Speech by President of the Republic at a banquet hosted by President Olafur Ragnar of Iceland at Bessastadir on 19.9.2000

It is a great pleasure for my spouse and me to be back in Iceland, a country of which we have such enjoyable memories. On behalf of my entire party, I wish already now to thank you for the exceptionally well-rounded programme that takes in both Reykjavik and places outside the city.

A state visit to another Nordic country is still a very important thing to us Finns. In this globalising world, the significance of one´s own country and the geographical region adjacent to it is growing. The Nordic welfare society tradition, i.e. democracy and looking after each other, still suits today´s world very well.

The Nordic Council will be gathering for its autumn session in Reykjavik in the beginning of November. It will not have much time to look back admiringly at its 50-year history, because it will have to devote itself to reflecting on its tasks in today´s world. In the economic sphere, Nordic networking and corporate mergers have proceeded faster and on a broader front than anyone would have even dared to expect 10 years ago. Both the new opportunities that Europe offers and the global challenges that are being posed make this a necessity. Closer cooperation between the Baltic States and Russia testifies to the interest that our model has attracted.

Both Iceland and Finland have played active roles in developing cooperation in Arctic regions. It was you who proposed in a speech in Rovaniemi in 1998 that cooperation be strengthened by arranging an annual forum for researchers. That body will be gathering for the first time in Akureyri in the beginning of November.

I am very pleased that when we visit Akureyri on Thursday I shall have the opportunity to speak on just the theme of cooperation in northern regions. Finland assumes the Presidency of the Arctic Council in October and takes over at the helm of the Nordic Council of Ministers at the beginning of next year. We are constantly stepping up our input into the work of these and other collaborative bodies in regions adjacent to us, such as the Council of Baltic Sea States and the Barents Euro-Arctic Council.

Taking care of one´s own backyard in this global village is a task specifically for us people. The way in which we in the North work together is gaining growing respect. The Northern Dimension initiative that Finland unveiled a couple of years ago has grown into an organic part of the European Union´s activities. Concrete work within the framework of the action programme is under way and in 2001, when Sweden is in the Presidency, the follow-up meeting will give all countries in the region an opportunity to deliberate the future course of development.



The enormous technological advances and economic globalisation that our era has brought has made us Finns reflect on our own role and identity. Our membership of bodies like the Council of Europe and now the EU has added to the significance of our European cultural heritage. We have greatly enjoyed Helsinki´s new status as one of the European Cities of Culture 2000. Although the decision to give this designation to no fewer than nine cities initially prompted some misgivings, in actual fact it has splendidly enriched the whole programme.

The fact that Reykjavik is among the other eight cities is close to the hearts of myself, my husband and all of us Finns. Iceland is a country where democracy and a sense of collective responsibility have endured from millennium to millennium. This is a country where a people living in harsh natural conditions have managed not only to create a livelihood for themselves, but also to develop a culture to be handed down from generation to generation as the heritage of the whole nation.

You sons and daughters of Hallur and Thorgeir have a magnificent heritage to cherish.

I would like us to raise our glasses together in a toast to the wellbeing of Iceland and her people, to the excellent relations between our countries as well as to wish success and happiness to President Olafur Ragnar in the discharge of his responsible duties.