House of Lapland / Supported by Fridays for Future: #SaveSalla

The closer to the poles, the more one may feel the impact of climate change. And Salla, the coldest town in the Finnish Lapland region, is already experiencing it. So they decided to make it known. Suffering from the consequences of an increasingly unpredictable weather and shorter winters, this small town above the Arctic Circle stepped up and called the world’s attention to the problem in a very unlikely way: by proclaiming its bid to host the 2032 Summer Games. The announcement soon prompted reactions from all over. Later on and featuring a disclosure video, a press conference was held to elaborate on the town’s statement. The purpose of the announcement, which wasn’t actually a real bid, was a call to the world to help with the ongoing climate crisis. And even though there were no real intentions for the town to submit the bid, Salla followed all steps and protocol in order to host the Summer Games, including creating a logo, a bid book, uniforms, promotional activities and naming a mascot. The initiative #SaveSalla was conceived by Agencia Africa in conjunction with Municipality of Salla and House of Lapland, with the support of Fridays for Future, the global climate strike movement that started with Greta Thunberg and other young activists and now continues to put pressure on governments and policymakers to take forceful action to limit global warming. #SaveSalla features a spirited film with local citizens already getting prepared for warmer temperatures and for hosting the Summer Games in 2032, as well as athletes adapting themselves to replace their usual sports to their summer versions. The piece was produced by Triatoma and directed by Santi Dulce. The campaign also includes a website, that provides practical solutions to tackle the climate emergency and invites people to learn more about Fridays For Future and ways to support and engage with its cause.