We have every reason to think that Finland knows everything there is to know about happiness and how to find it. It seems to have a lock on the subject, as it has been named the happiest country in the world for the sixth year running.
What’s more, according to the World Happiness Report 2023 published this week, it wasn’t even close; the Nordic country topped the rankings with a score that was “significantly ahead of all other countries”. The report, which the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network published and a team of independent experts wrote, measures factors including average income and mental and physical health. The data for the report is primarily taken from Gallup’s World Poll.
Now the generous Finns want to share their happiness and they’re offering to show the rest of us how to reach it. After repeated success in the area, “Visit Finland” is now offering ten people the chance to come to the country to learn.
Visit Finland’s “Masterclass of Happiness” is scheduled to take place over four days in June at the Kuru Resort in Finland’s Lake District. Visit Finland will cover all travel and accommodation expenses, which include a private room, access to a private sauna and spa, and all other “essential facilities,” according to Visit Finland’s website.
The trip includes sessions with Finnish experts to learn about nature crafts, food, well-being, health, and balance, according to the website.
Applications are open now until April 2, with hopefuls asked to make an Instagram Reel or a TikTok showing why they “may secretly be a Finn” as part of their application. The participants will also be filmed during the visit with the material used for Visit Finland’s advertising, according to the website.
Heli Jimenez, senior director at the governmental organization Business Finland, said in a press release that Finland’s national happiness “stems from a close relationship with nature and our down-to-earth lifestyle: it’s not some mystical state.”
It is a “skill that can be learned,” she said.
Applicants can apply individually or with a friend or partner. Applications for Visit Finland’s Masterclass in Happiness are open now. To apply for free, see www.findyourinnerfinn.com
