The City of Helsinki kindly offered its hospitality when IAKS Nordic gathered about 30 people from the public and private sector for a branch meeting in Finland. The idea was to welcome existing and potential new members from Scandinavia for a two-day exchange and a study trip to Helsinki.
As capital of Finland, Helsinki's Unit for The Promotion of Physical Activity has an organization of 480 people and an annual budget of approximately 72 million EUR. 800 different sports facilities are operated, together with many outdoor facilities and recreational activities. Minna Paajanen, Head of Unit, and Kimmo Isotalo, Senior Planning Officer from the City of Helsinki, Unit for The Promotion of Physical Activity explained its structure.
A growing proportion of Helsinki residents participate in some form of sports, with some studies reporting 80-90% of the population engage in exercise at least occasionally. However, the disparities in physical activity levels are widening. Despite increased participation in exercise, the average Finn still spends two-thirds of the day sitting or lying down. Statistics show teenagers drop-out in organized sports, but self-organized activities stay mildly popular.
©Jarkko Rantamäki
