Markus Lyyra, General Secretary of the Association of Finnish Youth in Sweden, recently met with the Finnish President, President Halonen, as Sweden took over the EU Presidency.  Advocating on behalf of the NPLD, Markus Lyyra as an NPLD representative, discussed the issues facing the Network’s languages with the President as Sweden leads the EU's work and is responsible for moving important EU issues forward.  The President was also presented with a letter in which to give to the European Commission president, Jose Manuel Barroso.  The letter urges him to consider Constitutional, Regional and Smaller-State (CRSS) languages in the Commission’s future priorities.

(Photo: Markus Lyyra, General Secretary of the Association of Finnish Youth in Sweden, and  Finnish President Tarja Kaarina Halonen)