European Presidents broke ice in Finland

The Presidents attended the cruise aboard the icebreaker Urho. Copyright © Office of the President of the Republic

The meeting of eight European presidents in Helsinki culminated in a cruise aboard the icebreaker Urho on Saturday February 11, 2012. The two-day meeting was hosted by President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen and gathered together Presidents of Austria, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Portugal and Slovenia.

The Presidents discussed three themes: the strengths of Europe in a global world; neighbour relations in the south with particular focus on the situation in northern Africa; and tolerance and the prevention of discrimination. Thorbjörn Jagland, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, appeared as guest speaker in the session on tolerance.

Especially the financial crisis and the situation in Greek received special attention in the discussions and the the joint press conference. The joint press conference of the meeting of the Presidents in Helsinki is available as a videorecording.

In addition to the working sessions at the Kalastajatorppa Hotel, the programme of the Presidents included a dinner at the Presidential Palace. Finland’s president-elect Sauli Niinistö also presented himself at the dinner.

The presidents’ spouses took part in the meeting with a programme of their own. The spouses’ programme included an introduction to Helsinki’s year as World Design Capital and visits to the Helsinki Music Centre and the Gallen-Kallela Museum.

Informal presidential meetings have been arranged since 2003. In Finland the meeting was last held in 2005.

• Video recording of the joint press conference

Meeting of European Presidents in Helsinki on Friday 10, February 2012. From left: President of the Republic of Latvia Andris Bērziņš, President of the Federal Republic of Germany Christian Wulff, President of the Republic of Italy Giorgio Napolitano, Federal President of the Republic of Austria Heinz Fischer, President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen, President of the Portuguese Republic Aníbal Cavaco Silva, President of the Republic of Slovenia Danilo Türk and President of Hungary Pál Schmitt. Copyright © Tasavallan presidentin kanslia

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