President Halonen attends the FinnFest 2008 event in Duluth, the United States

Office of the President of the Republic of Finland Press Release 21 June 2008

President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen and Dr Pentti Arajärvi will visit Duluth in Minnesota on 23-28 July 2008 to attend the Finnish-American FinnFest 2008 event. During the visit, President Halonen will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree for public service at the University of Minnesota Duluth. “Her outstanding leadership on behalf of the rights of women, and workers, and the poor have made her an international role model”, Chancellor Kathryn A. Martin notes.

The President’s visit highlights the importance of the Finnish-American community in maintaining and deepening the relationship between the two countries. The University of Minnesota Duluth is the official host for President Halonen and she will give a speech at the University’s Honorary Degree Ceremony.

President Halonen will also attend the Panel of Women Leaders, along with the former U.S. Ambassador to Finland, Ms Marilyn Ware, and other women leaders. The Presidential couple will also visit the Natural Resource Research Institute.

Theme for the five-day FinnFest 2008 event is "Sharing the Spirit of Finland”. The festival offers a varied display of Finnish culture and marks the 25th FinnFest USA event. Minnesota has one of the largest per centage of population who have Finnish roots in the United States. President Halonen also attended the FinnFest event arranged Lake Worth in Florida in 2004.

President Halonen and Dr Arajärvi will return to Finland on Monday, 28 July.

www.finnfest2008.com