What’s Up Finland? -week highlights Finland’s knowhow in creating the happiest country in the world

The Consulate General of Finland in Hong Kong and Macao, Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and Rovaniemi – hometown of Santa Claus are collaborating on What’s Up Finland? -week co-organized by the Business of Design Week Cityprogram. This year’s theme is “Designing happiness”, that showcases Finland, Finnish culture and know-how in Hong Kong.

What’s Up Finland -week seminars contain keynote speeches and aims to provide an insight into the happiest country in the world, Finland. Besides seminars the week also includes a Finnish Online Christmas Market organised together with the Jetour Mall.

What's up Finland? -week’s seminars highlight Finland’s success and knowledge with three topics: “Designing Health”, “Education – Key to the Happiest Country in the World” and “Designing Happiness”.

(1) Designing health -webinar on Monday, November 30, 6:00-7:30 pm: Finland is a small giant in health providing value-for-money healthcare for all. Due to the culture of trust, Finns participate eagerly in medical research as it is seen as a way to get better treatment in the future. Finland offers the world’s fastest commercialization of digital health and well-being innovations. With this conductive ecosystem, health tech is the country’s largest high tech export segment. The Designing Health -webinar offers an opportunity to learn more of Finnish way of designing health.

(2) Education - Key to happiest nation on Tuesday, December 1, 5-7 pm: Finland’s education system is regarded as one of the best in the world and has received its fair share of publicity around the world. In recent years, Finland has also made headlines for being the happiest country in the world. Many are left wondering why and how is it the happiest country in the world? We believe it has a lot to do with our education system, and how it embodies our country’s embedded values of being honest, fair, down-to-earth, and trusting others. Education – Key to happiest nation -webinar offers you viewpoints from the education angle into happiness.

(3) Design for happiness on Thursday, December 3, 4-5 pm: From social unrest to the pandemic, we’ve all been forced into circumstances beyond our control, creating stress, pain and discomfort in a variety of forms. In some countries we are edging out of the current state and looking towards the ‘next normal’. As we start to consider what that means, one characteristic we look towards in that ‘normal’ is happiness and contentment. There’s no question it’s a key component of how we need to design and build the future. How can design help get us there? Design for Happiness -online panel discussion offers attendees an interactive session together with international design leaders.

Jetour Mall X Finnish Online Christmas Market, 4-20 December: The Finnish Chamber of Commerce together with the Jetour Mall brings together a traditional selection of Finnish food & beverage and gift & lifestyle items in the form of Finnish Online Christmas Market.

Independence Day Reception on Friday, December 4, 6-7pm: The Consulate General of Finland in Hong Kong and Macao will organize a game like adventure to celebrate Finland’s Independence Day. The virtual journey will take you to idyllic surroundings of a small island in front of Helsinki. In the virtual 360-world, you will discover more about Finland and Finnish culture through video performances by various Finnish artists. Also, during the journey, the consulate’s staff and representatives from the Finnish Community will be available to chat with you.

Finnish addition the Hong Kong's Harbour lights on Sunday, December 6, 6-10 pm: To share happiness with the Hong Kong-people and to celebrate Finland’s Independence Day, there will be a Finnish addition to Hong Kong’s harbour lights. The Tsim Sha Tsui Clock Tower will be illuminated in Finnish colours – blue and white for people to take photos and family gathering.