History of the Association of Poles in Northern Finland
Poles living in the Oulu area have been meeting within their community for many years, but until then our community had never had its own formal organization.
In 2019, at the initiative of Ewa, Elina, Kajetan, Ewa, Sandra, and several others, the Facebook group “Poles in the Oulu Area” was created. This was where we began organizing our first meetings in restaurants, barbecues, and joint trips to the beach, for example to Hailuoto. Over the years, the number of group members has steadily grown and now exceeds 280 people.
We, Poles, really enjoy spending time together and bringing along our Finnish partners and children to these events. Friendships formed during such meetings have lasted for years.
Here is a gallery from our gatherings before the establishment of the Association of Poles in Northern Finland.
The year 2021, despite the ongoing pandemic, was very fruitful for our group. Our May Day celebration in Koitelinkoski and later meetings in restaurants inspired the idea of creating the Association. Having an officially registered organization has made it even easier for us to organize events, thanks to benefits such as free venue rentals and access to external funding sources.
In December 2021, thanks to the spontaneous initiative of Polish parents, we organized a Polish St. Nicholas Day celebration. We sang carols, the children took part in various games and contests, there was delicious food, and, most importantly, St. Nicholas himself visited us, bringing wonderful gifts for both children and adults. It was a fantastic time spent together.
Our initiative also drew the attention of the Consul of the Republic of Poland, Mr. Piotr Płachtański, who not only honored us with his presence but also gifted all the children with beautiful Polish books and games. There were so many that a large part of them was donated to the Polish Language School in Oulu.
At the beginning of 2022, under the umbrella of the Association, we managed to organize joint donut and faworki frying as well as a sledding meeting. The entire year 2022 was rich in events and initiatives organized by the Association, and in the following years – with our growing number of members – we continue to prove the importance and value of our work!
