Finland at Expo 2010 Newsletter 9/2009

Snowball / Finnish-Chinese Design Industry event in Shanghai November 3-5, 2009

In the event organized by Design Forum Finland, Finpro and Greater Helsinki Promotion, the Finnish design industry companies, designers and other participants of the Expo2010 as well as those interested in activities in China, have the possibility to meet representatives of Chinese design, architecture, advertising and media. The themes of the event are the present state and the possibilities of the Chinese design markets, presentation of the Finnish design industry and visiting interesting examples of Chinese design in Shanghai. The event includes possibilities for networking and meetings with media as well. The event aims at creating connections between Finnish and Chinese professionals, promoting Finnish design and enhancing cultural tourism towards Finland. The event continues the tradition of Snowball-events first started in June 2009 in order to enhance the Finnish music industry. 

Photo contest for all Finns

In cooperation with Greater Helsinki Promotion, Kemira, and Nokia, Finpro is holding a Shanghai Expo 2010 photo contest with the theme “Better City, Better Life". The contest aims to present a genuine image of life in today’s Finland. The best photos will be included in an interactive multimedia work of art at the Shanghai World Expo and they will be published on the Web site when the exhibition opens in May 2010. Various Nokia product prizes will be given away in an associated raffle, with all entrants in the photo contest participating. The photos selected for the exhibition will be entered in a drawing for the photo contest’s top prize, a trip to Shanghai for two people. The contest is open to all Finnish citizens until November 11, 2009 in internet at www.finlandatexpo2010.fi/kuvakilpailu.

 
Finnish pavilion's construction works on the run

The construction works of the Finnish Expo pavilion "Binghu" are proceeding as planned and most of the contracts has been tendered. Assembly of the steel elements of the basic structure is almost finished and the installation of the outer cloak and façade surface is about to start. As to inside the pavilion, the cast of first storey floor is found and the plywood of third storey floor is being installed. The rooftop is about to be finished. Assembly of the pipeline for the air conditioning system has been started.

Logonet to run the Finnish pavilion shop

Logonet Ltd, a Finnish company specialised in custom design and manufacturing of utility goods, textiles and whole ranges of promotional products, as well as branding services and sales promotion campaigns, will be in charge of the shop services at the Finnish pavilion throughout the expo. The shop will sell high-quality Finnish products and it is an integral part of the total experience the Kirnu pavilionoffers its visitors. It aims at convey a modern, innovative, and positive image of Finland.  The shop is on the first floor of Kirnu, along with the pavilion’s café.

Business and technology cooperation in China

Around 20 Finnish organizations, both private and public, took part in this year’s “EU-China Business & Technology Cooperation Fair IV" in Chengdu, Sichuan on October 17 and 18, 2009. The event is one of the largest economic events between EU and China in 2009 and provided an important platform of trade, investment, and technological cooperation. The main theme of the Finnish participation was sustainability. Several regional business clusters and companies from Finland introduced their solutions from non-wood-based process technologies to machninery and process systems for electrical and electronic scrap and construction waste. Also the Finland Pavilion provides a concrete example of sustainable solutions in construction.  

Cultural events in November                                  

The NOTCH09 festival promotes new thinking

The NOTCH09 Festival is the 4th installment of the NOrdic + CHinese Festival. It aims to promote new thinking and cross-disciplinary work providing a comprehensive program of futuristic audio-visual performances, music, design and architecture from Nordic countries. 

Designers of Helsinki Finland based Illustration Agency Pekka and Finnish artists Eero Johannes and Uusi Fantasia band are performing in November in Shanghai and Beijing as part of the NOTCH09 Festival. The club night in Shanghai takes place on November 4, 2009 at the just opened Mao Livehouse (Building 32, 570 W. Huaihai Rd., Changning District. Near by Hongqiao Lu station, Line 3/4). The Beijing performance takes place on November 6, 2009 at Mao Livehouse of Beijing (111 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District).

The Agency Pekka works both in Finland and abroad promoting 23 of Finlands' finest illustrators. Eero Johannes is a one-man synthetic funk orchestra whose debut album was released in September 2008. In the music of the Helsinki based band Uusi Fantasia one can hear influences from disco, electro, folk, rock and jazz. The band members Street Kobra, Kroko-Roc and Ercola have worked on several projects and toured around the world. Currently the band is working on a new album titled "Top 20" which will be released in 2010.

Finnish works in the I-Den exhibition

The I-Den exhibition in Beijing at N8, Village North, until November 6, 2009 and in Shanghai at Life Hub at Jin Qiao on November 12–30, 2009, presents architecture, graphic design, fashion design, interactive game, comics, photography and video art works from Nordic countries and China. From Finland the exhibition presents works from Kokoro & Moi, a multidisciplinary design consultancy, Illustration agency Napa Illustrations, graphic and comics artist Tommi Musturi, Illustration Agency Pekka and film maker Mika Taanila

"Everything begins" - A CTRL launch exhibition

The Helsinki based urban outfitter CTRL displays a retrospective of selected graphical works spanning its 14 years of brand history. The exhibition is an official project launch for SKATOPIA, a series of public art and multimedia installations exploring the relationships between skateboarding, art and the city. The exhibition consisting of more than 30 prints selected and designed by the CTRL Art Director & Designer Freeman. Accompanying the Helsinki photographer Tuukka Kaila will exhibit a selection of prints from his ongoing project “Based On Truth” documenting the life and coming of age of young adults in urban surroundings. The exhibition takes place from October 20, 2009 to November 30, 2009 in The Source Gallery in Shanghai (158 Xinle Road, near Donghu Road).

 

 

 

Events

FBCS will take a summer break in July & August. See you in September!

September - Golf: FBCS invitational 2010

Sept 6th - Joint Nordic Seminar: Dr Dan Steinbock. Details to Come. Mark your calendar.

Sept 14th - Luncheon discussion with minister Häkämies. Details to Come. Mark your calendar.

Sept 17th - China Business Councils meeting in Kirnu. Details to Come. Mark your calendar.

Oct 14th- Finland - China investment & Finance forum

Nov 26th - FBCS visit to Suzhou SIP. Details to Come. Mark your calendar.

FinnBiz Winter '10

The Winter issue of FinnBiz is now out and has been distributed to members of the Business councils in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou.

You can download a PDF version by clicking the link below.


The second issue of FinnBiz for 2010 is planned for fall. Sponsor-slots for this issue is still available. These will be allocated on a first come - first served basis. If you are interested in reaching the decionmakers of the Finnish Business community in China, please contact oskar@startupshanghai.com