photo: Suvi Elo
Turku is looking ahead confidently I am pleased to welcome you to Turku.
smart and sustainable city become highlighted in the development work of the area. However, the biggest strength of Turku Science Park is the internationally significant experts operating the area: residents, businesses as well as education and research clusters.
Whether you are here for work, studies
or a holiday, I hope you will have the most
pleasant stay and find the right experiences for you.
The most significant and far-reaching objective for our anniversary year 2029 is to have Turku be a carbon neutral city by that time, and a climate positive one after that. Being climate positive is the most valuable gift the people of today can give to the city and the people living in Turku in the future. With our climate work, we want to be at the international forefront of global cooperation to combat climate change. Turku is an active member of UN Climate Change Conferences and the global ICLEI network of local governments. I now invite you to participate in climate work by, for example, favouring the delicious and clean local food and by taking a walk or a bike ride along the River Aura. Even though Turku is a small town compared to the great big cities of the world, our goals are still aimed high. There are about 330,000 people living in the Turku region, but we have an exceptional amount of skill and expertise here. With a total of six universities and universities of applied sciences and their about 40,000 students and teachers, our city is guaranteed to be brimming with energy, smarts, creativity and the ability to renew. Success in Turku is guaranteed by cooperation between the City, universities and businesses, all aiming to grow the Turku region in a sustainable way at the forefront of development. This will ensure that Turku is a great place to live and travel to. We want to offer our very best to you as well. I hope that you will leave us feeling refreshed and eager to come back soon.
We also want to do our best to make you feel comfortable and safe during your stay. Tourism entrepreneurs and operators in the Turku region are strongly committed to health security, which takes into account hygiene and the well-being of customers. The pandemic caused a substantial decline in international business and holiday travel for more than a year. Thanks to extensive vaccinations, we once more have the opportunity to travel and meet other people face to face, although still minding everyone’s health and safety. It is delightful how much we now know to appreciate the reopening of international travel and our sense of community. Turku is a city with far-reaching traditions – the oldest city in Finland! The long history of our city gives the people who live here a sense of perspective and faith that we can overcome anything. Even now, we are looking ahead confidently. Our goals for the upcoming years have been set for 2029, which is when we celebrate 800 years of Turku. This anniversary is an important milestone for us. We are focusing our preparations on renewal, well-being and sustainable development. At the moment, our most prominent project is the extensive renovation of the market square, which is already well on its way. Soon, our city centre will have a new car-free market square area with gorgeous footpaths, bike lanes and recreational areas. In addition to the city centre, we are heavily involved in developing and building many areas. The development of Turku Science Park, right next to the universities, is well underway. It is the most energy-efficient constructed area in the city. The solutions and technologies of a
Minna Arve The Mayor of Turku 6
