Helsinki awards honorary titles to linguist Heini Lehtonen and actor-writer Antti Reini

Helsinki Day saw the announcement of this year’s Stadin Friidu and Stadin Kundi, with linguist Heini Lehtonen and actor-writer Antti Reini receiving the honours, Yle reports.

Heini Lehtonen, a senior lecturer and docent of Finnish at the University of Helsinki, was named Stadin Friidu 2026. Her research focuses on the spoken language and linguistic identity of young Helsinki residents from diverse linguistic and ethnic backgrounds, particularly in the multilingual district of Itä-Helsinki.

Antti Reini, an actor, writer, and musician from the Kallio district, was awarded Stadin Kundi 2026. Reini has authored books set in Helsinki that explore the city’s social underbelly and has contributed to projects by Stadin Slangi, the association behind the titles.

The association has awarded Stadin Friidu and Stadin Kundi since 1996, calling them among the highest honours a Helsinki local can receive.