08.11.2022
Northern Ostrobothnia Award to Helena Petäistö
The Regional Board of the Regional Assembly of Oulu Region has awarded the Northern Ostrobothnia Prize to journalist, columnist and non-fiction writer Helena Petäistö.
Helena Petäistö graduated from Oulu University of Applied Sciences and graduated as an economist from the Helsinki School of Economics. While working in a French company in Paris, he also started doing stories for Finnish media. After returning to Finland in 1983, he worked as a foreign journalist for MTV news. In 1990, Petäistö returned to Paris as a correspondent for MTV news in France and Europe.
Helena Petäistö has written numerous works on French and European politics, the French way of life and European cities. He has worked for ten years as a columnist for Suomen Kuvalehti and currently as a European columnist for MTV. In addition, Petäistö has become known as a popular European speaker, journalistic expert and commentator.
Helena Petäistö lives in Helsinki and Paris. He has strongly highlighted his own Northern Ostrobothnian roots and has actively taken a stand on the development of Oulu and participated in the efforts of Rautio, the 2022 village of Finland, to preserve the vitality of the village. Petäistö spends his holidays both in the village of Rautio and in his former hometown Oulu.
Helena Petäistö has received many international and national awards, including the Finnish Photo Magazine's Journalist Prize and the French Legion of Honour Officers' Badge. He is also an honorary doctor of the University of Oulu.
The prize is a miniature sculpture designed by sculptor Sanna Koivisto, which symbolizes the region of Northern Ostrobothnia. The award, awarded on 20 December 2022, will be presented at the Regional Parliament of Northern Ostrobothnia on 8 November 2022.
The Northern Ostrobothnia Prize is awarded for life's work for the benefit of Northern Ostrobothnia or for work that has made Northern Ostrobothnia known and strengthened its identity.
Previously, the Northern Ostrobothnia Prize has been awarded to Professor Seppo Säynäjäkangas 2005, Senior Lecturer Marketta Viitala 2006, Oulu Kärpät Oy 2007, Senior Lecturer Pentti Lampinen 2007, University of Oulu 2008, Nature Photographer, Phil.tri h.c. Hannu Hautala 2009, Governor Eino Siuruainen 2010, M.Sc. (Tech.), Doctor of Science (Tech.), Juha Hulkko 2011, Airport Manager Pekka Mäntynen 2012, Senior Lecturer Marja Irjala 2013, Conductor Timo Hannula 2014, Professor Anssi Paasi 2015, cartoonist Jari Elsilä 2016, Mayor Matti Pennanen 2017, Opera singer Soile Isokoski 2018, Industrial Counsellor Veijo Sydänmetsä 2019, Professor, Research Rector Taina Pihlajaniemi 2020 and ice hockey player Lasse Kukkonen 2021.
