Young YouTube vloggers become the face of Finland

Press release 86/2016
3 May 2016

The Unit for Public Diplomacy of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs gives voice to young Finnish YouTube creators on its YouTube channel. As far as we know, Finland is the first country to make its official YouTube channel available to ordinary Finnish citizens.

“We decided to put our YouTube channel in the hands of these talented young creators instead of trying to bring the channel back to life with our own videos,” says Petra Theman, Director for Public Diplomacy at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

ThisisFINLANDtube will present Finland from ten different perspectives, with videos filmed across the country. The ministry cooperated with the Degree Programme in Business at Laurea University of Applied Sciences and found the YouTube creators with the help of students attending the English language course. The selected creators are a diverse group of teenagers and young adults who create videos of their own lives and interests in English for a global audience.

“We do not restrict the videos, but we let the creators choose how they want to portray their lives in Finland. This is our way of celebrating freedom of speech and the 250-year history of the world’s first Freedom of the Press Act,” Petra Theman says.

#proudtubeFIN YouTube creators:

• Helmi Matilda: Helmi, aged 14, from Turku #finnishgirl #mashups #DIY #beauty

• Kainuun taikaa: Veka, aged 22, from Sotkamo/Kuopio #fishing #outdoors #finnishnature

• Rony Rex: Rony, aged 27, from Helsinki #DJ #EDM #summerfestivals

• BMXSalli: Salli, aged 28, from Lahti #girlsthatride #bmxfinland #bmx #dirt

• Seksikäs suklaa & Dosdela: Luyeye, aged 24, from Helsinki & Hanad, aged 22, from Helsinki #urbanlife #pranks #humour

• MrTuomo: Tuomo, aged 20, from Kokkola #challenges #finnishfood #cooking #finnishness

• Iivari: Iivari, aged 22, from Kangasala # parkour #outdoors #crazyfinns

• Virkkasin: Elina, aged 23, from Rääkkylä #DIY #crafting #decoration

• RoniTheGamer: Roni, aged 22, from Helsinki #games #opinions

• BySelma: Selma, aged 17, from Jyväskylä #beauty #DIY #cuisine #fashion

In addition to these YouTube enthusiasts, the ThisisFINLANDtube channel has featured Matilda, the Finnish ASMR whisper star who has published content as WhiteWinterWhispers, since the start of the year. She whispers Finnish literature in Finnish.

thisisFINLANDtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/thisisFINLANDtube
ThisisFINLAND: finland.fi

The ThisisFINLAND website (finland.fi) and its social media channels have more than 2.5 million unique visitors every year. Last year, Finland became the first country to introduce its own official emojis, which were published in the ThisisFINLAND Christmas calendar.

The Unit for Public Diplomacy works under foreign affairs administration, planning and steering Finland’s country image. The unit produces country image material, the ThisisFINLAND country image site and its social media channels, which are available to the public. The Unit for Public Diplomacy acts as the secretary of Finland Promotion Board, the umbrella association for organisations that promote Finland’s country image. The Unit for Public Diplomacy also manages communication related to economic external action and the Team Finland services.

More information:
Petra Theman
Director, Counsellor
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Unit for Public Diplomacy
+358 295 351 558