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The Nordic Times

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The Nordic Times

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https://nordictimes.com/culture/inside-the-2024-helsinki-book-fair/

Culture

Inside the 2024 Helsinki book fair

Published November 14, 2024 – By Ivana Bratovanova
3 minute read
Ivana Bratovanova
ivana.bratovanova@nordictimes.com

In the last days of October, Helsinki came alive with the annual book fair at the Expo and Convention Centre, drawing Finnish and international authors for discussions on literature, art, and society. Thousands of visitors streamed in to discover books, vinyl records, decor, and more.

Prime Minister Alexander Stubb, speaking at the fair’s opening, noted that “literature builds our identity”, a sentiment that resonated with the spirit of the event.

On a gray, crispy Sunday morning the streets of Helsinki are quiet. Finns have cozied up inside their homes clenching to their beloved cups of coffee or are enjoying the avocado toasts and eggs benedict of their local brunch places. But there is one place in the city that is full of life - the Helsinki Book Fair. Outside the Expo and Convention Centre, people are speed walking to make their way first to the queues. Babies in strollers, elderly with their canes, and youngsters with their hip outfits.

The fair was held at the Helsinki Expo and Convention Center. Photo: Ivana Bratovanova

After a quick scan of the ticket’s QR code I have also made my way inside. I take off my scarf and my coat, fold them neatly in my bag, and prepare for “The Future”, this year’s theme. As I walk towards the exhibition hall, I can already feel the overwhelming twist in my stomach as my eyes open widely to the immense amount of literature, art, music, and so much more than I could have expected.

People of all ages, backgrounds, and interests have gathered together to enjoy the 4-day annual exhibit in Pasila. As I was wondering why is it that Finns choose to spend their Sunday at the book fair, Markus, an attendee, replied:

“The book fair has received an increased popularity over the past few years in media, and that also caught my eye”.

Markus says the thing he was mostly looking forward to at the fair was the vinyl selection.

“I’ve been meaning to update my vinyl selection and I knew that here I could find good jazz LPs”.

Photo: Ivana Bratovanova

The fair attracts not only natives but people from all over the world - more than 30 international authors were present this year. Panel discussions with writers, politicians, and industry professionals stopped people from flipping through the book's pages and take a seat to listen to what they have to say.

On its opening day, the Helsinki Book Fair welcomed the president of Finland Alexander Stubb. He answered questions from the audience about the importance of literature for the Finnish nation.

”That is everything. Literature builds our identity (...) In our collective thinking Finnishness consists of the interpretation of history and literature around it. Without literature, we would not be”.

Stubb’s reflections on identity set the stage for deeper discussions throughout the fair.

Alexander Stubb spoke about the importance of literature for the Finnish nation.

The most crowded panel I saw during my visit was held by Hanna Ylöstalo, Emma Lamberg, and Inna Perheentupa on Feminism in Economics. Despite the language barrier, the audience’s sharp focus on the discussion showed a strong engagement with what was being shared.

After a quick bite from the Wine and Food corner at the fair, I was already looking forward to next year’s book fair. Until then, I’ll hold onto the inspiration of being surrounded by so many works of art in literary form.

Ivana Bratovanova
ivana.bratovanova@nordictimes.com

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https://nordictimes.com/culture/unique-discovery-found-in-viking-grave/

Culture

Unique discovery found in Viking grave

Published yesterday 2:29 pm – By Editorial staff
3 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

A skeleton from the Viking Age has been found in Norway with burial details that have never before been documented in pre-Christian graves in the Nordic region. The find has led archaeologists to work in secret, and now DNA analyses will provide answers to the mystery surrounding the woman from the 800s.

The discovery was made in Bjugn in Trøndelag, central Norway, after Roy Søreng was searching with a metal detector in a field in Val earlier this year. When he found a belt buckle, a typical ornament from the Viking Age, he contacted the authorities.

Archaeologists from NTNU Vitenskapsmuseet (the Norwegian University of Science and Technology's Museum of Natural History and Archaeology) and Trøndelag municipality then began work at the site where they were able to confirm that it was a grave.

— The Viking Age grave contains what we believe is a woman, buried with typical Viking Age dress and jewelry from the 800s. This indicates that she was a free and probably married woman, perhaps the mistress of the farm, said senior engineer Raymond Sauvage at the Department of Archaeology and Cultural History at Vitenskapsmuseet in a press release.

Remarkable find

The work has since continued in secret because the find was deemed so significant. Now the archaeologists reveal that they found jewelry consisting of two oval brooches that fastened the straps of the pinafore dress, as well as a small ring brooch that closed the neck opening of the undergarment. It was one of these brooches that Søreng originally discovered. The skeleton was also very well preserved.

But the most remarkable aspect is what was found at the dead woman's mouth.

— The most remarkable thing is two scallop shells placed at the deceased's mouth. This is a practice not previously known from pre-Christian graves in Norway. We don't yet know what the symbolism means, said Sauvage.

The burial custom with shells did not become common until approximately 300-400 years later, and pre-Christian graves with shells have never before been found in Scandinavia, Sauvage explains.

— We must try to find out what significance this had, he told Norwegian state broadcaster NRK.

Second find in a short time

The shells were positioned with the curved side outward and the straight edge upward, so that they partially covered the mouth. Along the grave, the researchers also found small bird bones, probably from wings.

During the Viking Age, burials were ritual stagings where jewelry, clothing and grave goods expressed status and identity. The deceased was displayed with dress, bedding and symbolic objects to create a strong memory and emphasize the family's social position.

Earlier this year, another grave was found in the same field, dated to the 700s. The next step is to DNA-analyze the find to learn more about the woman in the grave, including whether she may be related to the person in the other grave.

— We will examine the skeleton, preserve the objects and take samples for dating and DNA analysis. The goal is to learn more about the person and, if possible, kinship to the earlier find from the same location, said Sauvage.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/finland/finlands-former-president-europe-should-speak-directly-with-putin/

Finland

Finland’s former president: Europe should speak directly with Putin

Published November 11, 2025 – By Editorial staff
Finnish former President Sauli Niinistö believes that Europe must remain European.
2 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Finland's former president Sauli Niinistö believes that European leaders should engage in direct talks with Moscow instead of relying solely on information from Donald Trump. He also warns that Europe is losing its role as a global power.

Niinistö criticizes the current situation where European countries lack direct contact with Russian leaders, while US President Donald Trump negotiates with Russian President Vladimir Putin about Ukraine's future. Niinistö argues that Europe should instead initiate direct talks with Russia to influence the outcome of the war.

— French President Emmanuel Macron is likely the last one to have called, and before that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz about a year ago. And he was criticized for it, Niinistö told Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

He defended Scholz's decision to contact the Kremlin and describes the current situation as absurd.

— I defended him and still think that it is in a way an absurd situation that Europeans say they won't talk to the war criminal Putin. But Trump does it, and then we go and hear what they talked about, he explained.

Niinistö points out the paradox that Europeans are simultaneously worried that Putin and Trump will discuss Europe's future over the heads of the European countries themselves.

Europe has lost its global position

Furthermore, Niinistö notes that Europe's significance has decreased markedly during the 21st century. Today, it is primarily the US, China, and Russia that make the decisive decisions on the global stage.

When Finland joined the EU in the 1990s, the union was a voice that the world listened to. The situation was similar even after the turn of the millennium. Now, however, Europe has disappeared from the power quadrangle, according to Niinistö. He particularly points to how the US and China compete economically and divide the world between them in what he describes as a struggle for nations' loyalty.

— Europe must keep Europe European and must absolutely not submit to becoming an object of division, so that someone belongs to one camp and someone else to another, he says.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/culture/heres-when-swedes-can-visit-china-visa-free/

Culture

Here’s when Swedes can visit China visa-free

Published November 8, 2025 – By Editorial staff
One of the palaces in the "Forbidden City" in Beijing, China's capital, which is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations.
2 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

The Asian giant is making it easier for Swedes who want to explore Chinese culture and business life. Starting November 10, Swedes can now travel to China without a visa for stays of up to 30 days.

Sweden was the last Nordic country where citizens had to apply for a visa to visit China, while visa-free travel was introduced in neighboring countries in November last year. Visa applications involve both costs and require more planning before trips, with significant limitations on flexibility.

Travel operators have pointed out that this has limited both tourism and business travel. Now it becomes easier to book a trip spontaneously, whether the purpose is to discover the country's culture or develop business contacts, and the regulatory easing is a sign that relations between Sweden and China have improved.

China, which in area is almost as large as all of Europe, carries a 5,000-year-old civilization and culture that is well-preserved and has a great diversity of local cultures, traditions, food, and ethnic minorities with their unique expressions.

In the north, the capital Beijing attracts visitors with iconic sights such as the Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square. To the west lies the historic city of Xi'an with the famous Terracotta Army and traces from the ancient Silk Road.

Southern China offers dramatic karst mountains around Guilin, green rice fields, and opportunities for bamboo raft trips on calm rivers. Shanghai combines metropolitan energy with modern architecture and historic quarters where old meets new.

The country also contains lesser-known gems such as Taoism's sacred mountains, Buddhist temples, and traditional villages where old craft traditions are still preserved.

Good to know

The visa exemption applies to business, tourist, family and friendship visits, as well as exchange trips and transit. Travelers must have a regular Swedish passport that is valid for at least six months after entry. The stay may not exceed 30 days, and the exemption applies through December 31, 2026.

Upon entry, travelers may provide fingerprints and facial photos. Since the country experienced a severe period of terrorism, stricter controls were introduced both at entry into the country and on certain travel routes within the country.

Surveillance cameras are extensively deployed in public places and in traffic.

At the same time, the country is considered one of the world's safest to visit, with very few violent crimes. China now has the world's most modern infrastructure with low living costs and high accessibility to everyday services, social activities, and a rich cultural life.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/finland/finland-introduces-employment-requirement-for-citizenship/

Finland

Finland introduces employment requirement for citizenship

Published November 5, 2025 – By Editorial staff
2 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

From December, those who rely solely on unemployment benefits or income support will no longer be able to obtain Finnish citizenship. During a two-year period, applicants may receive benefits for a maximum of three months.

The second phase of Finland's citizenship law reform now takes effect in December. The change means that citizenship can no longer be granted to people who support themselves solely through unemployment benefits or income support, i.e., social assistance, from Kela (the Social Insurance Institution of Finland).

— Successful integration, employment, and respect for Finnish society's rules are conditions that must be met to be granted citizenship, says Finnish Interior Minister Mari Rantanen in a press release.

In addition to the income requirement, the changes mean that those who do not actively contribute to establishing their identity cannot be granted citizenship. The conditions for loss of citizenship have also been tightened.

In practice, applicants must be able to support themselves financially without benefits for two years before they can begin the application process.

Strongly pushed the issue

During government negotiations, many parties agreed that the tightening was needed, and a majority of the current government strongly pushed the issue. However, the Swedish People's Party of Finland attempted to bring it down to a "reasonable level".

— This was politically an issue that the majority of the government very strongly pushed for, and where SFP tried as best we could to get it to a reasonable level somehow. But we were quite alone in that view, says Member of Parliament Sandra Bergqvist to Finnish national broadcaster Yle.

The tightening only applies to people of working age. The requirement for secure income does not apply to applicants under 18 years or people over 65 years.

For children, the law can still cause problems indirectly, since children usually apply for citizenship together with their guardian. If the guardian does not meet the income requirement, the child's application may also be rejected.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com