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View all search resultsFinland’s happiness rests on international cooperation
We believe in co-creation: as a relatively small nation, we cannot produce everything on our own, and we need international trade.
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Secretary-General of ASEAN Kao Kim Hourn ('left') meets with Finland's Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen ('right') on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday. (ASEAN Secretariat/-)
F
inland has been chosen for the eighth time in a row as the happiest country in the world. We, the humble Finns, are often surprised by this. At the same time, I am more than happy to share some characteristics of Finland’s success story and the core elements of our foreign policy.
After over a century under Russian rule, and before that centuries under Swedish rule, Finland gained independence in 1917. Finland was a poor and hungry nation with a long border with an unpredictable eastern neighbor, Russia, a country that has a landmass roughly 50 times larger than Finland’s. The starting point for the innovative Nordic welfare society was modest, to say the least.
We invested in what we believed in: people, education and ensuring that every child has equal opportunities to make a difference. It is through skilled people and full engagement in the global market economy that a country can punch far above its weight. We take great pride in having cutting-edge high technology such as quantum computing, satellite solutions and especially 5G and 6G network expertise. Finland is a trusted technology provider.
In Finland, we trust our people, and people trust each other. This also extends to public institutions, which both results from and contributes to low corruption. The Finnish model is built on equal participation in society. Finland was built into a strong democracy that, as the first country in Europe, granted women full suffrage. We created a society in which individual freedom and the opportunity to succeed are real.
Stable, peaceful regional cooperation has contributed to our well-being over the past decades. Respect for international law and economic relations have often reinforced each other. Openness and predictability create confidence, and confidence is necessary for peace and prosperity.
Now Russia is trying to destroy this rules-based European security order. It will fail.
At a time when Russia is blatantly violating the UN Charter by attacking Ukraine, upholding and defending the rules-based international order is more important than ever.
