American Finnish Celebration in Minnesota
Image: YLE
Around 10,000 Americans of Finnish descent are attending the 25th. Finnfest event in the state of Minnesota. President Tarja Halonen is also attending the festivities in the city of Duluth. She has been inaugurated as an honorary doctor of law at Minnesota-Duluth University. Some 600,000 people are classed as American Finns and about 12 percent of the inhabitants of Duluth have Finnish roots. Many residents of Finnish descent strive to maintain old traditions such as the sauna, handicrafts and food. Holding on the Finnish language is, though, a growing difficulty. Despite this some 150 children attend an annual Finnish class in the state. YLE News