SanaSkaba 2025 – Finnish Language Competition highlighted international talent

In autumn 2025, Kuopio hosted SanaSkaba for the very first time – a new event for international talents who want to improve their Finnish language skills. The semifinal took place on September 25th, 2025, at the University of Eastern Finland, and the grand finale was held on October 6th at Kuopio City Hall. The event aimed to encourage international talents to use Finnish in their daily lives, support integration, and build confidence in speaking the language publicly.

Courage, creativity, and community on stage

SanaSkaba featured 14 enthusiastic contestants who had carefully prepared their speeches. The audience heard fluent Finnish, personal stories, and humorous moments about language learning. Topics ranged from cultural differences and Finnish language challenges to reflections on future dreams.

“It has been wonderful to see how international talents have persistently taken on the challenge of learning Finnish and dare to throw themselves into the competition with such spirit,” said Johanna Kerttula, the head judge of the event.

The winner and audience favorite, Thuy Nguyen, impressed everyone with her positivity and incredibly quick mastery of Finnish. Thuy, who is studying to become a nurse, moved from Vietnam to Finland just over a year ago – yet was already joking fluently about how she once almost bought nine kilos of fish instead of one because she mixed up the colloquial words “ysi” (nine) and “yksi” (one). The winner received a €500 prize.

Second place went to Lenka Ovorakova from the Czech Republic, and third place to Will Bosch-Vuononen from Brazil. All finalists were recognized for their outstanding participation.

In her closing words, Thuy encouraged everyone learning Finnish: “Don’t be afraid of the Finnish language – dare to speak. Every mistake is a funny story, and every word brings you closer to Finland.”

International talents enrich Finnish culture

SanaSkaba’s success was made possible through close collaboration and the dedication of many volunteers. The organizers, judges, and audience together created a warm, supportive atmosphere. The event also featured interactive quizzes and live music that got the audience dancing.

Throughout the evening, one message was clear: international professionals bring great value to Finnish culture and society. The first-ever SanaSkaba proved to be a successful and inspiring event that united cultures and showcased motivational stories about learning Finnish. The goal is to make SanaSkaba an annual tradition.

Talent First, Kuhoga Insights, and Maira Asif wish to thank all participants, judges, volunteers, and the audience – together, we made this event a truly memorable experience.

The event was organized in collaboration with Talent Hub Eastern Finland, Kompassi, Anastasiia Pietikäinen, Hemmotteluhuone Kuopio, Ahooy Creative, Vamos Kuopio, and Sudipta Chatterjee.

Watch the recorded live stream of the final on YouTube:The SanaSkaba Grand Finale, Kuopio City Hall (October 6TH 2025)

Photos: Ezekiel Kuhoga and Maira Asif