Kokkola needs events like Kipinä

24 October 2022

Kokkola needs events like kipinä

In 2019 I had recently moved back to Kokkola after 23 years abroad. One of first events I attended was Kipinä. I could not believe my eyes when the program progressed and how amazing speakers there were on the stage. Tony Iommi, really, at my hometown? 
Rock on! Needless to say for a middle-aged traveller like me, listening Riku Rantala and Tunna Milonoff from Madventures was really something. How come these guys are still alive and showing up smart casual in the business seminar?
Since that day I have waited for the next Kipinä. Covid-19 prolonged the wait far too much but now we are close, very close. 

Sir Bob Geldof is the big name at Kipinä 2022. While reading about Geldof´s career, it is easy to be impressed, almost exhausted, about all the charity work he has done during the years. With headline “Making a difference”, I am confident his speech will make a real impact in all of us sharing the spirit of Kipinä on November 11th. From the line up I only heard Carl Haglund earlier. While he was the Finnish Minister of Defence, he held an interesting lunch speech at Finnish-Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Stockholm. I remember him as a convincing speaker, and I am really looking forward to hearing his thoughts as CEO of Veritas. In Stockholm the large-scale business seminars were a frequent part of my work life. I miss those days! It is very valuable to meet professionals from different industries, share the ideas and learn from each other’s. 

Why am I writing all this? Because Kokkola needs events like Kipinä. Almost half of the visitors the city gets are business travellers. For a coastal town like us, where the archipelago with picturesque fishing villages is the main attraction, the winter season would be very empty without the city´s vibrant and international industry sector. The Kipinä 2022 is a great reason, or an excuse, for Kokkola-based companies invite customers or colleagues from other entities and combine business and pleasure. All those kick-offs and team activities we missed during covid-19, what a great opportunity to include Kipinä seminar on those. The flight connections are again smooth and Kokkola is well-connected with both Helsinki and Stockholm- Arlanda for those travelling by air. I am curious to see what great opportunities will grow during the day, and not to underestimate the power of afterparty.

Million thanks for the event organisers, as well for the valuable sponsors of Kipinä 2022. You all have given a significant footprint to set Kokkola on the map. 

Author, 

Teea Pietilä
Managing Director of Visit Kokkola

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