Finland and India Celebrate 75 Years of Diplomatic Relations with a Vibrant Cultural Performance by Students from the World University of Design (WUD)

The Embassy of Finland in New Delhi hosted a grand reception on September 10, 2024, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Finland and India. The evening brought together diplomats, business leaders, cultural figures, and friends of both nations. The festivities commenced with the national anthems of both countries, followed by an address from the Ambassador of Finland to India, Mr. Kimmo Lähdevirta. The event also witnessed a vibrant cultural performance by students from the World University of Design (WUD), India’s first University dedicated to education in the creative domain.

The event highlighted the deep and multifaceted partnership that has developed over the past seven and a half decades. Shri Tanmaya Lal, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, was the guest of honor at the event. Earlier this year, the embassy organized a logo-design challenge at WUD to celebrate 75 years of diplomatic ties between Finland and India. Aman Narayan, a student from WUD, created the winning logo by drawing inspiration from India’s cultural ethos as well as the aurora borealis—the natural phenomenon for which Finland is famous. The competition highlighted the creative collaboration between the two nations, and both countries adopted the logo for use in their bilateral communications throughout the year.

Dr Parul Purohit Vats, Dean of School of Performing Arts, World University of Design (WUD), expressed her enthusiasm and said, “I am delighted to have witnessed the inspiring performance by our students from School of Performing Arts, World University of Design. The celebration of India and Finland’s 75th anniversary of bilateral relations witnessed this amazing performance from the students, who concluded this historic celebration on a high note, and we are honoured to be a part of this event. The students expressed grace, precision and passion in the performance as they brought the traditions of our culture to life through movement and music.”

Aman Narayan was earlier honoured with a prize of ₹50,000 at the Embassy of Finland in a ceremony attended by Mr. Kimmo Lähdevirta, Ambassador of Finland in India, Dr Sanjay Gupta, Vice-Chancellor, World University of Design and graphic designer, Anthony Lopez.

The reception celebrated both the longstanding Finland-India partnership and the promising future that lies ahead. Since the establishment of formal diplomatic relations on September 10, 1949, Finland and India have built a robust and multifaceted partnership across diverse sectors. Today, this partnership flourishes through collaboration in digitalization, environmental sustainability, technological innovation, and vibrant people-to-people exchanges. Looking ahead, both nations are set to build on these successes, exploring new opportunities and advancing shared goals for a prosperous, interconnected future.