More than 4 000 Vantaa residents took part in the jubilee dialogue events – here's what they think about their home city

To mark its 50th anniversary, the City of Vantaa organised a series of anniversary dialogues in 2024. The discussions were attended by Vantaa residents of all ages from different social, cultural and professional backgrounds.

The participants were able to share their thoughts and experiences about life and everyday life in Vantaa and the future of the city. The aim of the events was to create understanding between differently minded people and to gather information about their experiences of Vantaa.

– In a guided discussion that respected different views, it was possible to hear how the environment is perceived from different perspectives and life situations, says Salli Allen, a community developer who organised the dialogue events in Hakunila and Länsimäki.

The At Home in Vantaa discussions were held at the housing estates and the City Museum, among other places. Täydellinen kaupunki (Perfect City) discussions were held in schools and educational institutions. In total, more than 4 000 people from Vantaa participated in the events, including more than 3 500 children and young people.

The debates were held in Finnish, Swedish, Russian, Estonian, Albanian, Somali, Arabic and English.

The discussions were also organised in cooperation with local Evangelical Lutheran parishes, the Cultura Foundation and organisations in Vantaa.

Multiculturalism is Vantaa's strength, although there is room for improvement

Participants in the centenary dialogues considered multiculturalism and active communities to be Vantaa's strengths. Vantaa residents want to build a safe, communal and multicultural living environment where services are accessible to all.

Children and young people stressed the importance of reducing loneliness and having someone to talk to.

Residents also identified language skills and communities as both strengths and areas for development. Participants in the dialogues in other languages felt that having their own language group made it easier to integrate and provided security. At the same time, the importance of learning Finnish was emphasised in the discussions. More language teaching was requested.

Vantaa residents who took part in the discussions in other languages reported a lack of trust in public authorities, such as schools or child protection services, caused by the language and cultural barrier. For example, many participants were concerned about the misunderstandings that can arise between staff and parents in kindergartens or schools due to a lack of common language and cultural understanding.

Communities and nature are at the heart of Vantaa's well-being

Both Finnish- and non-Finnish-speaking Vantaa residents saw a need for intercultural dialogue and support for community. As a solution, residents suggested more low-threshold meeting places, various parties and events, and sports and exercise facilities open to all.

In addition to their own communities, Vantaa residents talked a lot about nature. On the one hand, the concerns and aspirations for the well-being of nature were repeated in the discussions among people of all ages. On the other hand, Vantaa residents felt that nature contributed to their well-being. Children and young people also found nature to be a pleasant learning environment.

The ideas and experiences of the citizens will be used in the next strategy for Vantaa

The experiences and ideas gathered during the centenary dialogues will be used to prepare the City of Vantaa's future strategy 2026–2030.

– It is great that a large number of Vantaa citizens have participated in the dialogues. We can use the information gained from the joint discussions to plan the future of the city, says Vantaa Mayor Pekka Timonen.

Alba Vrapi, who chaired the Albanian-language debate, continues:

– The anniversary dialogues also provided an opportunity for non-Finnish speakers to be heard, share their experiences and participate in the development of Vantaa. It is an important message that the voice of every Vantaa resident is valuable.

See interviews with Vantaa residents about their home city

In videos (in Finnish) produced by Vantaa's Evangelical Lutheran parishes, the participants in the At home in Vantaa debates share their thoughts on Vantaa.