# The Ambassador of the Netherlands visited Savonia

> Ulla Pekkarinen was appointed Honorary Consul on Tuesday by the Ambassador.

## Visit Overview
On Tuesday, 20 August 2024, the Dutch Ambassador, H.E. Mr. Govert Bijl de Vroe, visited Savonia University of Applied Sciences. During the visit, the Ambassador highlighted that Savonia and the Kuopio region are interesting and potential partners for the Netherlands.

## Areas of Cooperation
The Ambassador identified three key areas of interest for collaboration:

*   **Water Management:** The Ambassador visited Savonia’s water laboratory and noted that the region's water cluster activities and expertise in water management are highly relevant.
*   **Comprehensive Security:** The Netherlands is currently rebuilding its concept of comprehensive security and is closely following how Finland, particularly Eastern Finland, approaches the topic, including the potential development of a national competence center for comprehensive security in Kuopio.
*   **Tourism:** The Ambassador noted the long-standing participation of Dutch skaters in the Kuopio Ice Marathon, as natural ice skating opportunities have diminished in the Netherlands.

## Appointment of the New Honorary Consul
The primary purpose of the Ambassador's visit was the appointment of a new Honorary Consul for the Netherlands. The ceremony took place on 20 August 2024 at the Savonian Campus Heart, where Ulla Pekkarinen, a Lecturer in Business Studies at Savonia, was officially appointed.

### Role of the Honorary Consul
Honorary Consuls serve as local advisors to the Ambassador and perform various liaison duties, including:
*   Protecting the interests of the Netherlands.
*   Advising and assisting Dutch citizens in the region.
*   Promoting business opportunities between Finland and the Netherlands.
*   Representing the Ambassador when necessary.

Mrs. Pekkarinen was selected for her extensive experience and expertise in the Kuopio business community and university networks. Both the Ambassador and Mrs. Pekkarinen expressed a desire to focus the cooperation on developing joint business opportunities, research collaboration, and other shared activities.

## Dutch Consular Presence in Finland
The Embassy of the Netherlands is located in Helsinki. In addition to the new consulate in Kuopio, the Netherlands maintains honorary consulates in the following locations:
*   Mariehamn
*   Oulu
*   Rovaniemi
*   Turku
*   Vaasa