A children’s summer camp run by Russian nuclear firm Rosatom has failed to capture the interest of Finnish children, with several places left unfilled. The camp is organised at Kalajoki on Finland’s west coast for kids from several former Eastern bloc countries, plus Finland.
A children’s summer camp run by nuclear power firm Rosatom this week has spare capacity, as some 75 participants turned up. The municipality of Kalajoki, in Ostrobothnia, had originally been told to expect 100-300 attendees.
Fourteen Finns are among the campers. Most have some prior connection to and knowledge of Russian culture and language.
State owned atomic energy firm Rosatom is a part owner of the Fennovoima nuclear plant planned for the neighbouring municipality of Pyhäjoki, and will also supply the reactor for the plant if it is approved.
The camp has raised concerns in Finland that it might be used as a propaganda vehicle for Rosatom, but organisers said that there has been no talk of nuclear power, physics or economics.
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“I also want to learn how to speak a little of these new languages,” she told Yle. “There are campers from Russia, Hungary, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, as well as Finland.”
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In Russia participation in the camps is often given as a reward for pupils who do well academically or win a contest. Given the lack of interest from Finnish children, organisers are unsure if they will organise the camp again next year.
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