Fifth Presidential Forum to discuss the state and future of the Baltic Sea

Office of the President of the Republic of Finland Press Release 5 March 2008

President of the Republic Tarja Halonen will host a forum on the state and and future of the Baltic Sea at the Presidential Palace on Tuesday, 11 March 2008.
People from different parts of society - political decision-makers, civil servants, researchers as well representatives of civil society, business and culture - have been invited to participate in the fifth Presidential Forum.

In addition to President Halonen, speakers will include Mr. Ole Norrback, Ambassador for Baltic Sea Issues; Mr. Ilkka Herlin, Chairman of the Baltic Sea Action Group; Ms. Anita Mäkinen, Head of Marine Programme of the WWF, and Ms. Maimu Berg, Cultural Attaché at the Finnish Institute in Estonia. Journalist Tarmo Ropponen will serve as moderator.

The event is a continuation of the Presidential Forums arranged four times in 2006 - 2007. Their themes were ‘Competitiveness of Finnish work’, ‘Skilled and innovative Finland’, ‘Finland’s foreign policy challenges and opportunities’ and ‘The future of elderly care in Finland’.

The Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE will broadcast the Presidential Forum live on the internet and show the highlights of the forum the same day from 15h05 to 17h00 on TV1.