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As of 15 August 2023, Jarkko Kärkimaa will start working in the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia as a regional development expert. His main area of responsibility will be public authority tasks related to the Just Transition Fund (JTF). With Jarkko's work, the final preparation of JTF projects can be carried out faster than at present. Since 2012, Jarkko has worked as a programme coordinator in the Karelia CBC programme managed by the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia and, before that, as a payment inspector for projects under the European Regional Development Fund. Colleagues welcome Jarko. Jarkko Kärkimaa Regional Development Specialist Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia, Poratie 5A, FIN- 90140 Oulu mobile +358 (0)50 520 6670 E-mail: jarkko.karkimaa(at)pohjois-pohjanmaa.fi

Ukraine is trying to start reconstruction quickly, although the situation has not yet calmed down. What can be done at this stage and how can we anticipate the future? Come and hear about cooperation and export opportunities at the Ukraine Reconstruction Opportunities Info 22.8. In addition, the implementation of Northern Ostrobothnia and the further steps in promoting the matter will be discussed. The event is intended especially for companies in Northern Ostrobothnia and organisations interested in reconstruction. Petri Vuorio, Director of the Confederation of Finnish Industries, Oskari Laukkanen, Senior Specialist at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, and Reijo Kangas, Director of Business Finland, talk about the possibilities of Finnish companies in rebuilding. They will also present MFA's and Business Finland's support measures for companies. In addition, the regional company's commentary will be given by Hanna Haipus, Business Director at Kontiotuote Oy. Time: 22.8.2023 9-11 Venue: More information and registration here. Welcome to us!

The Art Pilot explores the identities of the residents and encourages the making of art The first art pilot of the Cultural Cell project of the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia, the Art Laboratory, is already in its final stages. The first round of the art lab focused on the identity of the residents of the area by considering personal art relationships and things that are important to oneself through art. The materials collected during the round were analyzed using service design methods, and based on these, the theme of the second round was designed only for us in the municipality. The theme sought the specialities and qualities of local residents with an experimental guiding art method. ‘The method of lowering the threshold for making art proved to be an inspiring and inspiring way of approaching art’, said artists Elina Stoor and Talvikki Pisilä. In the third round of the Art Laboratory, participants were able to send greetings to neighbouring municipalities, through which exhilarating insights were made from nearby areas. "People often see things more perceptively a little longer" inches artist…

Art Pilot's work is built along yards and paths in Alavieska, Kalajoki, Hailuoto, Pyhäjoki and Sievi. The works are built in workshops organised by municipalities using methods and practices based on participatory community and visual arts. ‘In practice, this means different methods of experimental visual arts and guided discussion that stimulate participants’ self-expression and creative thinking.’ summarises Sinikka Eirola, the organiser of the workshops and Chair of the Cultural Association Vimma. ‘The participatory exercises encourage participants to interact with each other and to engage in discussions about the importance of community, art and culture in their own lives. The themes are approached in the workshops by functionally working together, encouraging doing things differently and experiencing the environment and everyday life from a new perspective. The aim of the workshops is to create a dialogue and … between the participants and the art pilot instructors.

The municipalities of Lakeude, Lumijoki, Liminka, Tyrnävä and Kempele, are collaborating to create an experiential and inclusive series of Marrastulet light events in November 2023. The Northern Opera Company is responsible for the production and content. Site-specific works are created from themes created by municipalities, such as darkness, death, hope, communality and plainness. The theme that unites everyone is light. Local stories and legends are collected in cooperation with village associations, for example. "We are very excited about the event and are already planning to continue it together with other municipalities in the plain," says Elina Huurre, Director of Culture and Leisure at Tyrnävä. Janne Nevala, Liminka's Director of Library and Culture, continues: "Pilotti is a good start for cooperation between municipalities' cultural activities. The events take place in everyday places, which can be experienced differently for one night. Venues & Event Spaces…

Finland holds the Presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024. The presidency will be transferred to Finland from Germany. The cross-cutting themes of the Presidency, which began in early July, are overall security, crisis preparedness and resilience. The Baltic Sea States and the CBSS work together in three priority areas: a secure area, a sustainable and prosperous area and a regional identity. They are all still essential objectives and Finland will strive to promote them all during its Presidency. The Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia is involved in promoting the Sustainable and Prosperous Priority Area through the EUSBSR PAC Tourism project, which is implemented together with the Pomorskie Region of Poland. The project is responsible for coordinating the tourism policy area of the European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. The priority area ‘Sustainable and prosperous region’ aims to promote dialogue and the flow of information between researchers, social actors and citizens. Sustainable and prosperous…

The story of Iijoki, told by different generations, will be brought together when the first Community Art Workshop of the Cultural Cell project will be held in Kuusamo from 7 to 11 August. Generations along the River Iijoki - Processing the relationship between environment and nature through art - pilot brings together the story of the River Iijoki in five different workshops to which participants of different ages and backgrounds have been invited. The first workshop will be held from 7 to 11 August in Kuusamo, at the source of the river Iijoki, together with a group of immigrants. From there, the journey continues to work with high school students and young people in Taivalkoski and Pudasjärvi. In Ii, the residents of Jakkukylä and the seniors of the Yli-Iista Jokiranta service house, their relatives and the staff of the house will join in. The workshops are carried out by artists Niina Aho and Satu Suvanto. Together with the participants, they explore their relationship between nature and the environment using the concept of place-feeling. The work combines environmental art,…

Finland, Sweden and Norway are joining forces to develop the northern region and its transport system. The European Union's Interreg Aurora programme has granted a significant funding of almost EUR 2 million to the New North - Transport, Logistics and Security of Supply project, which focuses on the development of the transport and logistics system in the northern region. The almost EUR 2 million funding granted by the Interreg Aurora programme strengthens cooperation in the northern region. It enables smoother transport chains, security of supply, electric air traffic and the development of green transport corridors. The aim is also to respond to the realisation of the region's future investment potential and the opportunities for the development of technology related to transport and logistics. The project will improve the competitiveness and security of supply of Northern Ostrobothnia. It supports both the implementation of the Northern Programme and the transport and logistics strategy of Northern Finland…

During the late summer and the coming autumn, mosaic technology will be used to produce unique works of art for Siikajoki, Pyhänäs, Raahe, Ylivieska, Reisjärvi and Pyhäjärvi in public spaces chosen by the municipality. – Each work has been conceived together with the municipalities in order to be best suited to each municipality. The themes of the wall mosaics are selected from the nature of the region, e.g. plant, bird or fish theme. Municipalities vote on the sketches of the sites. Dialogue with local residents takes place through social media, says Jenny Grönholm, a visual artist from the Gulf of Revonlahti. Together with sculptor Jass Kaselaan, he is responsible for the production of a series of mosaic works. Municipalities get involved in the production of works. Together with the artists, they lay the mosaics on a cut-to-shape wooden substrate. There will be a special event for the barn. The works will form the sum of the parts of the municipalities’ collective nature-themed wall mosaic works.…

Figure: Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia. Trout mollusc captured from the Haapakoski downhill migration channel in Iijoki. On 20 June 2023, Atlantic salmon and trout will again be transferred to the Iijoki and Livojoki rivers. This summer also smolts, i.e. salmon and trout migratory chicks, are moved to the estuary. The over-transfers support the creation of salmonid stocks stigmatised in the river Iijoki. Commercial fishermen catch overloading fish from the estuary of the Ii River. The fish are transported in water tanks by cars to the waters above the power plants. Approximately 200 specimens are expected to be transferred. Transfers will be made in June. If necessary, transfers will continue towards the end of the summer. The transfer of eskers enables the reproduction of Atlantic salmon and trout in the free rapids and streams of the Ii River and its tributaries. Smolt transfers, on the other hand, allow fish to safely bypass five dams downstream and access to sea migration. At the Haapakoski power plant, the smolts are guided by a control fence to the downhill migration channel…