through the consular office to her current post within the press and cultural department.
Nowadays her brief is broad: cultural affairs and general enquiries covers a wide variety of issues and tasks, but in everything she does, Pellinen must promote Finnish culture and keep it in the spotlight in Britain. The cultural affairs officer and the Embassy do not actually arrange performances for Finnish artists or curate art exhibitions, but act more as a link between Finland and Britain and the cultural affairs officer is the incarnation of this link.
"The embassy aims towards creating footholds for Finnish culture in Britain, but the Finnish culture groups themselves must step into the footing,” Pellinen says.
In practice her work includes, for example, aiding in the organising of different cultural events and sending British journalists to events in Finland. An important part of her portfolio is overseeing the publication of Finnish Events – a quarterly cultural calendar. It contains all the major cultural events in Britain that have some connection with Finland or Finnish people.
Classical music as the foundation of Finnish culture
Finnish classical music has already gained fame in the UK, says Pellinen, thanks to the international top university, the Sibelius Academy, conductors Esa-Pekka Salonen, Osmo Vänskä and Sakari Oramo and other Finnish superstars in the business. Because of this acceptance and appreciation, Finnish classical music does not need to be "sold" to the market. Instead, much more work needs to be done in the marketing of Finnish literature and films, even though there has been improvement in this field.
"The Finnish children's films have seen a strong rise in interest and there have been several occasions where they have been recognised and rewarded, for example at the annual London Children's Film Festival, where Finland regularly receives an award," explains Pellinen.
The image of Finland in Britain has been also polished, not so surprisingly, by the Moomins. Recently the large British publishing house, Puffin Books, bought the rights to the Moomin-books and in 2010 there will be a large event to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Moomins'.
Pellinen’s next challenge is to expand the cultural activities beyond London.
"In London the amount of cultural events is staggering and the competition is tough. If held elsewhere in Britain, I believe the events would grab the public's attention," Pellinen believes.
The next significant event outside the capital, where Finnish culture is on show, is at the NICE-festival in Liverpool.
The embassy's unofficial information storehouse
The second field of responsibility for Pellinen, general questions from the public, creates a colourful set of different situations, ranging from animal import legislation to the questions encountered when moving to Finland. Each day several questions are received via phone, email and letter. Because of this flood of enquiries, Pellinen has earned the title of being the embassy's unofficial storehouse of information and know-all.
"Often we do not actually find the answers for the questions. Rather, we guide those asking to the authorities or the parties who know the issue the best. I often say that we help people to help themselves", Pellinen explains.
A sub-category of these questions are from people requiring information about Finland. Often these are pupils preparing a presentation or assignment on Finland. Here the cultural department is more than happy to send out information about Finland which is usually gratefully received.
"Over the years I have received flowers, handmade fudge and once even a piece of a wedding cake as thanks. Yet the most touching of them all are the handmade presentations about Finland that are sent to me by the schoolchildren,” smiles Pellinen.
Text: Mikko Keltanen & Emilia Erkinheimo, Embassy of Finland
Read also: