Office of the President of the Republic of Finland
Press release 50/2022
11 October 2022
President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinistö will make a state visit to Iceland with his spouse Jenni Haukio, on 19–20 October 2022.
President Niinistö will hold official discussions with President of Iceland Guðni Th. Jóhannesson in the Bessastaðir Presidential Residence on Wednesday, 19 October. The topics of the Presidents’ discussions will include Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, security situation in Europe, Finland’s NATO accession and Nordic cooperation. President Niinistö will also meet Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir, Speaker of the Icelandic Parliament and Members of the Speaker’s Committee.
In the afternoon, President Niinistö and President Jóhannesson will participate at a discussion event on Europe’s security and Nordic cooperation at the University of Iceland. The day’s programme will end with a dinner hosted by the Presidential couple of Iceland.
Spouse of the President of the Republic of Finland Jenni Haukio will have separate programme on the first day of the state visit. After the state visit’s reception ceremony, she will participate in a literary panel on the association between literature, folklore and national identity together with Eliza Reid, spouse of the President of Iceland, at the Nordic House in Reykjavik. They will also visit the National Museum of Iceland.
On the second day of the state visit, President Niinistö and Mrs Haukio will be introduced to Iceland’s natural environment and impacts of climate change in Iceland. Their destinations will include Langjökull glacier, which they will visit together with the Iceland’s Presidential couple.
President Niinistö’s delegation on the state visit will include Thomas Blomqvist, Minister for Nordic Cooperation and Equality.
President Niinistö last visited Iceland in autumn 2014. The Presidential couple made a state visit to Iceland in 2013, whereas President of Iceland Jóhannesson and his spouse paid a state visit to Finland in May 2018.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Finland and Iceland.