Visiting Savonlinna as a Visitor
Detmold and Savonlinna Seek Mutual Benefit Through City Partnership
Mayor Frank Hilker of Detmold, Germany, along with officials from both administrations, is spearheading an initiative to develop a city partnership with Savonlinna, Finland, into a mutually beneficial "win-win situation." The goal is to provide employment opportunities for job-seeking Finns while addressing the skilled labor shortage in Detmold.
Savonlinna, located in the southeastern Finnish region of South Savo, is approximately 2300 kilometers away from Detmold. It is 330 kilometers northeast of Helsinki and is known as the "City of Education," with around 4,500 students at the University of Applied Sciences, a renowned vocational school, the Savonlinna Music and Dance Institute, and the Music Academy.
The region around Savonlinna boasts over 8,000 islands and "islets." It is also home to the Linnansaari National Park, which is home to approximately 500 sweet ringed seals. The city is particularly famous for its opera festival, which takes place in the 550-year-old medieval Olavinlinna fortress and attracts around 60,000 visitors each year. Puccini's opera "Turandot" is currently being prepared for this year's festival.
However, Savonlinna faces challenges such as a dramatic decline in births, 15 percent unemployment, and high rates of people leaving the region after graduation or study. The international crisis triggered by the Ukraine war is also affecting Finland, particularly in the eastern part of the country, where border crossings with Russia, just 80 kilometers from Savonlinna, have been closed for 1.5 years. This has resulted in severed social connections and heavily restricted tourism due to Russians being unable to obtain visas for Finland.
Mayor Hilker traveled to Savonlinna with a small delegation from the administration to discuss potential solutions. Both Savonlinna and Beijing have shown interest in how Detmold has developed and tackled issues related to vacancy. This development could be similar to an international program currently running with Spain, which employs Spanish kindergarten teachers in Detmold.
The press release for this information was issued by the city portal, but the appointed officials working on the partnership development with Savonlinna and possibly a sector-specific initiative benefiting both sister cities are not specified in the available information.
For inquiries, please contact Daniela Lang at the provided email address or by phone at the number provided. Mayor Hilker expressed his desire to establish something branch-specific that benefits both partner cities, stating that it would build their friendship on a whole new level.
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