16.3.2012

Turku’s New Turkulainen 2012 and Multicultural Act 2012 are awarded

Above: This year’s New Turkulainen Maria Severina

Above: The recipient of The Multicultural Act Anja Marjanen

This year, the jury particularly wanted to emphasise that every person can – with their own personal input – promote multiculturalism and internationalism, and thus our common welfare.

From a PhD in Biochemistry to entrepreneur

This year’s New Turkulainen Maria Severina has lived in Finland for the past two decades. What was originally a University of Turku project has, over the years, grown into a successful biotechnology company. The HyTest CEO and majority owner is both happy and surprised to have received the award. 

– Without doubt, it feels wonderful to have received this recognition for the work.

Severina regards Turku as an excellent place to live for both entrepreneurs and families alike. 

– Turku has a great setting and framework for supporting new innovations and businesses. In order to attract top international talent to Finland and Turku, it would pay to invest even more though. As a mother, I am particularly pleased with Finland’s excellent education system. Although our roots are in Russia, we enjoy life here in Finland very much, says Severina.

Voluntary work is a matter of the heart

– Turku is not dull because there are so many different kinds of people here. If only we would realise how enriching multi-culturalism is, emphasises the recipient of The Multicultural Act Anja Marjanen. 

Although it has been a while since her retirement from teaching, she has not rested on her laurels. Instead, she has done volunteer work among immigrants for decades. However, her valuable work would need someone to continue it.

In the clubs Marjanen has helped run, women and children and sometimes men do handicrafts, read and speak Finnish, and discuss the most diverse subjects while cutting across religious boundaries. Marjanen also helps immigrants in many ways outside of club activities, such as finding work practice places. 

– If I would have the power to make it so, everyone would be able to go to work. It would be a magnificent and unifying thing. But yes, our Turku attitudes could still be improved. In everyday situations, immigrants still encounter prejudice as well as inappropriate behaviour.

Who or what?

The recipient of the New Turkulainen Award is a person with an immigrant background living in the Turku area. The award for Multicultural Act goes to a person, company, association or other organisation that has set an example and promoted multiculturalism through dialogue and cooperation.

The recipients of the award are selected based on proposals made by residents in the Turku area. The jury consists of representatives of the immigrant community, the Turku Society, Turku Chamber of Commerce, the Employment and Economic Development Office, Turku Region Development Centre, the media, and representatives of the City of Turku. The final decision is taken by the Mayor of Turku Aleksi Randell.

Previous recipients of the awards:

2006 Binh Le Xuan, designer; Tellervo Vaitinen, teacher
2007 Irina Ossipowski, teacher; Sari Kanervo, project manager
2008 Selim Selimi, executive officer; Päivi Talvinen, specialised social worker
2009 Ahmed Al Chibib, entrepreneur; Ismo Laine, teacher
2010 Hasan Habib, Chairman of Sondip ry and Chairman of Yhdessä Yhdistys; Turku Women's Centre for action against honour-related violence.
2011 Wali Hashi, reporter; Annika Hongisto, Principal of Turun Normaalikoulu, and  Turun Normaalikoulu for action supporting multicultural and intercultural activities at primary school level.