Finland and UNV mark 50 years—1974 to 2024

For half a century, the partnership between the Government of Finland and United Nations Volunteers has created opportunities for Finnish nationals to volunteer around the world for sustainable development. From 1974 to 2024, we mark this important event—through a snapshot of milestones.

Finland and the full funding partnership with UNV started in 1974 with the signing of an agreement that resulted in the deployment of the first three Finnish nationals as UN Volunteers in 1975—Mirja Heijari with the World Health Organization (WHO) in Yemen as a nurse, Matti Järvinen, a Radio Studio Technician with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Tanzania and Pekka Savinsaari with UN-OTC in Swaziland in a water and sewerage project.  

Then in 1981, Finnish plant biologist Aira Päivöke was named 'Volunteer of the Year.' She supported local industries find sustainable uses for the nipa palm in Papua New Guinea.  

Titta Maja-Luoto volunteered in the 1980s as a UN Volunteer with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic—her assignment centered on gender advocacy. Titta's volunteer experience shaped her journey. She is now Finland’s Ambassador to Portugal—and believes that to continue development progress, the expertise of local volunteers is needed.
 

As a young UN Volunteer, what I found most invaluable was being able to interact with people on the ground and see first-hand what it means to achieve results. Looking back, that's what I learned as a volunteer: getting real-time exposure in the field, and that's volunteering in a nutshell for me!" shared Titta Maja-Luoto, former UN Volunteer when she visited UNV in 2023.

In 2019, Saana Ahonen joined the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Uganda as a UN Volunteer Climate Change Specialist. She was the 500th Finnish UN Volunteer. Saana focused on climate action across East and Southern Africa, especially the strategies for mitigation and adaptation.

Another important milestone of the partnership came in 2020 as Finland fully funded a UN Volunteer opportunity for a person with disabilities in Viet Nam and supported a more inclusive United Nations system.  

In 2023, Finland fully funded 40 of the 45 Finnish nationals serving as UN Volunteers in 29 countries across the world. These volunteer assignments centered on Sustainable Development Goals—from climate change to reducing inequalities and from no poverty to health and well-being. 

 

Jukka Tulivuori, UN Volunteer with UNICEF speaks to community educators in Manila. @ UNV, 2024.

 

Finnish national, Jukka Tulivuori is a UN Volunteer Education Officer with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in the Philippines. Jukka supports the accessibility and education for Filipino children through digital learning. Volunteering makes him focus on the bigger picture, he says, "Knowing that even small contributions today can lead to life-changing opportunities for children tomorrow drives me forward. It's been a transformative experience that I know will shape the rest of my career.”

There were three Finnish UN Volunteers in 1975, in 2024 there are 37. "Together we have come a long way”, remarks Juha Savolainen, Director General of the Department for Development Policy at the Finnish Foreign Ministry.

The 50-year collaboration between Finland and the United Nations Volunteers highlights our joint efforts in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals through volunteerism, recognizing the important contributions of each UN Volunteer.” Juha Savolainen, Director General of the Department for Development Policy at the Finnish Foreign Ministry.

Finland's commitment to sustainable development by engaging the whole of society: the public sector, businesses, civil society and private individuals as noted in their Voluntary National Review 2020 connotes a collective effort, a shared agenda—true to the spirit of volunteering itself.

 

Fully funded by Finland, UN Youth Volunteer, Stella Vellendi supported the livelihoods of women in South Sudan as a Monitoring and Evaluation Officer with UNDP. This photo was taken in 2019 at the ceremony to reveal the foundation stone of a borehole at Masia Market, Yambio. @UNDP, 2019.