Tea
Stolt de Glanville

It is important that an increasing number of children participate in early childhood education, as it provides them with the foundation for the skills needed in school and society. Ensuring that more children have access to early childhood education is also a matter of equality: all children should have the right to take part in early education, regardless of their socio-economic status. This can be secured, for example, by gradually making early childhood education free of charge.

Digital educational materials are a good complement to textbooks, but there should not be too much digitalisation in schools. Students should not have to spend too much of their school day in front of a screen.

The municipality must ensure that there are sufficient opportunities for exercise and recreation for all residents across different age groups. Physical activity is important for health, and there should also be access to rehabilitative exercise. For those who engage in sports at a more goal-oriented level, there should be sufficiently high-quality sports facilities where they can train and develop. Everyone should have the opportunity to exercise free of charge or at an affordable cost throughout all seasons.

I strongly support equal opportunities for cultural and sports activities. I have been a steering group member in the Equal Oulu2026 project since 2023. I stand behind these words of this particular project: “The municipality must ensure that there are sufficient opportunities for exercise, recreation, and cultural activities for all residents across different age groups. Inclusion increases people’s well-being and trust in others, strengthens their connection to society, and helps prevent social exclusion. Lack of inclusion is common, and communities must work towards achieving true equality. Discriminatory structures need to be identified and dismantled, competence in promoting diversity must be improved, diverse voices should be boldly defended, and safe opportunities for participation must be created for everyone.”

Residents often have a good understanding of which development areas are important to allocate funding to. Therefore, it is beneficial that residents have the opportunity to propose how municipal funds could be used. This is already partially possible. However, the main responsibility for budget matters should rest with the representatives that are democratically elected in the municipal elections, who have an overall understanding of the municipality’s finances, as well as with knowledgeable civil servants. Participatory budgeting could, however, be further developed and tested on a broader scale.

Oulu aims to be a climate-smart and sustainable city. Municipalities in Finland have significant power over climate action through urban planning, energy policies, and transport solutions. Extreme weather and environmental degradation also affect Finland – forests are burning, sea levels are changing, and biodiversity is under threat. Taking action is not optional; it is essential. With the right policies, Oulu can become a role model for other cities in sustainable development.