Tree Planting Ceremony on the Occasion of the 50th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations Between Singapore and Finland, 27 July 2023

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Education and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Maliki Osman participated as the Guest-of-Honour in a tree-planting ceremony at the Singapore Botanic Gardens to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Finland this year. Two rare tree species of the Diospyros collection were planted, which will add on to the Gardens’ valuable collection of more than 70 species.

In his remarks delivered during the ceremony, Minister Maliki noted that Singapore-Finland relations are characterised by robust economic ties and close collaboration in areas such as education, urban planning, and sustainability. Both countries also boast world-class education systems, with a common commitment to innovation, holistic development, and lifelong learning. In this context, the planting of trees not only symbolises the enduring and flourishing friendship between Singapore and Finland, but also represents the growing people-to-people linkages that underpin the bilateral relationship, serving as platforms for exchanges of knowledge, understanding, experience and culture between Singaporeans and the Finnish people.

The event was jointly organised by the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NParks and the Embassy of Finland in Singapore. Minister Maliki was joined by Ambassador of Finland to Singapore His Excellency Antti Vänskä, Non-Resident Ambassador of Singapore to Finland Professor Cheong Koon Hean, Chief Executive Officer of the National Parks Board (NParks) Ms Hwang Yu-Ning, student representatives from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Singapore University for Technology and Design (SUTD), and members of the Finnish community in Singapore.

        A similar tree-planting ceremony will take place at Kalasatama Park in Helsinki on 28 August 2023. Singapore will be represented by Honorary Consul-General of Singapore in Helsinki Dr Heikki Kyöstilä. These tree-planting events celebrate the strong friendship between Singapore and Finland and underscore both countries’ commitment towards environmental sustainability and conservation.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

23 JULY 2023

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TRANSCRIPT OF MINISTER IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE, SECOND MINISTER FOR EDUCATION, AND SECOND MINISTER FOR FO

REIGN AFFAIRS DR MALIKI OSMAN’S

REMARKS AT THE TREE PLANTING CEREMONY

His Excellency Antti Vänskä, Ambassador of Finland to Singapore,

Prof Cheong Koon Hean, Ambassador of Singapore to Finland,

Ms Hwang Yu-Ning, Chief Executive of NParks,

Distinguished Guests, ladies and gentlemen.

        I am delighted to join you this morning at the Singapore Botanic Gardens for this tree-planting event to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Finland. It is a significant milestone that marks half a century of friendship and cooperation between our two nations.

2       The act of planting a tree is highly symbolic. We know that it represents hope, resilience, and the promise of a brighter future. Just as these saplings will take root and grow into strong trees one day, I am certain the enduring friendship between Singapore and Finland will continue to develop and flourish.

3       Over the years, Singapore’s relations with Finland have been characterised by robust economic ties and close collaboration in areas such as education, urban planning, and sustainability. I am planning to visit Finland later in the year to study the Finnish education system, as is a “rite of passage” for every Singaporean education minister.

4       Our bilateral trade continues to grow steadily every year, with Finland being one of Singapore’s key trading and investment partners in the Nordics. As shared by Ambassador Vänskä earlier, our people-to-people ties are also strong. We have learnt, and will continue to learn, from each other’s world-class education systems, with emphasis on holistic development and life-long learning.

5       Our institutes of higher learning have established partnerships, and I am glad that we are joined today by students from NUS and SUTD as well as members of the Finnish community in Singapore. Like the network extension of roots that absorb vital nutrients that nourishes trees, our people-to-people linkages serve as important bridges between our two countries, creating platforms for an exchange of knowledge, understanding, experience and culture that buttress the broader bilateral relationship. I would also like to encourage the students here today to continue their exchanges and build strong people-to-people ties.

6       The Singapore-Finland relationship has come a long way since we first established diplomatic relations on 7 February 1973. Let us also look forward to even stronger and closer ties between our two countries, just as how the trees we are planting today, will blossom and grow. Thank you.

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About the Trees Planted

The genus Diospyros boasts economically important species, such as the ebony and persimmon. The Diospyros collection is part of Singapore Botanic Gardens’ ex situ collections, aiding conservation and research. The two species below will add on to this valuable assemblage of more than 70 species:

Diospyros venosa, tree belonging to the Ebenaceae family. It is native to Southeast Asia, from the Maluku Islands to Myanmar. It provides raw material for handicrafts, traditional medicine and fuel.

Diospyros filipendula,  tree belonging to the Ebenaceae family. It can be found in Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia where it is distributed mainly in tropical rainforest areas.

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About Singapore-Finland Relations

Singapore and Finland established diplomatic relations on 7 February 1973. Our political leaders have had regular exchanges on the sidelines of international fora, with Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan meeting then-Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto on the sidelines of the 77^th United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2022, and on the sidelines of the 2^nd Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum in Stockholm, Sweden in May 2023.

There are more than 200 Finnish companies in Singapore, including Neste Oil, the world’s largest supplier of renewable diesel, and Nokia. Our education institutes have forged partnerships with Finnish institutes of higher education and with regular exchanges between students of both countries.

Finland is also a strong supporter of Singapore’s observership at the Arctic Council. We have collaborated with the Finnish Embassy and the Canadian High Commission to organise the “Ice in the Tropics” seminar and photo exhibition in November 2017 to raise public awareness on Arctic issues in Singapore and Southeast Asia.

Singapore is represented by Non-Resident Ambassador to Finland Professor Cheong Koon Hean, and our Honorary Consul-General in Helsinki Dr Karl Heikki Kyöstilä. Finland is represented in Singapore by Ambassador Antti Vänskä since June 2019.

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Photo Caption: Minister Maliki, Finnish Ambassador Antti Vänskä, Non-Resident Ambassador to Finland Prof Cheong Koon Hean, and CEO of NParks Ms Hwang Yu-Ning are joined by students from NUS, SUTD, and members of the Finnish community in Singapore for the Tree Planting ceremony.

Photo Credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore

Photo Caption: Minister Maliki and Finnish Ambassador Antti Vänskä planting the new trees. [L to R: Ambassador Vänskä and Minister Maliki]

Photo Credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore

Photo Caption: Minister Maliki, Finnish Ambassador Antti Vänskä, and students from NUS, SUTD, and the Finnish community watering the newly planted trees.

[L to R: CEO/NParks Ms Hwang Yu-Ning, NRA to Finland Prof Cheong Koon Hean, Finnish student at Princeton University Rasmus Makela, SUTD student Kong Le’Ann Norah, Ambassador Vänskä, Minister Maliki, and NUS student Lee Yan Liang]

Photo Credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore