Helsinki - The Conference Venue

 

And the water you see behind you is Töölönlahti bay, which lies at the footsteps of the capital's cultural and sports center. This area is the setting for all kinds of activities, especially at this time of year, when the summer sun sets for just a couple of hours a day - if at all!

 

Turn around a bit. Can you see that white marble building? That's Finlandia Hall, designed by architect Alvar Aalto. This is where our 6th IWG World Conference on Women and Sport is going to be held. Yes, you are right – the Conference of Security and Cooperation in Europe was held in that very same building in 1975. Finns are proud to hear world leaders refer to “the spirit of Helsinki”.

 

Further still you can see the beautiful National Museums of Finland, designed by famous architects Herman Gesellius, Armas Lindgren and Eliel Saarinen. It is a wonderful example of national romanticism and an absolute must see. Behind the museum you can see the high granite pillars of the House of Parliament. If you did not know already, Finland was the first country in the world to grant women the right to vote and also run for public office. Around the bay a bit, there is also the modern-styled Opera House and further down still the newly opened Helsinki Music Hall.

 

If you turn again, you'll see the sport center of Helsinki with many halls and fields and of course the Olympic Stadium where the 1952 Olympic Games were held.

 

Töölönlahti bay is where folks love to go for a run or leisurely stroll, relax and partake in cultural happenings. These are also the delightful surroundings that will inspire the participants of the 6th IWG World Conference to plan for the future of women in sport. Here we, both women and men from different cultures and continents, must find ways to cooperate more closely with each other; here we must seek empowerment and discuss the current challenges facing women's sport and also look for the future. We must find ways to promote equality in sports by encouraging women everywhere to pursue leadership positions locally, nationally and globally.

 

Helsinki should serve as an ideal setting for these efforts, and we look forward to seeing you here in June 2014! 

Finland is located in the heart of Northern Europe. It has borders with Estonia, Sweden, Norway and Russia. The population is circa 5.4 million. Finland has been a member of the European Union since 1995. President of the Republic of Finland is Ms Tarja Halonen.

 

Finland has thousands of lakes and endless forests. The coastline is 1100 kilometers long, excluding the many beautiful islands and coastal indentations. Finland offers one of the most extensive and unspoiled natural environments in Europe.

 

Helsinki, the capital of Finland, is easy to get to. Around 145 daily international flights operate to and from Helsinki.

 

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