cafebabel.com

Super 8 'The Detour': shared memory of northern Europe

('Ja\xc5\xa1a Pipan',) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 12:47:22 -0000

When Tallinn in Estonia and Turku in Finland were nominated to be 'European capitals of culture' in 2011, two young French directors and former architects captured the opportunity to make a unique story about a region extending beyond frontiers

Finland's Sami minority: new cultural centre but no land rights

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:15:00 -0000

Finland's Sami people are slowly gaining legal recognition, with a new cultural centre in Inari being launched in 2012. However, the minority continues to suffer injustice with respect to land-law. Tanja Joona from the northern institute for environmental and minority law explains a problem which doesn't look set to disappear

Identikit of a pure, indigenous European

('Aatish Pattni',) — Thu, 26 May 2011 12:30:00 -0000

The True Finns are the third largest political party in Finland. Are these nationalists and eurosceptics an exception to the rule in their Nordic region? Alongside the new leader of the National Front party in France, Marine Le Pen, the collection of ‘Indigenous Britons’ in the UK and Italy's Northern League, Europe has never been more inhabited by so-called ‘pure’ Europeans. There are fewer than they would have us believe; at the risk of scaring those who wish it to stay that way

Reindeerspotting director Joonas Neuvonen: story of a Finnish junkie

('Nicola Potter',) — Mon, 09 May 2011 12:00:00 -0000

Reindeerspotting - Escape from Santaland, a Finnish documentary about drug addicts, is a film that you will probably never see at the cinema. Widely criticised in Finland, where it is accused of promoting the use of hard drugs, it’s been a viral hit. Could this be the birth of the internet version 2.0 of Trainspotting?

Nokia, suicide and murder: Finland world's top country?

('Hanna Haapakoski',) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 17:07:17 -0000

A 27-year-old Finnish social sciences and economics postgraduate takes our challenge to skim the surface and paint a portrait of the country she was born in, and which US magazine Newsweek has voted the 'world's best country'. The pros outweigh the cons, she assures us

Becoming an atheist? Renounce your religion online

('Tim Mac an Airchinnigh',) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 17:09:21 -0000

The internet transformed our relationship with organised religion; it could now become its downfall. In 2009, Irish website Countmeout.ie caused an international stir by offering a quick, simple way to leave the catholic church. Panorama on how Europe's muslims, christians and jews exchange faith for freedom of speech

Why Scandinavians do life better

('Sarah Pybus',) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 17:45:00 -0000

Public spirit, political life, way of life, welfare state...short analysis on why people from Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland might be happier with life than the rest of us Europeans

Sauna, an A-level in drinking beer: my erasmus semester in Tampere, Finland

('Ellie Banks',) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:00:00 -0000

Scandinavia is continuously highly rated in the Pisa classifications, and in between reindeers and Santa Claus, I recommend you all spend an erasmus semester in Tampere

Le Corps Mince de Francoise: 'fuck off saying we’re trendy. We sing about what we are'

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:14:35 -0000

The trio hail from Helsinki, record in Berlin and are managed in the UK. We meet in Paris to dissect their pan-European wanderings and find out why exactly they diss boys and Finland so much in their screamy surface pop-experimental sound

One day at the European parliament in Strasbourg

('Soili Semkina',) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:41:37 -0000

For one week in each month the European parliament travels to Strasbourg to make decisions. The EP microcosmos runs in full speed in its Louise Weiss building. But how does it all really work?

Europe has voted: so what's the trend?

('euro topics',) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 12:00:00 -0000

From 4 - 7 June 2009 the citizens of the 27 EU member states cast their votes for a new European parliament. The voter turnout was relatively low, but the trends are clear to see. In many countries right-wing parties gained a larger share of the vote while national governments were punished. The press in Holland, Poland, Italy, Finland, Austria and Hungary speak

Baby soldiers and peacekeeping in Kosovo: why choose the army?

('Alexandra Baxter',) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:31:53 -0000

Tomi, a lively and remarkably blond 24-year-old Finn, speaks candidly about the six months he spent in Kosovo as a volunteer in the NATO-UN peacekeeping campaign. Along with 105 other young compatriots, among them four girls, he was deployed to the Balkans to serve for the UN

Mika Waltari: from Helsinki to Istanbul

('Media Consulta',) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:13:44 -0000

2008: the EU’s year for intercultural dialogue and the centenary of Finnish writer Mika Waltari’s birth, who travelled Helsinki to Istanbul by train in 1929. For the integration train, Turkey may be only a stop along the way, but a necessary one. Imaginary journey via Berlin

Åland - å land neither Finnish nor Swedish

('Angela Steen',) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:00:00 -0000

The 26, 000 islanders of this archipelago neighbouring Finland have the power to shape the future of Europe

Go out in April: Uppsala, nerds and witches

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Enjoy the year's first rays at Walpurgis night in Sweden, a vintage computer festival in Munich or the spring festival in Seville

British band The Cure are back

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 03:52:00 -0000

Plus charming French-Finnish duo 'The Duo', a tasty Swedish morsel of Jens Lekman, chic Danes 'The Fashion' and slightly unusual Italians Avvolte Kristheda - the best bands in March

Finland: Europe's newest nuclear plant

('Angela Steen',) — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 11:00:00 -0000

'I never get an answer when I ask Iran what they plan to do with the enriched uranium they produce,' EU foreign chief Javier Solana said on 30 January. While the Iranian president waits for the west, we take a Nordic diversion

Constitution tension ... in a Finnish sauna

('Angela Steen',) — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Temperatures soar as a group of young European journalists get steamed up about the Lisbon Treaty

November pick of Europe's best culture events

Fri, 02 Nov 2007 12:00:00 -0000

From Helsinki avant-garde cinema to factory fairs in Switzerland, your guide on where to be a culture vulture this month

Animal protection: Romania the black sheep

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 03:16:00 -0000

Roberto Bennati, vice-president of the Italian anti-vivisection league, on a new European legislation

School holidays end in the west

('Sarah Turpin',) — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 00:00:00 -0000

Millions of European students are (almost) heading back to their desks

July culture vulture

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 12:00:00 -0000

Between Italian jazz and Nordic tango, Slovenian saxophone and Scottish rock, Spanish bull running and German contemporary art – check out the July issue of our Vultures for Culture calendar

Eastern Europe dominate Eurovision

Mon, 14 May 2007 11:51:00 -0000

Over to Belgrade next year, as Serbian singer Marija Šerifovi, 23, wins the 2007 song contest. Ukraine and Russia came second and third in Helsinki on 12 May

Serbia win Eurovision

Fri, 11 May 2007 12:00:00 -0000

Inaugarated one year before the treaty of Rome in 1957, the Eurovision Song Contest celebrates European diversity. All eyes are on Helsinki during 5-12 May

Paper mills of discord along the Uruguay River

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 12:00:00 -0000

By building pulp mills, Finnish global corporation Botnia 'is willing to export pollution' along the binational stream, Argentina claims. Their announcements of further highway blockades is disrupting trade and travel

Continental blues

Sun, 17 Dec 2006 12:00:00 -0000

The French consume 65 million boxes of antidepressants every year. The Baltic states have the highest suicide rates, but Italians are among the least affected

EU Presidency: the Finns bow out

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 12:00:00 -0000

It’s not only the final European council of 2006 that is taking place between 14 - 15 December. It also marks the swan song of the Finnish presidency, which will be heard by EU leaders in Brussels

Violent men: Europe's static south-north gradient

('Emily Griffins',) — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 12:00:00 -0000

Currently, one in five women in Europe is a victim of violence. Despite the lack of official statistics, the situation in the south mirrors that of the north

Quirky customs and tantalising traditions

Mon, 24 Jul 2006 02:00:00 -0000

The breeze is warm, school is over and festivals mushroom all over Europe. But the traditional joys of warm beer, rock get-togethers and muddy camping sites are making way for some more exotic fayres. Discover some of the strange and unheard of festivals that will rock Europe during the coming month. Get ready to pack your bags!