Sensational studio size house with garden, barbecue and sauna in Helsinki suburb/Olli Enne Design

Something new and fresh in house building!

Architecture student Olli Enne's remarkable prototype house is ready. ( No English translation yet available)

Helsingin Sanomat 17/5/2015 http://www.hs.fi/sunnuntai/a1431664003587
Anna-Sofia.Berner@hs.fi
Mika.Ranta@hs.fi

Vantaan Korsoon on noussut yksiön kokoinen omakotitalo, jossa on kaksi kerrosta, paikka saunalle ja huoneen verran säilytystilaa.

 

Ennen muuttoa Korsoon Olli Enne saattoi poiketa kauppaan kolme kertaa päivässä. Töölössä kauppa oli auki vuorokauden ympäri, samoin apteekki ja hampurilaisravintola. Raitiovaunut kolisivat vierestä. Niihin saattoi hypätä koska vain ja olla hetkessä kavereiden luona tai baarissa.

Sitten Enne sai ison idean: pääkaupunkiseudun asuntopulan voisi ratkaista rakentamalla pikkuruisia taloja omakotitalojen takapihoille.

Valmiiksi kaavoitettua tonttimaata riittäisi tuhansille yksiön tai kaksion kokoisille taloille. HS kertoi Enteen ideasta runsaat kaksi vuotta sitten.

 

Enne opiskelee arkkitehtuuria Aalto-yliopistossa. Hän päätti suunnitella ja rakennuttaa diplomityönään mallikappaleen tällaisesta minitalosta. Projektin nimeksi tuli Yksiö puutarhassa, mutta lopputulos taitaa olla kyllä kaksio.

Sopiva tontti löytyi Vantaan Korsosta, vanhalta omakotitaloalueelta. Nyt ensimmäinen talo on valmis, ja Enne on muuttanut siihen asumaan. Töölö ja 24h-palvelut ovat jääneet taakse. Ratikat ovat vaihtuneet omaan autoon ja polkupyörään.

Olli Enne osti tontin Korsosta alle kaksi vuotta sitten. Sitä ennen hän oli käynyt siellä vain nuorena Ankkarockissa. Nyt hän asuu siellä.

Pihassa on vanha puusauna, grillipaikka ja omenapuita. Kun grilli saapui, Enne söi viikon ajan pelkkää grilliruokaa.

Haastattelua edeltävänä iltana Enne on siivonnut talon ja iloinnut siitä, että voi imuroida vaikka yhdeltä yöllä häiritsemättä naapureita. Tai kuunnella musiikkia!

Kaikki suomalaisen omakotitalounelman ainekset ovat siis kasassa? Sauna, piha, grilli ja oma rauha.

"Kyllä! Minikoossa!" pian valmistuva arkkitehti sanoo.

Millainen pikkuruinen omakotitalo sitten on?

 

Puinen ja kaksikerroksinen. Ulkolaudoitus on musta ja katto vaaleanharmaata huopaa. Katto on Enteen tulkinta mansardikatosta, joka on yleinen vanhoissa omakotitaloissa.

Suunnittelun lähtökohtana oli pelkistetty, symbolinen omakotitalon muoto. Enne suurensi kattokulmaa, jotta yläkerrasta tuli suurempi ilman, että räystäskorkeutta piti nostaa. Harjan korkein kohta taas on leikattu, jotta rakennuksen korkeus ei olisi liian suuri.

Suomeksi tämä tarkoittaa, että talo näyttää oikein kivalta. Se sopii ympäristöönsä kauniisti. Rakennustyöt tehtiin niin, että vanhoja pihakasveja säästyi paljon. Pihasta tulee heti ensimmäisenä kesänä vihreä.

Portaissa ei ole käytetty yhtään ruuvia eikä naulaa.

Käydään sisään. Koska talo on pieni, oven avaaminen tarkoittaa suunnilleen samaa kuin kokonaisen seinän avaaminen tavallisessa talossa. Ilma vaihtuu nopeasti.

 

Eteistä ei ole, kengät jäävät ovensuuhun. Suoraan edessä on avokeittiö. Siellä on asia, josta Enne tuntuu olevan eniten innoissaan.

"Kun ekan kerran laitoin astianpesukoneen päälle, se solisi kuin joku puro! Kelaa, siinä on sellainen toiminto, että se tietää, kuinka monta juttua sinne laittaa ja kuinka likaisia ne on. Olin ihan innoissani täällä. Istuskelin pöydän ääressä, katselin pesukonetta ja mietin, kuinka mä siinä vieressä tiskaisin."

Töölöläisessä vuokrayksiössä hänellä ei ollut tiskikonetta.

Astianpesukone on yksi syy siihen, että talossa asuminen tuntuu Enteestä ja hänen tyttöystävästään Leni Sihdosta jotenkin aikuiselta.

Keittiön vierestä aukeaa toinen ovi pienelle verannalle. Alakerrassa on myös esteetön kylpyhuone. Sinne saisi halutessaan myös pienen saunan.

 

Portaat yläkertaan on tehty vanerista. Niiden suunnittelu vaati Enteeltä viikon verran 16-tuntisia työpäiviä. Portaiden asentamiseen sen sijaan meni vain neljä ja puoli tuntia, ja se onnistui yksin.

Enne haaveilee tekevänsä joskus kokonaisen talon vanerista. Sen voisi vain loksautella kasaan. Esimerkiksi Tanskassa sellainen on jo rakennettu.

"Olisi mielenkiintoista nähdä, miten se toimisi suomalaisen lainsäädännön piirissä."

Olli Enne haluaisi saada viherkasvit kasvamaan sisäkaton läpi. "Olisi hieno, jos tähän tulisi sellainen sisäviidakko."

Vaan ei kiirehditä seuraavaan unelmaan, kun tämän toteutuneenkin esittely on kesken. Kun kiipeää vaneriportaat ylös, pääsee yhdistettyyn makuu- ja olohuoneeseen. Ylhäällä on tilaa virallisesti noin 15 neliömetriä, mutta harjakaton ansiosta se tuntuu enemmältä. Alle 1,6 metrin korkuista tilaa ei lasketa virallisiin neliöihin. Alakerta mukaan lukien talossa on huoneistopinta-alaa 40 neliömetriä.

Yläkerta on valoisa. Päädyssä on liki seinän kokoinen ikkuna ja ranskalainen parveke. Omenapuut kasvavat ikkunan takana. Ne pitää vielä kuvitella kukkimaan.

"Kohta tämä on kuin latvassa asuisi."

Artikkeliin liittyvät

• 
  Ratkaisu asumiseen: Yhden hengen omakotitalo? 10.2.2013

Asuntoesittely on tehty. Lienee aika puhua hinnasta. Se on vähän auki vielä, Enne sanoo. Tavoite on, että kokonaiskustannukset jäisivät yhteensä 125 000 euroon.

Paikalla on käynyt kahdeksan kiinteistönvälittäjää. Keskimäärin he arvioivat, että talo menisi kaupaksi 200 000 eurolla.

Talo syntyi elementtitehtaassa Kouvolan Voikkaalla, lakkautetun paperitehtaan tiloissa.

"Siellä tätä pidettiin varmaan ihan hulluna, koska uudehkon omakotitalon saa ostettua 90 000 eurolla."

Enteen laskujen mukaan pikkutalo on pääkaupunkiseudulla yhä kannattava idea. Hän näkee niissä samat mahdollisuudet kuin kaksi vuotta sitten: pikkutaloista voisi saada asuntoja tuhansille tai kymmenilletuhansille pääkaupunkiseudun asukkaille.

Kysyntääkin olisi. Melkein joka päivä joku ottaa yhteyttä ja kertoo kiinnostuneensa ideasta.

Mutta yhden talon rakennettuaan Enne näkee myös aiempaa selvemmin, mikä estää ideaa leviämästä laajalle ja nopeasti. Ei rahan tai tonttimaan puute, vaan byrokratia. Hänestä sääntely estää tehokkaasti sen, että pikkutaloja alkaisi kohota eri puolille omakotitaloalueita.

Liiasta sääntelystä valittaminen on suorastaan muotia, joten on paras puhua käytännöllisellä tasolla. Mitä on liikaa?

Katselmuksia tarvittaisiin Enteen mielestä vain kaksi noin kymmenen sijaan. Ensin merkittäisiin, että tähän kohtaan talo tulee. Lopuksi katsottaisiin, millainen siitä tuli.

"Katselmukset ovat olleet ihan älyttömiä. On esimerkiksi kuopan tarkastaja, joka tulee katsomaan, kun olen kaivanut kuopan, että olen kaivanut kuopan."

 

Rakennuksen paikan mittaaminen taas vei puolisen tuntia ja maksoi 1 411 euroa. Ylipäätään byrokratia tuli kalliiksi. Rahaa oli palanut paperitöihin 15 000 euroa ennen kuin tontilla oli tapahtunut mitään.

"Puolen miljoonan taloprojektissa se ei ehkä samalla tavalla tunnu, mutta tässä ne kulut voivat olla kohtalokkaita."

Pihasauna ja omenapuut lopulta ratkaisivat sen, että Enne päätti rakentaa juuri tähän.

Mutta hän ei olisi rakentanut, jos tontin kaava olisi ollut toisenlainen. Nyt kaavassa lukee vain, että tontti on pientaloaluetta. Se antaa kauniin vapauden.

 

Uudemmilla alueilla kaavassa saatetaan määrätä sekin, kuinka monta pensasta pitää istuttaa. Monissa kaavoissa mennään myös pitkälle rakennussuunnittelun puolelle, Enne sanoo.

"Määräämisestä pitäisi päästä eroon. Pitäisi tosi paljon miettiä, minkä takia halutaan määrätä."

Enteen mielestä Suomessa olisi olennaisinta, että rakennusmääräykset olisivat yhtenäisiä. Nyt ne vaihtelevat riippuen kunnasta ja tarkastajastakin.

Yksityiskohtaisinta sääntely on Enteen mielestä Espoossa. Toisaalta sinne on viime vuosina syntynyt alueita, joissa kukin rakentaa, miten lystää. Rahalla voi ostaa tontilleen oman kaavan.

"Ei tavallisilla ihmisillä ole varaa siihen."

 

Enteen mielestä pikkutalot tuovat omakotitalounelman entistä useamman ulottuville. Samalla ne tiivistävät kaupunkia.

"Uskon vahvasti, että ihmiset rakentavat kehyskuntiin myös siksi, että siellä rakentamista säädellään vähemmän."

Pikkutaloja ideoidaan muuallakin. Maailmalla leviää tiny house -liike. Viime kesänä Ruotsissa vapautettiin alle 25 neliön talot rakennusluvasta.

Enne toivoo, että jokin pääkaupunkiseudun kaupunki päättäisi muuttaa rakennusvalvonnan kokonaan. Lopulta kyse on luottamuksesta. Luotetaanko siihen, että ihmiset rakentavat oikein. Mutta mitä jos ihmiset rakentavat rumia taloja?

"Se on makuasia, ja yleisesti ottaen ihmiset ovat oikeassa. Jos tietty alue rakentuu tietynlaiseksi, se on oikein, koska se oli ihmisten tahto."

Olli Enteen ja Leni Sihdon yläkerran lattia on tehty rimoista, joiden väliin jää 12 millimetriä ilmaa.

 

http://www.hs.fi/sunnuntai/a1431664003587

Aiheet

• Rakentaminen
• Koti
• Arkkitehtuuri
• Kaupunkisuunnittelu
• Vantaa
• Mika Ranta

 

 

 

Griff Rhys Jones's heaven on earth: the Finnish Archipelago

By Griff Rhys Jones

8:00AM GMT 27 Mar 2010

Comment

 

Griff Rhys Jones returns to the Finnish Archipelago, a region so unspoilt 'nobody outside Finland seems to know about it’ .

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One of the most fascinating places I have ever visited is the Finnish Archipelago, on the north coast of Finland. I got to know it pretty well one summer when I sailed around the islands on my boat, a Philip Rhodes-designed Bermudan sloop.

 

The archipelago is, by some definitions, the largest in the world, with around 18,000 islands. The larger ones are connected by bridges or ferries so you can drive from one to another. But if you're making your way through the maze of waterways by boat, you can choose between taking a 10ft-wide route or a 16ft-wide route, depending on the size of your boat. The amazing thing is that you never really see the sea, just dozens and dozens of wooded islands.

I slept on the boat but there are a number of hotels in the archipelago such as the Strandbo Hotel (00358 2 460 6200;strandbo.fi) near the Nagu Marina.

 

The area also has some good restaurants such as the Restaurant Åss Pavilion (18 19141; visitaland.com/paviljongen/en), which serves delicious food.

 

But the thing I love most about the archipelago is that it's so unspoilt, and even though many of the islands do have houses and other buildings, they're discreetly located behind trees; sometimes the only clue to their existence is a little jetty and boat by the water's edge

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/celebritytravel/7527754/Griff-Rhys-Joness-heaven-on-earth-the-Finnish-Archipelago.html

The Finnish Archipelago - visually and gastronomically gourmet experience

The Archipelago Sea (Finnish Saaristomeri, Swedish Skärgårdshavet) is a part of the Baltic Sea between the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland and the Sea of Åland, within Finnish territorial waters. By some definitions it contains the largest archipelago (island group) in the world by the number of islands, although many of the islands are very small and tightly clustered.

 

The larger islands are inhabited and connected by ferries and bridges. The Åland Islands, including the largest islands of the region, form an autonomous region within Finland. The rest of the islands are part of province of Southwest Finland. The Archipelago Sea is a significant tourist destination.

 

 

Geography and geology

The Archipelago Sea covers a roughly triangular area with the cities of Mariehamn

 WikiMiniAtlas

60°5′52″N 19°56′23″E / 60.09778°N 19.93972°E / 60.09778; 19.93972), Uusikaupunki (

 WikiMiniAtlas

60°48′4″N 21°24′50″E / 60.80111°N 21.41389°E / 60.80111; 21.41389), and Hanko (

 WikiMiniAtlas

59°50′0″N 22°58′15″E / 59.83333°N 22.97083°E / 59.83333; 22.97083), at the corners. The archipelago can be divided into inner and outer archipelagos, with the outer archipelago consisting mainly of smaller, uninhabited islands. The total surface area is 8300 square kilometers, of which 2000 square kilometers is land.

The archipelago has a very large number of islands. The exact number depends on the definition of the term "island", as the size of the patches of dry land in the area varies from small rocks peeking out of the water to large islands with several villages or even small towns. The number of the larger islands of over 1 km² within the Archipelago Sea (in provinces of Åland Isles and Finland proper) is 257, whilst the number of smaller isles of over 0.5 ha is about 17,700. If the number of smallest uninhabitable rocks and skerries is accounted, 50,000 is probably a good estimate. In comparison, the number of islands in Canadian Arctic Archipelago is 36,563.Indonesia has 17,508 islands, according to the Indonesian Naval Hydro-Oceanographic Office.^[3] The Philippines have 7,107 islands.

 

The islands began emerging from the sea shortly after the last ice age. Due to the post-glacial rebound the process is still going on, with new skerries and islands being slowly created and old ones enlarged or merged. The current rate of rebound is between 4 and 10 millimetres a year. Because the islands are made of mainly granite and gneiss, two very hard types of rock, erosion is significantly slower than rebound. Hower, due to its southern location, the effect of postglacial rebound is smaller than for example than in Kvarken (Finnish: Merenkurkku) further north.

 

The sea area is shallow, with a mean depth of 23 m. Most of the channels are not navigable for large ships.

There are three crater-like formations in the archipelago. One of them, Lumparn in Åland, is a genuine impact crater.

 WikiMiniAtlas

60°8′22″N 20°7′37″E / 60.13944°N 20.12694°E / 60.13944; 20.12694) The two other formations are intrusions. The more prominent of these is the Åva Intrusion in the municipality of Brändö, which is easily notable in satellite photos and high-resolution maps. (

 WikiMiniAtlas

60°28′19″N 21°1′0″E / 60.47194°N 21.01667°E / 60.47194; 21.01667) The other similar formation is in Fjälskär, between the main islands of Houtskär and Iniö. (

 WikiMiniAtlas

60°18′25″N 21°22′18″E / 60.30694°N 21.37167°E / 60.30694; 21.37167)

Administration

 

The islands are divided between the region of Southwest Finland (also known as Finland Proper) and the autonomous region of Åland. The border between the regions runs roughly along Skiftet (Kihti in Finnish), a relatively open sea area. Together with the islands near the coast of Sweden the area forms a Euroregion. The main ports in the area are Turku on the continent, and Mariehamn on the Åland islands.

 

The Åland region is autonomous and demilitarized. It has its own regional parliament and has Swedish as its sole official language. The regional parliament has power over wide-ranging matters, including health services, education, environment, and postal services. Monetary and foreign policy are handled by the Parliament of Finland. The president of Finland has, in theory, right to veto the laws passed by the Åland regional parliament.

The eastern part of the archipelago is defended by the Archipelago Sea Naval Command, which has its main base in Turku. The defence is based largely on naval mines and coastal artillery.Both are effective in the archipelago, where the dense clusters of islands severely limit the manoeuvrability of invading vessels. The autonomous region of Åland is demilitarised. The Finnish Defence Forces are not allowed to enter the area, and its residents are exempt from military service, although they can volunteer to serve in the army.

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archipelago_Sea

 

 

 Maypole in Nagu                                   Kråkskär was inhabited until 1956.   

 

 

 

Sawo Ensemble Choir Kuopio - May extravaganza 23/5/2015

SAWO ENSEMBLE

Lauantain toivotut / Saturday's wishlist   Tiina  wonders 23.4.2015 Mitähän lauantaiksi onkaan toivottu? /  What might be on Saturday's wishlist? Sawo Ensemblen nostalginen kevätspektaakkeli kuullaan ja nähdään Kuopion kaupungintalolla 23.5.2015 klo 15.00! Luvassa on värikästä ja villiä menoa vuosikymmenten varrelta.

 

TiinaTaskinen-Viinikainen has been Artistic Director since 2009.

 

Sawo Ensemble's Spring programme is very entertaining with nostalgic look into the past including colourful, wild swinging and rocking rhythms.

 

Kuopio Town Hall 23/5/2015 at 3pm.

 

Tiina's motto: singing is a road from heart to heart.

 

This choir was founded by Mr. Arvo Ahokas 1976 and will be 40 years old 2016.

Sawo Ensemble has 40 singers at the moment 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lontoon Merimieskirkko Vappuna 2013

Sawo Ensemble was entertaining expats at The Finnish Church in London with many heartfelt songs May 2013.

 

 

World Economic Forum - Finland no 1 in Innovaton and Higher Education

    

The Global Competitiveness Report 2014 - 2015   

 

 

 

 

The Global Competitiveness Report 2014-2015 assesses the competitiveness landscape of 144 economies, providing insight into the drivers of their productivity and prosperity. The report remains the most comprehensive assessment of national competitiveness worldwide, providing a platform for dialogue between government, business and civil society about the actions required to improve economic prosperity. Competitiveness is defined as the set of institutions, policies and factors that determine the level of productivity of a country. The level of productivity, in turn, sets the level of prosperity that can be earned by an economy. 

The different aspects of competitiveness are captured in 12 pillars, which compose the Global Competitiveness Index. This 35th edition emphasizes innovation and skills as the key drivers of economic growth. While these increasingly influence competitiveness and the global economy tentatively recovers from the economic crisis, significant risks remain, resulting from a strained geopolitical situation, rising income inequality and the potential tightening of financial conditions. It is therefore crucial to address these structural challenges to ensure more sustainable and inclusive growth. More than ever, cooperative leadership among business, government and civil society is needed to re-establish sustainable growth and raise living standards throughout the world.

Browse the report readerJoin the conversation: Forumblog | Facebook I Twitter 

Infographics
Global Top 10	Europe Top 10	Asia-Pacific Top 10
Higher Education & Training Top 10	Infrastructure Top 10	Innovation Top 10
Latin America Top 10	Middle East and North Africa Top 10	Sub-Saharan Africa Top 10
USA - China	BRICS

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 http://www.weforum.org/reports/global-competitiveness-report-2014-2015

 

Finland is no1 in Higher Education and training and Innovation in TOP 10 Ranking

Finland is no 2 in Europe TOP 10 Ranking

Finland is no 4 in the world TOP 10 Ranking

 

 

Mother's Day history

Hei Mothers get ready for the celebrations this Sunday!

 

In Finland Mother's Day has been officially celebrated since 1927. This beautiful custom comes from the United States. The first Mother's Day celebration took place in Alavus 7.7.1918.We share the same Mother's Day date with the below countries:

 

The Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Brasil, Filippiinit, Hongkong, Italy, Austria, Japani, Canada, China, Cuba, Latvia, Malta, Peru, Germany, Singapore, Slovakia, Switzerland, Taiwan, Denmark, Tšekki, Turkey, New Zealand,Estonia, USA

 

 

Mother's Day in the United States is an annual holiday celebrated on the second Sunday in May. Mother's Day recognizes mothers, motherhood and maternal bonds in general, as well as the positive contributions that they make to society. Although many Mother's Day celebrations world-wide have quite different origins and traditions, most have now been influenced by the more recent American tradition established by Anna Jarvis, who campaigned for the holiday. Organized by Jarvis, the first official Mother's Day was celebrated at St Andrew's Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia, which now holds the International Mother's Day Shrine. Previous attempts at establishing Mother's Day in the United States sought to promote peace by means of honoring mothers who had lost or were at risk of losing their sons to war.

 

 

19th century

The first attempts to establish a "Mother's Day" in the United States came from women's peace groups. A common early activity was the meeting of groups of mothers whose sons had fought or died on opposite sides of the American Civil War.

 

In 1868, Ann Jarvis, mother of Anna Jarvis, created a committee to establish a "Mother's Friendship Day", the purpose of which was "to reunite families that had been divided during the Civil War." Jarvis – who had previously organized "Mother's Day Work Clubs" to improve sanitation and health for both Union and Confederate encampments undergoing a typhoid outbreak – wanted to expand this into an annual memorial for mothers, but she died in 1905 before the celebration became popular.Her daughter would continue her mother's efforts.

 

There were several limited observances in the 1870s and the 1880s but none achieved resonance beyond the local level. At the time, Protestant schools in the United States already held many celebrations and observations such as Children's Day, Temperance Sunday, Roll Call Day, Decision Day, Missionary Day and others. In New York City, Julia Ward Howe led a "Mother's Day for Peace" anti-war observance on June 2, 1872,which was accompanied by a Mother's Day Proclamation. The observance continued in Boston for about 10 years under Howe's personal sponsorship, then died out.

 

Several years later a Mother's Day observance on May 13, 1877 was held in Albion, Michigan over a dispute related to the temperance movement.According to local legend, Albion pioneer Juliet Calhoun Blakeley stepped up to complete the sermon of the Rev. Myron Daughterty who was distraught because an anti-temperance group had forced his son and two other temperance advocates at gunpoint to spend the night in a saloon and become publicly drunk. From the pulpit Blakeley called on other mothers to join her. Blakeley's two sons, both traveling salesmen, were so moved that they vowed to return each year to pay tribute to her and embarked on a campaign to urge their business contacts to do likewise. At their urging, in the early 1880s, the Methodist Episcopal Church in Albion set aside the second Sunday in May to recognize the special contributions of mothers.

 

 

20th century

Frank E. Hering, President of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, made a plea for "a national day to honor our mothers" in 1904.

Mother's Day 1915 postcard from Northern Pacific Railway

In its present form, Mother's Day was established by Anna Jarvis with the help of Philadelphia merchant John Wanamaker following the death of her mother, Ann Jarvis, on May 9, 1905. Jarvis never mentioned Howe or Mothering Sunday, and she never mentioned any connection to the Protestant school celebrations, always claiming that the creation of Mother's Day was hers alone.

A small service was held on May 12, 1907 in the Andrew's Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia, where Anna's mother had been teaching Sunday school.The first "official" service was on May 10, 1908, in the same church, accompanied by a larger ceremony in the Wanamaker Auditorium in the Wanamaker's store in Philadelphia^] The next year the day was reported to be widely celebrated in New York.^[14]

President Wilson's Mother's Day Proclamation of May 9, 1914

 

Jarvis then campaigned to establish Mother's Day first as a U.S. national holiday and then later as an international holiday. The holiday was declared officially by the state of West Virginia in 1910, and the rest of the states followed quickly.

 

On May 10, 1913, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution calling on all federal government officials (from the president down) to wear a white carnation the following day in observance of Mother's Day. On May 8, 1914, the U.S. Congress passed a law designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day and requesting a proclamation. The next day, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation declaring the first national Mother's Day as a day for American citizens to show the flag in honor of those mothers whose sons had died in war.In 1934, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt approved a stamp commemorating the holiday.

In May 2008 the U.S. House of Representatives voted twice on a resolution commemorating Mother's Day, the first one being passed without a dissenting vote (21 members not voting). The Grafton church, where the first celebration was held, is now the International Mother's Day Shrine and is a National Historic Landmark.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother's_Day_(United_States)

 

http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%84itienp%C3%A4iv%C3%A4

 

 

Valkovuokkoja. Kuva: Arja Lento/Yle

http://oppiminen.yle.fi/juhlapaivat/aitienpaiva-toukokuun-2-sunnuntai

 

The Nordic churches in London have lots to offer

  

The Finnish Church in London

The Finnish Church in London is a religious, cultural and social meeting place for all the Finns who live in Great Britain and Ireland (either permanently or temporarily), as well as for their friends and family.   The Finnish Church in London is also open to all the friends of Finland. The church is happy to help all those who find themselves in trouble - even when the trouble is the lack of Finnish black rye bread, or just the need to relax in a Finnish sauna! We are here for everyone.   The Finnish Seamen's Mission "co-operates with the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Finland, and observes its confessional Christian, social, cultural and diaconic work among seafarers and Finns living abroad, and carries out international Christian work at Finnish ports."

33 Albion Street, UK-London SE16 7HZ puh: +44 20 7237 4668, fax: +44 20 7237 1245 lontoo@merimieskirkko.fi

 www.finnishchurch.org.uk/english

Finnish Church Finnish Church The Finnish Seamen's Mission and church (Suomen Merimieskirkko, Finlands Sjömanskyrka) is located at 33 Albion Street, Rotherhithe, London, SE16  WikiMiniAtlas The current rector is the Revd Teemu Hälli. The church also has a shop selling Finnish products and has hostel accommodation for visitors to London. The London church and mission was first established in 1882, when the Finnish port chaplain who had been sent to Hull in 1880 was relocated south because of the level of work demanded in London. The present church building was opened in 1958 and refurbished in 2006; its distinctive architecture is recognised as a Grade II listed building. The architect was Cyrill Mardall-Sjöström. Rotherhithe railway station (on the London Overground) is located nearby (on Brunel Road). The nearest alternative is Canada Water station on the Jubilee line. It is also possible to take bus routes 381 or C10 to Rotherhithe station. The approach ramp to the Rotherhithe Tunnel is immediately behind the church (between Albion Street and Brunel Road). The Brunel Engine House is nearby; Rotherhithe Library is located between the Finnish Church and St Olav's Norwegian Church.   Norwegian Church There has been a Norwegian church in London since the late 17th century. The current church building (St Olav's, designed by John Love Seaton Dahl), was consecrated in 1927, the foundation stone was laid the previous year by Prince Olav (later King Olav V of Norway). Norwegian Church (St. Olav's)   St Olav's Church is located close to the River Thames in Rotherhithe at 1 St Olav's Square, Albion Street (next to the entrance to the Rotherhithe Tunnel) (  WikiMiniAtlas The nearest Underground stations are Rotherhithe or Canada Water. The congregation is part of the Norwegian Church Abroad (also called The Norwegian Seamen's Churches or in Norwegian, Sjømannskirken.) The Finnish Church (see above) is located nearby in Albion Street. The Norwegian Church Abroad also runs the Norwegian Fishermans' Church, Liverpool, and formerly ran the Norwegian Church, Cardiff. In addition to regular church events, the church organises activities such as Saturday school and football practice.   Swedish Church The Ulrika Eleonora Swedish Parish in London is part of "Church of Sweden Abroad" (SKUT). The first church for the Swedish community in London opened in Wapping in 1728, but it was replaced and relocated in the early 20th century. There are now two Swedish churches in London - Ulrika Eleonora Church and the Seamen's Church. Ulrika Eleonora Church is located at 6 Harcourt Street, Marylebone  WikiMiniAtlas  /It was built in 1911 and is a Grade II listed building. The altar, pulpit, fonts and chandeliers are from the former church in Wapping. As well as the church and staff accommodation, there is also a reading room, church hall, library and parish office. The nearest Underground station is Edgware Road on the Circle line, District line and Hammersmith & City line.    WikiMiniAtlas The Swedish Seamen's Church was opened at 120 Lower Road, Rotherhithe   Swedish Seamen's Church, London AS well as a church and clergy accommodation, there is also a reading room, television room, billiard room and a hostel providing overnight accommodation. The Church of Sweden is planning to close the Swedish Seaman's Church during 2011. London is the only overseas parish that currently has two churches. The nearest London Underground station is Surrey Quays on the East London Line, followed by Canada Water on the Jubilee line.    Danish Church The church is located at 4 Saint Katharine's Precinct, Regent's Park, London NW1 4HH (off Albany Street)  WikiMiniAtlas  / 51.53389; -0.14667 The nearest London Underground stations are Camden Town or Great Portland Street.   Danish Seamen's Mission in London is based at 322 Rope Street, Rotherhithe  WikiMiniAtlas  / 51.49444; -0.03361 There is also a Danish Church in Hull (the St Nikolaj Danish Seamen's Church at 104 Osborne Street   The London and Hull congregations are both part of the Danske Sømands og Udlands Kirker (DSUK) - The Danish Church Abroad / Danish Seamen's Church. The DSUK was founded in 2004 through the merger of The Danish Church Abroad and The Danish Seamen's Church in Foreign Ports. The DSUK is affiliated to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark. From 1696 to 1870 there was a Danish church in Wellclose Square. It was built by Caius Gabriel Cibber who was born in Denmark  / 53.74250; -0.34556  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordic_churches_in_London