Ambassadors Visit Vaasa for EnergyWeek

From 11 to 14 March 2024, Vaasa will host the EnergyWeek event, attracting 14 ambassadors from the Netherlands, Belgium, Chile, Indonesia, Iceland, Canada, Latvia, Portugal, Germany, Denmark, Thailand, Hungary, Vietnam, and the United States. Additionally, several representatives from the embassies of Spain, the Philippines, Malaysia, Nigeria, and Norway will also attend. In total, nearly 30 international guests will join the meeting hosted by the City of Vaasa for EnergyWeek.

Ambassador Govert Jan Bijl de Vroe of the Netherlands considers participation in EnergyWeek important.

– Everything comes together in Vaasa – hydrogen, offshore wind, sustainable batteries – everything that the Dutch Embassy in Helsinki is working on to add value to the clean transition in Finland. So, for us, Vaasa is the place to go – at the Energy Week, plus the day after, says Ambassador Govert Jan Bijl de Vroe.

Canadian Ambassador Jeanette Stovel notes that the ties between Canada and Vaasa date back to the early 1900s when Finnish forestry expertise supported the growth of Canada’s forest industry.

– The linkages between Canada and Vaasa have been formed since the early 1900s when Finnish forestry expertise helped grow Canada’s forest industry. Today I see so many firms from Canada and Finland working together to help move forward the green energy transition, and Vaasa is central to this, says Ambassador Jeanette Stovel.

Many of the ambassadors visiting Vaasa have attended EnergyWeek also in the past. For some, like Icelandic Ambassador Harald Aspelund, this is their first visit to EnergyWeek. Ambassador Aspelund believes that bold leadership and collaboration are needed to accelerate decisions related to the transition to green energy.

–  We can share knowledge across boundaries and work together as a team for a greener future. The energy transition in Iceland in the 70’s and 80’s when space heating became geothermal is an excellent example.

The US Ambassador Doug Hickey is pleased to participate in EnergyWeek, Finland’s most important energy event.

– Energyweek allows us to explore new opportunities for collaboration between our countries and industries. The United States and Finland are committed to a low-emissions future, and together we are finding innovative solutions to address the climate crisis, says Ambassador Doug Hickey.