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Contact details
Secretary to the Minister
Ms Johanna Klemettinen-Kataja
Tel. +358 295 330 156
State Secretary
Mr Tuomo Puumala
tel. +358 295 161 002
Ms Anna-Mari Vimpari, State Secretary of the ministerial group of the Centre Party
tel. +358 295 330 315
[email protected]
Advisers
Ms Eeva Kärkkäinen, Special Adviser (Youth policy, communications and press relations of the Minister of Science and Culture)
Tel. +358 40 149 2201
Mr Markus Ylimaa, Special Adviser (Higher education policy, Church and cultural affairs)
Tel. +358 50 374 8192
Ms Silja Silvasti, Special Adviser (sport policy)
Tel. +358 50 330 062
Mr Jukka Ihanus, Special Adviser (Secretary of the ministerial group of the Centre Party)
Tel. +358 50 463 9929
Ministry of Education and Culture
Meritullinkatu 10, Helsinki
PO Box 29
FI-00023 Government, Finland
[email protected]
Current issues
More equality and parity in higher education deemed important – accessibility plan for higher education Webinar attended by 360 participants
Municipalities invited to participate in pilot project of the Finnish model – nearly EUR 10 million available for children's and young people's leisure activities
New foundation to safeguard future of Paimio Sanatorium
Report on Foreign and Security Policy, and Nordic cooperation discussed by the President of the Republic and the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy
Prime Minister Marin and several other ministers to attend virtual Nordic meetings
Preparations for launching a programme for preventing bullying - measures to be implemented during this government term
President and Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy discuss Report on Foreign and Security Policy and issues related to Russia
International TALIS 2018 Survey: Schools instil a sense of community more than before
EUROSTUDENT VII Student Study: Over 70% of higher education students view their future in a positive light
New Act submitted to Parliament on the Promotion of Performing Arts
Personal details
Minister of Science and Culture, 10 December 2019 to present
Master of Arts, Member of Parliament and Entrepreneur
Centre Party
Date and place of birth: 27 February 1976 Savonlinna
Place of residence: Savonlinna
Political career
Minister of Science and Culture, 10 December 2019 to present
Minister of Science and Culture (Rinne), 9 August 2019–10 December 2019
Centre Party Parliamentary Group, First Vice Chair 2018 to present
Finnish Centre Women in Savonlinna, Chair 2017 to present
Member of Parliament 2015 to present
Other work experience and societal responsibilities
Töpinä, Entrepreneur 2014 to present
Diges ry, Specialist 2008–2014
Maahenki Oy, Cultural Producer 2006–2007
Puu kulttuurissa ry, Executive Director 2004–2005
Metsäliitto, Communications Trainee 2003–2004
Etelä-Savon Liikunta regional sports federation, Vice Chair 2015–2017
Other information
Language skills: Finnish, English, Swedish, German
Interests: orienteering, running, skiing, yoga, reading and all forms of culture
Profile
Annika Virpi Irene Saarikko was born in Oripää on 10 November 1983. He is married to Erkki Papunen, who is a lawyer. Their son Aarni was born in 2014 and Kaarlo in September 2019. Saarikko and her family live in Oripää.
In 2002, Saarikko completed her general upper secondary education in Lauttakylä Upper Secondary School in Huittinen. She earned the degree of Bachelor of Education at the University of Turku in 2008 and graduated with a Master of Arts degree in media studies in spring 2013.
During the electoral term 2007–2011, she served as Special Adviser to several ministers representing the Centre Party.
In Juha Sipilä’s Government, she served as Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services in 2017–2019. In the Government led by Prime Minister Antti Rinne she served as Minister of Science and Culture for some two months prior to starting her maternity leave in early August 2019. She returned to her post as Minister of Science and Culture on 6 August 2020.
In addition to politics, Saarikko has worked in the fields of media and communications.
Saarikko was elected Chairman of the Center Party of Finland in September 2020. Saarikko was Deputy Party Leader in 2010–2016. In 2011, she was elected as Member of Parliament for the first time. She served as a member of the Turku City Council between 2013 and spring 2020.
Further information
Twitter
Instagram
hannakosonen.fi
keskusta.fi
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