University of Helsinki | The Prince of Monaco visited a research station in Lapland

Helsinki|university of Helsinki

of Monaco prince Albert II visited the University of Helsinki’s Värriö research station on Tuesday, the research station says on Facebook. The Värriö research station is a research center of the University of Helsinki located in the municipality of Salla, where atmospheric and forest sciences are studied in particular.

“With Ruhtina, we discussed, among other things, arctic research and the increasing importance of Finnish research stations, when in this new geopolitical situation, environmental and climate data can no longer be obtained from Russia in the same way as before”, the director of the research station Mikko Sipilä tells HS.

According to Sipilä, Albert II has supported the operation of the station through his foundation, especially in connection with international Arctic cooperation. The prince was accompanied on the visit by the director of his research foundation Olivier Venden.

“The prince was clearly aware of these issues and knew what they were talking about. We were very much on the same page with him that the change in the Arctic environment and climate change are a serious threat and that science and research are needed,” Sipilä describes.

The prince and his entourage visited the station at the invitation of the rector of the University of Helsinki and visited Rovaniemi earlier in the day, where he was received by the rectors of the universities of Helsinki and Lapland. Among others, the mayor of Salla visited the research station with the prince Erkki Parkkinen and professor of forest-atmosphere interactions at the University of Helsinki Jaana Bäck.