In Finland we have different types of famous people. We have composers like Jean Sibelius; architects like Alvar Aalto, Presidents like Tarja Halonen and the former president Martti Ahtisaari, who had a big influence abroad. We have film directors like the brothers Aki and Mika Kaurismäki, and of course Renny Harlin. We have a lot of famous people in sports like Teemu Selänne, Sami Kapanen, Jari Litmanen, and Sami Hyypiä. And of course the formula one drivers Mika Häkkinen, Mika Salo and Kimi Räikkönen.

Finland’s greatest composer Jean Sibelius was born 8.12.1865. His Kullervo symphony, which was completed in 1892, started the period when Finnish music was based on the legends of the national epic, The Kalevala. His symphony poem, Finlandia, completed in 1899, became a symbol of a Finland’s bid for influence. Sibelius was well known for his works in the theatre. Such as king Kristian II, Death, Pelleas and Melisande and the Tempest, and his numerous works on the violin and on the piano. He was also a very successful songwriter.

Young people and older who are interested in sports know best the football players who play in England. The four excellent players in Britain are Sami Hyypiä and Jari Litmanen who play for Liverpool, the young promise Mikael Forssell who plays for Chelsea and the goalkeeper Jussi Jääskeläinen who plays currently for Bolton. There are of course other players who play in Britain. Simo Valakari plays for Derby and in Scotland Finland’s national goalkeeper Antti Niemi plays for Hearts.

If we have in Finland famous football players we have also famous ice Hockey players such as Teemu Selänne who plays for San Jose Sharks, Sami Kapanen who plays for Carolina, Janne Niinimaa who plays for Edmonton Oilers, Jani hurme who plays for Ottawa Senators, and Aki Berg who plays for Tampa Bay Lighting. We have other players in NHL but these are the players who get to play a lot.
  Finland’s probably most famous player is Jari Kurri. When he started his career in the NHL he played for Edmonton Oilers. He was a dangerous man along with probably the world’s greatest hockey player ever, Wayne Gretzky. When they played together Edmonton won the Stanley Cup several times. When Kurri ended his ice hockey career he played for Los Angeles Kings. Now he one of the coaches for Finland’s national team. The head coach is Hannu Aravirta.

In Hollywood we have one man who is Finnish and quite famous. Renny Harlin is a director and a producer in Hollywood. He has made a couple famous movies such as Cliffhanger, Die Hard II, Deep Blue Sea, the Long Kiss Goodnight and his latest movie Driven. In Cliffhanger and Driven Sylvester Stallone is starring, and in Die Hard II Bruce Willis is the star. In the Long Kiss Goodnight and Deep Blue Sea Samuel L. Jackson is the star, and a couple other actors.

In computing we have Linus Torvalds. He wrote a computer operating system in college and gave millions of copies away. In 1997 Nokia had granted its award to Linus Torvalds, creator of the Linux operating system and one of the most famous young Finnish researchers in the area of the information technology in the world. The award was 50,000 FIM. When Linus came up with the famous Linux operating system, he said that he started working it as if it was a hobby. Quite a hobby it became!

Another famous person in Finland is Tarja Halonen. She was the first woman to become president in Finland. Four years before there was a tight competition between Martti Ahtisaari and Elisabeth Rhen. Rhen almost became president, but in the end Ahtisaari passed her. Ahtisaari and Rhen both have had big influences abroad. Tarja Halonen is still active a couple of years.

Tarja Halonen

Made by: Kim Lappalainen