Vantaa-based association wins first Minna Canth Award of €35,000

The Nicehearts association from Vantaa has been awarded the first-ever Minna Canth Prize, worth €35,000, in a ceremony held in Kuopio, reports Finnish broadcaster Yle. The prize, larger in value than the prestigious Finlandia Prize, recognises the organisation’s work in advancing the rights of women and girls and strengthening family support systems.

Nicehearts, which operates girls’ community spaces and family centres in the Helsinki region and Lappeenranta, was selected unanimously by the nine-member jury. The association trains immigrant women as volunteers and provides guidance and peer support for migrant women in Finland.

Johanna Sjöholm, executive director of Nicehearts, described the award as a major surprise, given the strong competition. “I was moved to tears when I heard the news,” she said. She emphasised that despite 25 years of progress, Finland still requires significant efforts to achieve gender equality—“perhaps even more than 25 years ago.”

The award was presented during the Minna Canth Seminar in Kuopio on Minna Canth and Equality Day. Canth (1844–1897), a writer, journalist, and women’s rights advocate, spent most of her life in Kuopio, where she produced her most notable works.

The prize was initiated by Savon Sanomat editor-in-chief Matti Pietiläinen to highlight Canth’s legacy in Kuopio, which he felt had faded despite her national importance. Funding from donors, including Genelec CEO Siamäk Naghian, made the award—now Finland’s largest monetary cultural prize—possible.

“This shows the power of collaboration and regional strength,” Pietiläinen said. He hopes the award will encourage continued work for democracy, free speech, and equality, even in challenging conditions.

The jury, chaired by Kuopio-born author Sirpa Kähkönen, included First Lady Suzanne Innes-Stubb and economist Sixten Korkman. They praised Nicehearts for its tangible impact on women’s and girls’ opportunities and family welfare in society.