30 | SAM MAGAZINE 4/24 WE LIVE IN AN AMAZING WORLD full of opportunity, but also one filled with distractions. For individuals and organizations alike, attention is constantly pulled in all directions. Amid this noise, rapid change, and uncertainty, it’s more important than ever to be guided by a clear mission and core values—and to know who your allies are. AT FINLANDIA FOUNDATION NATIONAL, this focus has been essential over the past 18 months as we’ve experienced significant growth and transformation. Both our organizations, FFN and SAM, have deep roots—SAM with 80+ years of history, and FFN with just over 70. Yet, our recent acquisition of the Finnish American Heritage Center in Hancock, MI, along with the Finlandia Art Gallery, Finnish American Folk School, North Wind Books, and the Finnish American Reporter, has pushed us to reflect on who we serve and what our future vision could be. This led us to kick-off a strategic planning process. WE’RE EXCITED TO give you, our friends at SAM, a first look at our newly minted mission: “As the premier Finnish-American cultural organization, Finlandia Foundation National champions a vibrant Finnish-American heritage and legacy that builds bridges between modern Finland and the United States, enabling people of all backgrounds to share in the traditions, values, and spirit of Finland and Finnish America.” This mission is not a departure from our past, but rather reaffirms our commitment to what matters most. If our goal is to build bridges across the Atlantic, we certainly can’t do it alone. The parallels between our missions—one with a view from Finland to the U.S., the other from the U.S. to Finland—are exciting, and we see incredible potential. WE’RE THRILLED TO have collaborated with SAM this fall to host a webinar on Finnish-American migration and genealogy—a topic close to both of our hearts. Hosted by Lena Grenat, this webinar featured experts from the Finnish Migration Institute (Siirtolaisuusinstituutti) and the Finnish American Historical Archive and became one of the most popular “Finnposium” events of the year. If you missed it, check it out on our FFN YouTube channel. The event gathered an engaged audience of Finns, Finnish-Americans, and Friends of Finland across the Atlantic. This success is just the beginning of what FFN and SAM can achieve together. AS WE CONTINUE our strategic planning, we are excited to share more soon. We’ve also reaffirmed our commitment to key core values, including history, heritage, arts, and culture, along with scholarship and education. One worth mentioning here is “partnership and collaboration”—Yhteistyö. Samarbete. We believe we’re strongest when we work together. By prioritizing shared goals over competition, we can achieve greater good for more people. This is how we approach our work and the future, and we look forward to collaborating with you, our friends at SAM, even more. We look forward to what is to come. Building Bridges, Together Meet our American friend and ally Finlandia Foundation National KOLUMNI ■ TEXT: THOMAS FLANAGAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FINLANDIA FOUNDATION NATIONAL
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