Page 8 - Kotouttamisohjelma_2014-2020_inEnglish

3. Background, preparation and general goals of the city’s Integra-
tion Programme

3.1. Background to the Integration Programme

The National Integration Programme (2012–2015) is a concrete operational programme
through which there is an attempt to make integration measures on the national level
more effective with regard to planning, realization and follow-up. The Integration Pro-
gramme emphasizes the participation of immigrants in all social activities as well as good
ethnic relations and their consideration in all documents guiding this work. An important
point of departure for the programme is the linkage of civil society and its organizations
with the integration effort.

Regionally speaking, matters concerning immigration have been set out as policy in Lap-
land‟s immigration strategy published in January, 2013. It has been formulated as provin-
cial and multidisciplinary network cooperation, and its goal is to set policy with regard to
immigration- and integration-based development work for the next five years. The pur-
pose is that the strategy would function also as a basis in the municipalities for integration
programmes composed on the local level, consonant with the Act on the Integration of
Immigrants and Reception of Asylum Seekers. Lapland‟s immigration strategy is described
in a condensed manner in Appendix 9.

Internationality is strongly in the fore in Rovaniemi‟s urban strategy (2013–2016) as well
as in the city‟s internationalization strategy. The areas of priority in Rovaniemi's interna-
tionalization strategy are the promotion of internationality in industry and livelihoods, in-
ternational project operations, immigrants, intensification of international communications,
consolidation of expertise amongst the personnel of Rovaniemi's city organization, the
growth of children and youth into internationality, training, research, culture, physical ex-
ercise and sport, as well as sister city operations.

Rovaniemi‟s internationalization strategy is from 2005 and its update effort has been
launched. In the update work, the thematic areas that have first priority in international
operations are specified, so that the procedures better match the current situation in the
changing operational environment. The role of Rovaniemi‟s city organization is also
brought to the fore in the programme in the international activities of the city / city com-
munity. The Integration Programme of the City of Rovaniemi is part of the town‟s interna-
tionalization programme.

3.2 Preparation of Rovaniemi’s Integration Programme

Material produced in the programme has been utilized in various workshops. Proposals put
forward by Rovaniemi residents concerning participation, equality and influence were dealt
with during the period of 28 October – 4 December 2012. The INNo sessions realized with
the Future Workshop method consisted of open groups in which all city inhabitants had

5