Interview with Ulla Pekkarinen, honorary consul in Kuopio

You have recently started as a Honorary Consul (=HC) to the Netherlands. How did you end up being a HC?

I have known the previous Honorary Consul Pekka Ritvanen for a long time and I followed from the side what he was doing. I was interested in the role he was having as a HC for the Netherlands . When it was time for him to find a successor he asked me whether I would be interested to take over the role. And yes, I was. There were several candidates for the position and a selection procedure was executed. I was interviewed by the Ambassador and Deputy Ambassador. The end result is that I recently started as the new Honorary Consul for the Netherlands in Eastern Finland (South Savo, North Savo, North Karelia).

What work do you do; what is your ‘regular day job’?

Currently I work as a senior lecturer in Savonia University of Applied Sciences, mostly with the master level students. In addition to that I am the alumni coordinator. I also serve in some board positions and I do coaching in companies for instance in the industrial field and healthcare. I work with topics in the field of marketing, business and communications. 

So Ulla, please tell us who you are; what are your hobbies and interests?

Most of my hobbies are around nature. I love photo shooting and then specifically taking pictures of ice. I have a dog and I spend a lot of time hiking  in the forest. In the summer time I love to be at our family summer island. It is a great place for boating and photo shooting.

I used to be an entrepreneur myself. I am also coaching startups. I also used to be a journalist. I am a curious person and open for new things and I love to connect the different areas with each other.

Do you have any link to/with the Netherlands?

I have been in touch with many Dutch people and I have several Dutch friends.  At the Savonia University of Applied Sciences we usually have exchange students from the Netherlands as well.

I have noticed and experienced that there are quite some similarities between our countries. Somehow the cultures seem so similar and it is very easy to get along. It is very natural to work together. 

Honorary Consuls promote commercial, economic and cultural relations between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the host country, in this case Finland. They also help Dutch nationals in emergency situations.

So, lets’ talk a bit more about your role as a Honorary Consul. What kind of Dutch connections/businesses are there in Kuopio and the region?

To be honest it is not very easy to pinpoint which specific businesses are present. But, now when I started in my new role and while talking to many people and mentioning about my role as HC for the Netherlands, it seems that are somehow many connections to the Netherlands. For instance in medical technology. Of course Kuopio and the region is known for various business areas and I am sure that are opportunities for cooperation.

One other example is the Finland Ice Marathon, which is organized annually in Kuopio. Many years ago the event was listed as an official skating tour by the Dutch skating federation. Nowadays the amount of Dutch participants is not huge but every year we have participants from the Netherlands. Hopefully even more in the future! 

What are your goals as a Honorary Consul?

I am excited to combine the different areas that I am involved in and I would like to be the connector between Finland and the Netherlands. I will continue to find out what connections and cooperation already exist and I would like to expand the network.

Where do you see opportunities for cooperation between Finland and the Netherlands?

Green transition, sustainable development. These topics are coming through in all areas. There are a lot of ambitions that we share and I do see that there are opportunities for cooperation. Here in Eastern Finland we are proud of our city and our area. I think it is always good to look around, be open for internationalization and cooperate where possible.

Any final message to the readers, Ulla?

I am only just starting in this role. I am excited to see and work on the opportunities. I hope that people and companies will reach out to me. Please don’t hesitate to contact me! 

Links:
https://www.kuopio.fi/en/frontpage/
https://www.savonia.fi/en/homepage/
https://www.government.nl/latest/news/2022/03/22/what-is-an-honorary-consul