Welcome Address

Mr President of the Rebublic of Finland,Speakers,Presidents,Dear AllIt is an honor for me to greet you all, welcome to ÅlandOur islands are often mentioned as the Islands of Peace. The Åland Autonomy as well as the status as demilitarized and neutralized zone in the middle of the Baltic Sea is an international solution where several of your countries took part. Åland gained its autonomy in 1921. It was a decision by the League of Nations. One important cornerstone was the security in the Baltic. A decision which still is valid today and is a guarantee for the security in the Baltic Sea.I wish we will have a rewarding conference, the topics on the agenda are current and urgent, interesting and forward-thinking. Besides a successful conference I wish you will learn about Åland, our Autonomy, our demilitarized status, our business life and about our everydaylife on a sunny and windy island in the Baltic SeaThe Baltic Sea separate us but also unite us. It is the same Sea we leave to our children and grand-children to sail and to swim in.I hope we will come to smart solutions together and find ways forward for the environment and humanity. It's just us who live around the Baltic Sea who are the best experts to set the agenda for it.Together, large countries and small islands we protect the Baltic Sea.Thank you all for coming. I wish you all the best days in Åland, interesting debates and that many friendships are linked, that itself is a guarantee of cooperation and for peace!Välkomna