Every day new people arrive in Finland and start anew, but who are these people and what drives them to begin a new life in this often frozen Northern outpost?

Every day we’re fed stories of celebrities or outsiders who’ve become media pin-ups but what about the ordinary people? People working away quietly in their profession, dedicating themselves to excellence and raising families in the same way as the people who’ve always called this place home.

This journalistic project celebrates the rich and diverse stories of people who’ve moved to Finland and now call it their home in Finland’s centenary of independence. Finland has long relied on outside relations and this is no different in this celebratory year of 2017.

We’re travelling all over Finland this year to listen to inspiring and fascinating tales of ordinary people who are making a valuable contribution to Finnish society.

The author of this project Peter Seenan is a newcomer himself and he became inspired to start this project in the last few years while listening to the stories of his friends who’d moved here from other places. Finland 100 gave him the perfect opportunity to get started.

Finland is seen by many people as a place that’s hard but the stories of real people don’t always reflect that idea. Many people move here because it’s much easier to live here than in their homeland. However, there are always great challenges to overcome when you set up life in a new country with no network.

As more and more people arrive in Finland hopefully these 100 stories for 2017 will give policymakers and the wider Finnish society food for thought about how integration can work as smoothly as possible for people who will move here to make a great contribution to Finnish life and society.

On 5th January 2017, The Office of the Finnish Prime Minister made our unique project an official part of the Finland 100 programme which celebrates the centenary of Finland’s independence in 2017.

Join us on this amazing journey of stories.