Visit by the twin cities in honor of Kuopio’s 250th anniversary
Kuopio250 anniversary celebrations are currently underway. Last week the city has welcomed distinguished guests from five long-standing twin cities: Besançon (France), Castrop-Rauxel and Gera (Germany), Minneapolis (USA) and Opole (Poland). Kuopio presented the city through company visits, business opportunities and cultural attractions.
Innovation, energy and cooperation
The corporate guests received a warm welcome and expert presentation in Kuopio. The places visited included Matkus’s new recycling center, Elävä Circular Mall, and the Jätekukko sorting station, Kuopion Energia, FinVector, Lumoava, the Luola sports and event center, and the Natural Resources Centre Luke.
“Kuopio’s Luola was an impressive experience for visitors – the dual-purpose Luola serves as both a civil defense shelter and an active sports and event venue for the residents of Kuopio,” says Kirsi Soininen, Marketing Director of Kuopio.
Kuopio250 International Day brought together local businesses. Finnish Honorary Consul Elaine Kumpula from Minnesota emphasized the power of working together. She sees many opportunities for cooperation, especially between companies in the food industry, as there are many similarities in production between the regions. Kumpula also mentioned design companies that could find new markets in the US through Minneapolis.
Cultural experiences
The cultural program included visits to the Kuopio Museum, the KUMMA Art Museum and the VB Photography Center. In addition guests enjoyed a concert by the Kuopio City Orchestra at the Music Center.
The guided tours received high appreciation from the visitors. Margaret Anderson Kelliher, City Operations Officer of Minneapolis, who was visiting Kuopio for the third time, was delighted that there were still new things to see and experience in the city.
Kuopio charmed first-time visitors
Kuopio has made a positive impression on first-time visitors, who have been particularly surprised by the innovation and high level of expertise of the region and its people. In addition to the market square celebrations, the weekend program also included the Christmas opening ceremony, the Välke light show and a Kalpa–Jyp ice hockey festive match.
“We hope that the visit program will open doors and generate positive outcomes for Kuopio’s businesses, culture and people. We are delighted that many of our international guests have also attended the Kuopio football team`s KuPS gold celebration,” says Mayor Soile Lahti.
