Photo courtesy of the Finnish GLOBE website, http://www.oph.fi/projektit/globe/tapahtuu/conferen/english/frs_eng.htm
The historic Paasitorni conference center was
the site of the opening ceremonies, student presentations, Internet Cafe,
and Exhibit Hall. The Finnish minister of environment Pekka Haavisto
opened with a welcome to GLE Conference participants, followed by
Mr. Day Mount, USA Ambassador to Iceland and a special videotape prepared
for the conference from Vice President Al Gore. Students from the
Finnish Eno Elementary school played kantele music and their choir sang
a GLOBE song called "We Have All The Instruments".(scientific instruments,
of course!)
Photo courtesy of the Finnish GLOBE website, http://www.oph.fi/projektit/globe/tapahtuu/conferen/english/frs_eng.htm
The great entrance hall in Paasitorni. Here students received registration materials, and generally gathered to meet each other. The first GLOBE student presentations were held in the Congress Hall, up the staircase and to the right. MSD/MSSD's presentation was invited to be one of three student presentations that were part of the opening ceremonies.
Photo credit: Mrs. Geraldine Jones, Mississippi School for the Deaf,
Jackson, MS.
Tyrone, Vinny, and Durrell meet with Markku Lepojarvi, Principal of the Albert School for the Deaf, Helsinki who was one of several people from the Deaf community to attend the student's presentation at the GLOBE Learning Expedition opening ceremonies.
Photo credit: Mrs. Geraldine Jones, Mississippi School for the Deaf,
Jackson, MS.
Marita Saunamaki, Finnish Association of the Deaf, interviews Tyrone and Durrell about their presentation in front of a live video camera. Ms Saunamaki translated the student's comments from ASL into Finnish Sign Language.
In the evening we went to the architecturally beautiful Finlandia Hall for a wonderful buffet (including smoked salmon, Finnish pastries, and raspberry, cream and chocolate tarts!) provided by the city of Helsinki.
Photo credit: Larry Ryan, the GLOBE Program,
University of New Hampshire
The Mayor of Helsinki welcomed the GLOBE Learning
Expedition participants to the beautiful city of Helsinki.