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The Paula Gordon Show |
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The Paula Gordon Show |
| How the Small Survive... and Prosper | |||
Ultimately, one’s values count, Finland’s
Ambassador to the U.S. says. Finland never forgets that it is a small
nation with large neighbors and a well defined, if narrow niche of influence
on the world’s stage. From rugged experience, Finland has earned
its place of influence in the international stage because it understands
that a nation must be committed to the respect it earns on the basis
of something other than raw force. |
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Conversation 1 T.H. Jukka Valtasaari tells Paula Gordon and Bill Russell why he has always appreciated maps. Diplomacy, Ambassador. Valtasaari says, is important in all phases of history because it is simply communication between nations. Today, he says, diplomacy is particularly challenged because it must include non-state actors, which he sees as generally good because going beyond just governments brings everything closer to people’s real lives. He explains why he believes smaller nations will have to adjust faster than bigger ones in the face of globalism. |
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Conversation 2 The Circumpolar North is of interest on many levels, Ambassador Valtasaari says, starting with climate change. He puts the regional interest in the larger East-West context, sees Northern issues including the environment, energy security, Europe and the Circumpolar area itself. He describes the results of Finland’s choice in the 1980s to base its future on innovation. Finland’s first, second and third priorities are Education, Education and Education he says, and explains why. Wary of “small country arrogance,” his gives examples of how Finland has exerted important leadership in what he calls a very real, albeit very narrow niche. Fundamentally, big challenges require cooperation between nations, he says, and elaborates.  14:06
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Conversation 3 The Ambassador recounts how big changes in the 1990s required significantly different policies, with military confrontation giving way to policy concerns about HIV/AIDS, the spread of tuberculosis, the safety of nuclear reactors, and health risks created by neighbors. He gives a classic solution to setting priorities among a large panoply of issues and actors, and talks about global warming. He describes the profound effects of being between 2 large countries. In the end, one is reduced to one thing, he believes -- the power of argument and reason. 8:41
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Conversation 4 Ultimately, Ambassador Valtasaari says, one’s values count. He tells the story of Stalin’s assessment of Finns as “nuts” -- that is, hard to crack -- an affirmation, Ambassador Valtasaari believes, of the respect Finland earned when there was little else they could do but resist. He talks about Finland’s indigenous peoples and their important role nationally and regionally. Technologies are considered, with examples from Finland. He compares the significant changes in his role as Ambassador to Washington, D.C. in the 1980s and when he was again assigned there in 2001. He ends with a story of how opportunities can fail for reasons entirely unrelated to the challenges being addressed. 11:32
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Acknowledgements Ambassador Valtasaari was warmly willing to join us
in this Conversation, despite a host of scheduling challenges. He
then provided us with an unusual audio introduction to the beauties
of Finland’s remarkable Embassy in Washington, D.C., which we
continue to savor. We thank Ambassador Valtasaari on all counts. |
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