Welcome to the website of the Canadian Friends of Finland (CFF).
The CFF was founded in 1982; therefore, the organization celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2012. Thirty years is a long time for a small volunteer-based organization to exist. It is also a significant amount of time for a country. Over the past few decades, Finland has experienced a dramatic change from a traditional industrial country (i.e. lumber, paper, and mining) to a world leader in innovation, research & development, and high tech. At the same time, its educational system underwent a radical reform. Now, Finland is reaping the benefits: its economy is one of the strongest in Europe, and its educational system is ranked top in the world. The attention Finland is receiving is inspirational, and the nation’s culture is flourishing. The list of Finnish world-class artists in the fields of music, design, and literature is overwhelming.
The CFF remains faithful to its original mandate of developing and promoting friendly relations between the peoples of Finland and Canada, by initiating and supporting social, cultural and educational activities in Canada. Nevertheless, as the CFF was not founded to be a stagnant organization, it thrives by representing friends of the nation that Finland is today. Fortunately, today’s Finland provides plenty of exciting building blocks for the CFF to meet its mandate. Reflecting the past and the present, it is exhilarating to think what may lie ahead in the next 30 years. Since true friends stick together, the CFF and Finland will continue to grow side by side.
The CFF remains committed to staying up-to-date with developments in Finland’s social, cultural and educational fields. While the organization is proud to celebrate the past 30 years, it is equally delighted to continue enriching its members’ lives over the next 30 years, and beyond. We look forward to sharing many more memorable and thought-provoking moments with you and all friends of Finland.
Sincerely,
The Board of Directors