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The Regional Councils of Uusimaa and Northern Ostrobothnia have started joint scenario work with the aim of outlining alternative futures for the counties until 2050. Scenario work helps to prepare for and influence uncertain futures. The scenario work identifies key forces of change and their meanings for the futures of Uusimaa and Northern Ostrobothnia. In addition to megatrends, we also take into account so-called weak signals and uncertainties. – Scenario work makes us more sensitive to the changing world and to the present, says Rosa Tuomi, Senior Specialist at the Regional Council of Uusimaa. The joint scenario work of the two regions is a new way of working Both large, growing and developing regions have strong research, development and innovation activities. The common features and differences of the regions enrich the debate and enable new perspectives. –Provinces may …

The final seminar of the TE2024 project was held on 16-17 October 2024 in Kuusamo. The presentations of the event can now be found on the project page.

Change Now – Hope and trust are the cornerstones of mental well-being! The Northern Ostrobothnia Welfare Forum 2024 will be held on Wednesday 27 November 2024 from 10 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. at Vaala Comprehensive School, Niskantie 10, Vaala. The Welfare Forum will be held for the 17th time. This year we will focus on the importance of hope and trust as foundations for the well-being and safety of the mind. The forum also hears experiential information and rewards the well-being act of the year. The event is free of charge, including coffee and lunch. Check out the program from this link. Binding registration for the well-being forum and joint transport from Oulu via this link by 15 November 2024. The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia organises a well-being forum in cooperation with the Youth Friends Association and the Municipality of Vaala. Welcome to us!  

Council of Oulu Region joined the Living-in.EU initiative in an event organised during the European Week of Regions and Cities, #EWRC this week in Brussels. Living-in.EU's goal is to promote sustainable digital change and give boost to digital transformation in EU regions and cities. Signing the commitment enables the Council of Oulu Region to participate in Living-in.eu's working groups. The Living-in.EU initiative was initiated in Oulu in 2019. Behind the initiative is the Eurocities cooperation network of the most significant European cities. The network was founded in 1986 and includes more than 200 cities. #EURegionsWeek

  The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia has joined the Living-in.eu community. Regional Director Jussi Rämet signed the commitment on Wednesday 9 October 2024 in Brussels during the European Week of Regions and Cities. Living-in.eu aims to promote sustainable digital transformation in EU cities and regions. The initiative has already been signed by 169 local, regional and national bodies. The initiative has previously been signed by the Regional Councils of Uusimaa and Pirkanmaa. The signing of the Commitment enables the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia to participate in Living-in.eu working groups. The Living-in.eu initiative was originally presented in Oulu in 2019. The initiative is backed by the Eurocities cooperation network, which is made up of major European cities. The network was established in 1986 and includes more than 200 cities. Oulu is a full member of the network. In addition, the member cities in Finland are Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa, Turku…

The agenda for the meeting of the Provincial Government on 14 October 2024 has been published on the website of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia. Matters to be discussed at the meeting: Advocacy matters Proposals by the municipalities of Northern Ostrobothnia for distribution reserve projects Preparatory status of the Northern Finland programme Let's take note. Presentations The project manager of the project “Developing clean and stable energy production in the Pyhäjoki Economic Area (PPE)” will present the final report of the project. Draft decision: Let's take note. Renewal of the transport system plan for Northern Ostrobothnia The provincial government decides to approve the transport system plan for Northern Ostrobothnia. Agreement on land use, housing and transport in the Oulu region (MAL Agreement) 2024-2035 The provincial government decides to approve the Oulu Region MAL Agreement for 2024-2035. Preparation of a transition strategy for the border regions of eastern Finland To be noted. Interim Report 3/2024 Proposal for a decision: The Provincial Government decides to take note of the third interim report for 2024. North Ostrobothnia Prize 2024 (the decision will be public on 4 November 2024) A presentation of the laureate will be given…

Invented the use of Hartaanselkä separation in Oulu in 1947 Photographer: Mauno Mannelin’s exhibition ‘The journey of wood from the top waters to the world – Mauno Mannelin’s photographs of Kainuu and Northern Ostrobothnia’, which was presented in Oulu a year ago, is now available in Kajaani’s main library.  Industrial photographer Mauno Mannelin photographed the harvesting and sowing of wood in the Oulujoki river basin since the late 1940s, for example, at the request of the Oulujoki Uittoyhdistys. The exhibition photos tell about the conditions under which wood was cut, transported, sorted, bundled and loaded onto ships. There are also pictures of wood processing factories and ports. At the beginning of his career in the 1930s, Mauno Mannelin portrayed industry and commerce in the magazine of the Association for Finnish Work. In the 1950s, he specialized in photographing forests, forest work, swimming and the forest industry. Technical improvements or new equipment were often selected for the description, which …

Tiina Hanhikorpi (ps.), Member of the Regional Government and Regional Council of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia and Member of the Municipal Council of Raahe and Chairman of the Audit Board, has been elected as a member of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (CLRAE) for the remainder of the 2021-2026 term of office. Hanhikorpi represents Finland in the municipal chamber and monitoring committee. The Ministry of Finance appoints the members of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities for its term of office. The appointment was confirmed at the meeting of the Presidium of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe on 12 September 2024. The next plenary session of the Congress will be held on 15-17 October 2024 in Strasbourg, France.

The TE2024 project, managed by the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia, has supported municipalities in the Northern Ostrobothnia region in preparing for the transfer of employment services. The project's expert service procurements have been used to carry out baseline analyses of the municipalities' employment management resources in euros as well as of the personnel providing employment services. In addition, the effects of the reform on municipal finances, municipal risk management and support for municipalities in the service design of employment services have been studied. At the end of this year, the TE2024 project of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia will organise a final seminar at Kuusamotalo 16. –17 October 2024. The event is aimed at the executives of the municipalities of Northern Ostrobothnia, as well as organisations producing new employment services and their personnel. The programme of the seminar includes, among other things, the effects of demographic change on the functioning of the employment areas, the effects of the reform on the municipal economy, and the impact of the mobility and employment of higher education students on the vitality of the regions. During the second day, the expectations of young entrepreneurs from new employment services will be reviewed,…

The European Committee of the Regions' Committee on Regional Policy (COTER) will meet in Oulu on 17-18 September. At its meeting on Tuesday, COTER unanimously adopted an opinion on the reform of EU cohesion policy, drafted by Vasco Cordeiro, President of the European Committee of the Regions, and Emil Boc, Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, President of the COTER Commission. The opinion gives strong support to the European Union's cohesion policy to date, which, in the opinion of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia, is a welcome contribution to the debate on the Union's financial period starting in 2028. It is important for the county that cohesion policy has continuity. – The European Union's cohesion policy is currently under pressure to change. The North Ostrobothnia Regional Council believes that the current model is very functional. It takes into account the special needs of the regions and provides an opportunity to create economic growth based on local strengths," says Jussi Rämet, Regional Director of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia. Cohesion policy as a whole…