HARMONY. A QUEST FOR MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING. Finland The Happiness project by the Map 6 Collective. “When you stand in the forest and look up at the trees, your own problems seem small.” A common Finnish proverb. At this critical time, with the world facing issues of global health, environmental problems and a devastating war at the forefront, MAP6’s Finland: The Happiness Project explores themes around the United Nations’ World Happiness Report, which in 2022 ranked Finland as the most content nation for the fifth year running. Although Finland is affluent, the United Nations says it’s not money alone that makes a country happy but six key factors: personal income, social support, life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and levels of corruption. Finland scores well on all of these but particularly so on generosity; the nation’s social safety net combined with personal freedom and a good work–life balance gives it the edge. With this in mind, MAP6 visited Finland to try to understand why its people are so happy. The resulting nine projects with diverse viewpoints come together as a collective whole that questions and presents ideas about how we can live healthier, happier and more positive lives: At the forefront of our project we are investigating themes of harmony, mutual understanding, well-being and contentment within the social landscape. In a world that seems more divisive than ever how can a society function successfully and live in Harmony. The nine individual projects included the following themes. Finland’s sustainable timber industry
 sauna as a key aspect of Finnish well-being
 how personal comfort zones relate to social codes and behaviour
 the link between landscape and national identity
 nature reflected in culture, design and organic architecture
 how architecture can promote healthy living
 the sea as a place to gain perspective
 walking as a way of reflecting upon self and society
 a study of a town ranked as the most satisfied in Finland. Although each individual photographer has created their own project, the ambition of the collective is that each project can be exhibited together as one body of work. Brief Individual project statements. Green Gold – Richard Chivers Finland’s forests are its ‘green gold’. From the economic, environmental, social and cultural points of view, forests are Finland’s most important natural feature. Finns live and holiday in the forests, and the forests provide huge economic benefits for Finland’s economy – including products that are recyclable and tackle climate change, having billions of users every day. Metsänpeitto – Rich Cutler Finns and forests intertwine through history to the present. The forest has provided shelter and sustenance for millennia. But the forest can be perilous too. This was apparent during the Second World War, when the Finns fought Soviet soldiers among the pines and birches. Unsurprisingly, the forest is a frequent motif in Finnish mythology. Today, forests still cover most of the land and continue to shape Finnish culture with its hallmarks of egalitarianism and respect for nature. This project, Metsänpeitto, is an exploration of Finland through its forests and myths. The Happiest Place on Earth – Barry Falk Finland was named the world’s happiest country by the United Nations in 2018, based on polls from 156 countries. A second survey found that Kauniainen’s 9,600 residents were the most satisfied in Finland, leading the local mayor, Christoffer Masar, to joke that theirs was ‘the happiest town on earth’. The Happiest Place on Earth is a photographic exploration of Kauniainen and its inhabitants. Blue Mind – Mitch Karunaratne This is what happens when you let your mind drift to find what it needs then allow it to stay and settle, finding a new rhythm, that moves slowly and gives you time to grow. This is what happens when you allow yourself to be absorbed, to notice, to find that profound quietness of mind. This is what water can do. Within the Rigid Exists Fluidity – Chloe Lelliott The quiet beauty of the forests and lakes along with the extreme seasons are all soul-forming elements of Finnish life. A regard for utilitarianism is reflected in Finnish design, which embraces sustainability, functionality and a simple beauty. There is a harmony and respect between what is man-made and the natural world, with the organic forms of the architecture acting as a constant reminder of the beauty of nature. Comfort Zone Helsinki – Raoul Ries This series explores openness to strangers and trust as main factors in individuals’ happiness. I asked strangers in Helsinki if I could take their picture from various distances ranging from public and social spaces to personal and intimate spaces. As soon as a person indicated I was getting too close, I stopped photographing. I consider each of these sessions as a generous gift of both time and trust. Löyly – Heather Shuker The sauna as a sanctuary in Finland. “The sauna is dear to me, almost sacred. My father was born in one, and his dying wish was to bathe  in a sauna one last time. Your body sighs with relief when the first ladleful of water hits the sizzling stove. The experience is topped off with a dive into a pure, clear lake. What else does a human being need?” By Olli Rehn A Mood of Joy – David Sterry In principle, we should be able to sense a mood of joy within all of our surroundings. Helsinki is known as the ‘city of architecture’. The city is a loose, spacious, unstructured arrangement of buildings shaped by its relationship with the sea. The architecture (originally neo-classical and romantic and more latterly organic modernism) produces many unexpected ‘moments of joy’. I have attempted to capture some of these moments in the city’s places, spaces and materials.    Wanderings – Paul Walsh Most of the world is heading in a direction where we experience our lives through technology, yet people in Finland retain a strong connection with the natural world, and understand the role it can play in an individual’s well-being. Walking is Finland's most popular form of exercise, and to explore the unique relationship that Finns have with nature, I went on a number of walks with people living in Finland. Each person chose the walk, and led me along the way, while I made photographs to accompany our conversations. To view the project visit the MAP 6 website. https://www.map6.co.uk The project was exhibited at the Brighton Photo Fringe in 2020. The project has also been published as a book in April 2022.