Today, for the seventh year in a row, Finland has been named the happiest country in the world by the annual United Nations World Happiness Report*, holding the top title since 2018.

Finns are proud and grateful for this prestigious title, believing that the key to their unique style of happiness is found in four basic elements: a close connection to nature, a down to earth lifestyle, food from fresh ingredients, and a sustainable approach to life.

Finnish happiness, according to Finns themselves, is not a state secret or great mystery but instead, a learnable set of skills or combination of lifehacks. From a walk in the forest or a dip in the sea after sauna to a meal made of freshly foraged local ingredients, these are the daily hacks of Finnish happiness.

Last year Finns shared their happiness during the world’s first Happiness Masterclass in the unspoilt serenity of the Lakeland region. This year, Visit Finland is teaming up with Helsinki Partners to reveal the source of urban happiness – the team of Helsinki Happiness Hackers will present their happiness life hacks for a content and peaceful life.

The Helsinki Happiness Hackers are five regular yet distinct Helsinkians who will share their tips and tricks for happiness in the city.

“There is an old Finnish proverb that states ‘the one who has happiness, should hide it’. As the world’s happiest country since 2018, we have decided to take the old phrase and update it, making our modern motto: ‘the one who has happiness, should share it.’ We are excited to invite people from around the world to learn about our Finnish keys and hacks to happiness,” comments Heli Jimenez, Senior Director, International Marketing at Business Finland. “In 2023, we invited global happiness seekers to the world’s first Happiness Masterclass and this year we are thrilled to share an authentic slice of Finnish urban happiness in Helsinki from our own Helsinki Happiness Hackers.”

The Helsinki Happiness Hackers are five regular yet distinct Helsinkians who will share their tips and tricks for happiness in the city.

• 70-year old skateboard enthusiast and passionate swimmer, Lena Salmi will reveal the new rules of urban swimming.
• Chef and owner of several restaurants renowned for sustainability, Luka Balac, will share his local approach to social gastronomy.
• Wellbeing expert and biologist Adela Pajunen will expose what the doctor may order in Finland – which may just be a walk in the woods.
• Designer Tero Kuitunen will head out on bike ride to show the roots of urban and nature combine in Helsinki and how this relationship inspires local design and Finnish lifestyle.
• Tapio Hakanen, also known as one of Finland’s biggest electronic music exports DJ Orkidea, will spin on the 1s and 2s at the sauna rave.

Participating in the Helsinki Happiness Hacks urban expedition will be free of charge for the chosen participants. Visit Finland and Helsinki Partners will cover travel expenses to and from Finland. The lucky participants will enjoy a curated five-day experience between 9th and 14th June, 2024, crafted by the group of Helsinki Happiness Hackers, which will guide participants to finding their inner Helsinkian.

Applications are open until April 4, 2024. To apply and find more information, see www.helsinkihappinesshacks.com 

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Visit Finland, a unit of Business Finland, is a national authority on tourism and an active force in promoting international travel to Finland. Its main goal is to develop Finland’s international image as a destination. Visit Finland supports the travel industry through research and helps businesses and groups develop products and services for the international market. For more information, please visit www.visitfinland.com.

Helsinki Partners is a city marketing, investment and talent attraction company owned by the City of Helsinki. Helsinki Partners’ mission is to promote the city’s sustainable growth, to attract investments, businesses, talent and visitors, to conduct international sales and marketing, as well as to build Helsinki’s global brand and reputation.