The Annual Report starts with reviews by Mayor Juhana Vartiainen and City Manager Jukka-Pekka Ujula. They both reflect on the events of the past year from the City’s perspective.
In the final mayoral review of Vartiainen’s four-year term, he mentions that last year the City continued its active international influencing in European and global networks and its cooperation with other cities.
“All in all, last year was an interesting one. As a City, we navigated the many challenges of our time with good cooperation and resilience. It is with some wistfulness that I move on with my career, confident that Helsinki will remain in good hands,” says outgoing Mayor Vartiainen.
Helsinki invested in sustainability, responsibility and equity
We developed more comprehensive opportunities for residents to participate. We regularly organised various events to increase resident participation, such as the mayor’s resident evenings, regional resident events and resident panels at community houses. In the OmaStadi voting, we paid particular attention to accessibility, equity and pluralism.
Helsinki’s tourism continued to grow. In July and August 2024, we reached an all-time record for registered overnight stays.
Multi-professional cooperation for the benefit of Helsinki residents, tourists and entrepreneurs
The City Executive Office, Education Division, Urban Environment Division, Culture and Leisure Division and Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division provide summaries of their activities in 2024.
The Annual Report also provides interesting general information about Helsinki, covering topics such as the City organisation, decision-making and representatives of the City Council, City Board and sub-committees. The Annual Report also lists the City’s committees and boards. The personnel section includes information on the number of staff by division, among other things. The 2024 financial statements allow you to examine the City’s income and expenses. The City Group section presents more figures in summary form.
The City of Helsinki’s divisions are responsible for the basic tasks of the City
The Education Division oversees the City of Helsinki’s early childhood education, pre-primary education, basic education, general upper secondary education, vocational education and training provided in Finnish and liberal adult education.
The Urban Environment Division is in charge of planning, building and maintaining Helsinki’s urban environment, as well as the City’s building control and environmental services.
The Culture and Leisure Division maintains and improves the opportunities of Helsinki residents of all ages to foster their mental and physical wellbeing, learning and active citizenship. The Division also supports the vitality of Helsinki. The Division is responsible for library materials, museum and art museum collections and maintaining cultural heritage. The Division also takes care of regulatory duties related to fostering the cultural environment.
The Social Services, Health Care and Rescue Services Division is tasked with increasing Helsinki residents’ wellbeing, health and safety by providing them with timely, equal, functional and high-quality services. Helsinki is the only municipality in Finland that provides social, health care and rescue services to its residents itself.
Finland's capital continues to grow and develop
In the Annual Report, the City Manager also gives his view of the past year, his first full year with the City of Helsinki. According to his review, Helsinki has grown and developed as a city over this decade, whether measured by the number of residents or the number of new jobs. A developing capital is a positive thing for the whole of Finland, but it is particularly good for Helsinki residents and the city’s vitality.
“I have enjoyed working for the people of Helsinki, as each day is new and different. My goal is to promote the interests of Helsinki and Finland in every possible way,” says City Manager Ujula.