Connecting Finland and Nepal
Suomi-Nepal-seura is an active friendship association that aims to provide information about Nepal in Finland. Our important activities include small-scale development cooperation and promoting Nepalese culture. The association also supports the integration of Nepalese immigrants into Finland. Founded in 1980, the association will celebrate its 45th anniversary in 2025 and currently has approximately 140 members.
We are happy to provide background information to those traveling to Nepal, arrange lectures for schools, and organize visits from Nepal to Finland. Our association holds public events, maintains the SuomiNepal Facebook page where we share news and information about Nepal, creates brochures about Nepal, and spreads awareness about the country in various ways.
Activities
Over the years, we have organized cultural visits and presentations of Nepalese art in Finland. Nepal’s renowned folk music band Sur Sudha has visited Finland twice. During the “Maailma Kylässä” (World Village) event, we hosted the socially conscious ethno-rock band Nepathaya, and we have also experienced Kathmandu fusion jazz presented by the UrJazz ensemble. In the summer of 2023, the Kanta Dab Dab band from Nepal visited Finland. Additionally, we have a wide collection of documentaries about indigenous peoples.
We follow the Nepalese festive calendar and organize events to celebrate the major festivals of Nepal. We also celebrate the beginning of the new year in Nepal, which, in early 2024, corresponds to the year 2080 in their calendar.
Get involved
The quickest way to get involved in our activities is by following our Facebook page, becoming a member, and participating in our events. In 2024, we organized e.g. a birdwatching trip, and a viewing of Nepalese bird photographs. We will continue to organize popular Nepalese cuisine cooking courses. Our annual meeting takes place in April, and during the summer, we have picnics on the shores of Helsinki. In the autumn, we celebrate Tihar.
In 2022, we successfully carried out a 40th-anniversary trip to Nepal with 22 satisfied participants. Read more about the trip on our Facebook page! We are also considering new trips to Nepal. If you are interested in possibly joining future trips to Nepal organized by our association, which will give you an opportunity to immerse yourself in Nepalese culture, please let us know.
You can also find us at the Matka Fair and the “Maailma Kylässä” (World Village) event.
