Helsinki has been a culturally diverse city throughout its history. At the end of 2023, around 134,000 people with a foreign background lived in Helsinki, representing 171 nationalities. The number of Helsinki residents who received Finnish citizenship in 2023 was 2,925.
The City of Helsinki celebrated the new Finnish citizens by inviting all newly naturalised adult Helsinki residents to City Hall. The event was hosted by Mayor Juhana Vartiainen, who also gave the opening speech.
“New citizens are welcome both in Helsinki and throughout our country. Our annual citizenship event is a shared celebration of one of the milestones in the new citizens’ lives. The citizenship celebration is also an excellent way to strengthen participation and celebrate our community and society as a whole at the same time,” Mayor Vartiainen stresses.
“Being Finnish means participating and including others”
The speech of a new citizen was given by Irina Spazheva, who moved from Karelia, Russia, to Finland in 2018.
“I am grateful to Finland to have been able to freely work for human dignity and human rights and promote civil society and the participation of various minority groups. This work has strengthened my own Finnish and European identities. Being Finnish means participating and including others as well as daring to make a difference,” Spazheva said in her speech.
“I am also grateful for being able to express my opinion, vote in free elections and participate in social debate in many ways. I can only assume that for many people in this room free and functional civil society, freedom and equality cannot be taken for granted in their home countries,” Spazheva continued.
Finally, Spazheva wanted to say a few words about Helsinki.
“My relationship with Helsinki is warm and romantic. The Kallio and Pasila area in Helsinki has become very dear to us. It is very international and diverse, and ideal for us – the small area boasts Chinese, Indian and Ethiopian restaurants, the Helsinki Islamic Centre, the Peace Station and the Allianssi House. The area has a liberal atmosphere and you feel free to be yourself there. I want to believe that the area belongs to everyone and diversity is valued.”
In addition to the speeches by the Mayor and the new citizen speaker, the event programme also included music. Yoandy Jimeno and Nieminen & Litmanen with soloist Charlotta Kerbs performed at the event.
A total of 1,910 invitations were sent to the celebration and approximately 360 people signed up. The invitation could not be sent to those who have opted out of direct marketing.
