New Year Speech by President of the Republic of Finland on 1 January 2011

Citizens,

At the turn of the year people often desire to peer into the future. Some of us even resolve to improve our life styles for the benefit of ourselves and our loved ones. It is also a time for looking into the future of our country.

During the past year Finland’s image was in the spotlight both abroad and at home. In an ever-globalising world it is important for people from different countries to know each other. As is only human, it is often the good things that we wish to showcase above others. Establishing trust, however, requires that the image that has been created matches the reality.

A good reputation in a globalising world is an excellent goal as such, but what is far more important is how Finns view their own country and in which direction they want it to go in the future. This year is an election year, which further improves our chances of influencing this.

Is Finland a good country to live in? In international comparison the answer is no doubt still positive. Looking at the future, however, the development is in many respects worrying.

Over the years I have repeatedly spoken of the crumbling of the foundation of the Finnish welfare society. The cornerstone of the strength and international success of the Finnish and Nordic society has been equality. According to a recent survey Finns continue to have high regard for values such as justice, caring for the elderly, the prevention of poverty and a functional democracy.

However, the reality of everyday life paints a different picture. A strong increase in income inequality and problems with the availability of basic services and income security have been repeatedly featured in the news. Growing inequality is evident in the everyday life of the elderly. Poverty among families with children is on the rise. Young people’s faith in the future is being withered by unemployment and temporary employment relationships. At the same time, many of those in working life are becoming exhausted under its growing pressures.

Last year the European economy suffered crises of such a scale that their curbing required the employment of exceptional measures. We are all now hoping for an upturn towards stable economic growth. People need employment and livelihood.

The hardening of values is visible in many ways. The public eye is increasingly focused on success and those at the top of their fields, with money appearing to be the most common indicator of that success. Amid this culture of fierce competition we should be careful to avoid valuing people only on the basis of their economic significance. Everyone has human worth and the right to a dignified life.

Politics is about making choices. Choices lead to various social consequences. I hope the approaching elections will spur debate on these issues.

The economy needs to stand on a healthy foundation and business must be guaranteed solid operating conditions. Ensuring sustainable development requires a stable economy, but also a socially coherent society and a balanced and diverse nature. We need jobs, education, health care and social care; a sustainable development that is essential for the future.

We can all do our share through reasonable consumption and the making of informed choices, but a large part of the impact can only be achieved through collective decisions. We should also be efficient in our international cooperation efforts both in Europe and across the globe.

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This era of globalisation stresses the key role of the United Nations in particular. As a cooperation body the UN cannot replace nation states. The countries of the world are also responsible for bringing the climate talks to a fruitful conclusion and for signing a genuinely worldwide climate agreement. Such an agreement would serve to curb global warming and ensure a fair distribution among states of its consequences so far. Small steps ahead were achieved last year, for example, at the UN climate summit held in Cancun, Mexico.

At the invitation of UN Secretary-General, the President of the Republic of South Africa Jacob Zuma and myself co-chair the High-level Panel on Global Sustainability, whose twenty or so experts from different countries aim to find new ways to ensure sustainable development. Our challenging task is to find ways in which we could combine stable economic growth, social justice and ecologically sustainable development. Extending until the end of this year, our timetable is extremely tight.

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The security and well-being of Finns is also dependent on the development of Europe and the rest of the world. Finland is a member of several international organisations, through which our aim is to enhance security and support positive development both as a state and through the personal contribution of countless Finns.

During the past year public opinion has shifted towards increasingly radical views on several issues both here in Finland and elsewhere. Intolerance is not a solution to problems. In a democracy the majority holds the power to decide on matters, but not without also respecting and protecting the human rights of minorities.

The Member States of the European Union are closely integrated. Thus the economic policy and good governance practised in each country affect not only the citizens of the country in question, but also the other Member States and their citizens. The same is equally true of racism and other human rights violations. If governments and citizens of the Member States lack the necessary will to act, the Treaty of Lisbon or any other international agreement will be of little comfort. It is now time to take assertive action, as Europeans need each other to support development on their own continent and at a global level.

According to a recently published survey the great majority of Finns wish for Finland to remain militarily non-aligned. According to the same survey the most important factor affecting Finland’s credible defence capability is good relations with the neighbouring countries. I share the view of the majority of Finns on the fundamental factors of security.

Good relations with our neighbours continue to be of paramount importance for us. For my own part, I have done my best to create a good and active cooperation relationship with all our neighbours, and I can sincerely say that relations are excellent.

A demonstration of the trust enjoyed by our country was the summit held in Helsinki last February, to which myself and then Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen invited the heads of state or government of the Baltic Sea coastal states as well as representatives of business life and non-governmental organisations. So far, around 150 commitments for a cleaner Baltic Sea have been made. Their follow-up and monitoring will no doubt provide many challenges, but surely also a source of much joy. The work is by no means complete, but it is now off to a good start.

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Democratic development lays the foundation for security, but we must be prepared to defend it against the possibility of war and other conflicts. We are a fully committed member of the European Union also in the security sector. From the beginning of the year we will be taking part in two EU Battlegroups. This year we will also participate in similar arrangements with NATO – albeit only as a partner and mainly in the form of exercises. In my opinion NATO and the European Union should develop their cooperation in this area to eliminate overlaps and increase efficiency.

Together with Sweden, Austria, Ireland and Malta, Finland is one of the EU Member States who are members of the NATO Partnership for Peace programme but not members of the organisation itself. I agree with the majority of Finns that this arrangement is suitable from the perspective of our security needs. With an election approaching, the fact that this issue has attracted debate has not been unexpected. However, in my opinion it is unreasonable to downplay the decision taken by Finland and other countries that have adopted similar approaches.

During the past year Finland participated in several peacekeeping operations. However, the number of Finnish peacekeepers on duty around the world is now smaller than it has been for some years. The Kosovo operation having successfully attained its objectives, our troops there can now return home.

The most demanding of the operations in which we participate is the ISAF operation in Afghanistan, a collaborative effort involving 48 countries. Although last year was a time of progress in many sectors of Afghan society, the situation remains highly unstable. The international community will have to work hard to ensure the safe transfer of responsibility to Afghan forces by 2014.

In a few weeks’ time the Finnish Navy will begin its first participation in an international peacekeeping operation. Taking place off the coast of Somalia, the main objective of the extensive international operation led by the EU is to protect UN food shipments.

Today, external and internal security are increasingly interlinked. Security threats are broad in nature, and may either be caused by man or take the form of natural disasters. Preparation for such threats and responding to them requires both international and national cooperation and predetermined arrangements.

In the modern age it is important to take all aspects of society into consideration both in times of war and peace. I am pleased that the role of women enjoys increasing attention throughout the world, whether the question is of conflict resolution or the achievement of sustainable development. We have a great deal to offer in this respect, also in the context of international cooperation.

Citizens,

I would like to conclude by thanking you on behalf of myself and my spouse for all the contacts and encouragement we have received. Your interest in promoting our common affairs has been important. I wish you all a Happy New Year 2011.