Regulation, innovation sustainability and consumers are the themes for the the Helsinki Chemicals Forum, taking place on May 27-29 2009 in Helsinki. This international multi-stakeholder forum will bring together influential actors in academic research, politics, non-governmental bodies, human interest groups and industry to discuss the future of the whole chemical sector.
The forum’s four theme sessions, moderated by internationally noted speakers and panellists, will be: chemical industry regulation; competitiveness and innovation; safety and sustainability; chemistry and consumers.
The common objective of the forum and its panel sessions is to set a Helsinki Agenda. According to the organizers, the forum will become a yearly milestone in shaping the agenda for safe and sustainable development, manufacturing and the use of chemicals, to create a better life worldwide.
“As an open forum, the forum will encourage the cross functional conversation and exchange of ideas related to the chemical industry, environmental issues and scientific research. The forum brings together industry leaders and other decision-makers to shape the common agenda for a better life and environment,” said Mr Kyösti Sysiö, secretary general of Helsinki Chemicals Forum 2009, in a company press release.
The speakers at the opening ceremony are Stavros Dimas, European Commissioner for the environment; Geert Dancet, executive director of the European Chemicals Agency; Mauri Pekkarinen, Finland’s Minister of Economic Affairs, and Jussi Pajunen, Mayor of Helsinki.
Between the theme sessions there will be keynote addresses from Achim Steiner, executive director of UNEP and Ambassador Minoru Shibuya, chairperson of the Conference of States Parties of the OPCW. At the gala dinner, the keynote address will be given by Paavo Lipponen, former Finnish Prime Minister and dpeaker of parliament. Matti Vanhanen, Prime Minister of Finland, will give the closing comments at the closing luncheon.
The Helsinki Chemicals Forum is being organized by the Chemicals Forum Association in cooperation with the EU Commission and its Chemical Agency ECHA, with partners that include the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, the City of Helsinki, Greater Helsinki Promotion Ltd, the Chemical Industry Federation of Finland and the University of Helsinki.