Green Week 2019: Opening ceremony on 17 January at the CityCube Berlin

The opening ceremony of the International Green Week Berlin 2019 (18 - 27 Jan.) will take place on 17 January at the CityCube Berlin, beginning at 6 p.m. Finland, the partner country of the fair, is organising the programme of cultural events and the reception that will follow, to which more than 3,600 guests of honour and delegations from around 100 countries have been invited. Dr. Christian Göke, Chief Executive Officer of Messe Berlin GmbH, and Berlin’s Governing Mayor Michael Müller will hold opening speeches. Also speaking will be Chairman of the Federal Association of the German Food and Drink Industries Dr. Wolfgang Ingold, President of the German Farmers’ Union Joachim Rukwied, EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan, and Finland’s Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Jari Leppä. Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture Julia Klöckner will open the 84th International Green Week Berlin. At the opening ceremony of the International Green Week Finland, the partner country of the event, will take the guests on a tour of the world’s northernmost agricultural state with a presentation of its cultural and culinary highlights, with music and dance performances as well as local dishes.

Finland’s show programme: a jazz virtuoso and award-winning dance performance

With Iiro Rantala, the partner country is bringing one of Europe’s hottest jazz pianists to Berlin. A pianist and composer, he is one of Finland’s best-known musicians on the international stage. He recently played for Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on his state visit to the Republic of Finland, where he met President Sauli Niinistö. Iiro Rantala’s show will feature his entire range, from jazz to classical works, and musically will reflect Finland’s four seasons and the accompanying moods of the Finnish people. Afterwards, the dance ensemble VäkeväCollective will perform its award-winning piece Trinomia, which in 2013 won first prize at the International Choreography Contest of Kajaani Dance. The piece by this group of artists from Helsinki combines traditional elements of Finnish folk dance with nature’s dynamism in the country’s north. It will be performed to the accompaniment of the traditional kantele, a Finnish plucked string instrument, and bass tones. Tuomas Mikkola is responsible for the choreography, Maija Kauhanen for the music, and Mitja Nylund for the vocals. The directors are Tuomas Mikkola and Outi Markkula.

Reception by the partner country: Finland’s national team of chefs put on a show

The reception after this event will feature fresh aromas from the trendy cuisine of the north. The food will be prepared by Finland’s national team of chefs, who took sixth place at the 2018 Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg. On the menu of Finnish dishes by this new, young team will be beetroot with goat’s cheese, nordic shrimp, salmon with traditional unleavened barley bread, steak tartare from Finnish highland cattle – raised in Artic conditions – braised pork cheeks in an onion crust and Jerusalem artichoke, and oat and cheese croquettes. For those with a sweet tooth there will be cheesebread pudding, a traditional Finnish dessert, as well as blueberry panna cotta. The partner country will also be serving authentic beverages, of the kind consumed in Finland. Guests can try out Finnish craft beers from the Bryggeri Helsinki in Berlin brewery, as well as Koskenkorva, the country’s most famous vodka. Last year Altia, which produces Koskenkorva, won the ’Green Company of the Year 2018’ at the Drinks Business Green Awards.

Opening tour on 18 January at 8 a.m.

Together, Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture Julia Klöckner and Governing Mayor of Berlin Michael Müller will head the opening tour of the International Green Week Berlin 2019. The tour will take place on 18 January, beginning at 8 a.m. on the stand of this year’s partner country Finland in Hall 10.2, in the presence of Finland’s Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Jari Leppä.

Press materials:Gruene Woche

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