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13.11.2025 | Finland continues to strengthen its collaboration with the United Nations to scale responsible innovations that support sustainable development. In October 2025, the UN Global Pulse Accelerator Programme held its third cohort workshop in Helsinki, co-hosted by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. 

13.12.2021 | The World Health Organization (WHO) will hold the 10th Global Conference on Health Promotion virtually on 13–15 December. The theme of the Conference is wellbeing, with focus on links between health and wellbeing, the economy and the environment.

12.12.2023 | Estonia and the World Health Organization (WHO) will hold a conference on the development of health systems on 12-13 December 2023, where Finland will be represented by Minister of Social Affairs and Health Kaisa Juuso. In her speech, the Minister will address the economy of wellbeing, particularly the mutually supportive nature of both wellbeing policy measures and structures and the economy.

14.3.2025 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health held a stakeholder event on 11 March to discuss the pandemic treaty that is currently being negotiated under the World Health Organization (WHO). The aim of the treaty is to strengthen international preparedness for pandemics and other public health emergencies. 

16.4.2020 | On 16 April, the Government issued a resolution confirming the amount of non-assigned voluntary funding that Finland will grant to the World Health Organization. In line with the resolution, the voluntary funding, which was discontinued in 2016, will be restored to the 2015 level of EUR 5.5 million.

23.11.2023 | Amendments have been made to the Articles of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Health Regulations (IHR) concerning the time period within which the States Parties must adopt, reject or make reservations to any future IHR amendments.

9.6.2025 | The Ministry for Foreign Affairs will host a Conference on Climate and Security in cooperation with the Ministry of the Environment in Hanasaari, Espoo, on 11 June. The Conference is a one of the main events of Finland’s OSCE Chairpersonship. Experts will discuss a range of issues on climate, peace and security at the event, including the environmental and climate impacts of conflicts and the role of businesses and civil society in strengthening climate security.

9.6.2025 | The Ministry for Foreign Affairs will host a Conference on Climate and Security in cooperation with the Ministry of the Environment in Hanasaari, Espoo, on 11 June. The Conference is one of the main events of Finland’s OSCE Chairpersonship. Experts will discuss a range of issues on climate, peace and security at the event, including the environmental and climate impacts of conflicts and the role of businesses and civil society in strengthening climate security.

29.5.2020 | This year the World Health Organization (WHO) has presented the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health with the World No Tobacco Day Award. The Award was granted on the basis of the Ministry’s long-term commitment to work on tobacco control and its exemplary actions to protect particularly young people from tobacco.

17.4.2020 | On 17 April, Prime Minister Sanna Marin and Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of the World Health Organization (WHO) held a telephone discussion on the international virus situation, on the WHO's role in responding to the global COVID-19 pandemic and on Finland's measures.

26.10.2021 | Prime Minister Sanna Marin spoke at World Heath Summit in Berlin on 26 October 2021. Changes possible during the speech.

11.11.2024 | A new report from WHO “Health-enhancing physical activity in the European Union, 2024” presents the latest data on physical activity across the European Union (EU), reflecting on the progress achieved in making health-enhancing physical activity an integral part of people’s lives. The report reveals that there has been a notable improvement in the implementation of physical activity policies in the EU from 2015 to 2024.

22.7.2025 | Prime Minister Petteri Orpo presented Finland’s third Voluntary National Review at the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York on Tuesday 22 July. Speech to be checked against delivery.

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28.8.2024 | A wide range of national and international experts have gathered in Finland to find solutions for supporting healthcare and social welfare personnel’s mental health, wellbeing and ability to cope at work. This two-day seminar in Helsinki is organised jointly by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Regional Office for Europe of the World Health Organization (WHO).

19.3.2024 | The World Health Organization (WHO) is preparing a pandemic treaty to improve global pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. The next round of treaty negotiations will be held in Geneva on 18–29 March, and Finland will take part in the negotiations.

22.1.2025 | As part of Finland’s Chairpersonship of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe OSCE, Kerstin Stendahl from the Ministry of the Environment has started as the Special Representative on Climate and Security. Finland holds the OSCE Chairpersonship in 2025. The overarching theme of Finland’s Chairpersonship is resilience, which is also being challenged by climate change.

31.5.2023 | The increasing frequency of extreme weather events caused by climate change, the loss of fertile soil and biodiversity loss are challenging the food security and the future of food production worldwide. However, soil management offers solutions to these challenges. The first Northern European meeting of the international “4 per 1000” Initiative will bring international leaders in the topic to Helsinki on 6–8 June 2023.

17.1.2020 | Prime Minister Sanna Marin will attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on 22–24 January. There, she will speak at high-level events and participate in panel discussions with other heads of state and government, representatives from civil society organisations and business leaders. Topics of the discussions will include climate change and the Arctic, equality and well-being, the economy, the future of Europe and the international order.

25.2.2020 | The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has appointed a coordination group to support preparedness and management in healthcare and social welfare because of the novel coronavirus outbreak.