Millennium Technology
Event was held in Espoo Dipoli Finland in 14th
june 2004.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen
Anyone born since the early 20th century could list dozens of
technical innovations that have influenced their life – from the
motor car and radio and TV to the PC and mobile phone. However, not
only technology has changed, but the whole of society with it. Over
the last fifteen years, the developed countries have rapidly
converted themselves into what are described as information
societies.
The final breakthrough of the information society concept was
achieved through the spread of the Internet and the World Wide Web
in the latter half of the nineties. Yet, the real effects of a
knowledge-based economy are only just beginning to be felt. There
are many great opportunities to be seized, but also great
challenges.
Technology makes everyday life easier. It helps us to implement
equality, reduces distances and makes many functions more
efficient. It provides new ways of giving old people and the
disabled a good life.
At the same time, making full use of technology demands new skills,
resources and motivations. But above all new information technology
challenges the basic structure of any company, in fact any national
economy. In principle, any results from the non-physical part of
production processes can be - in the speed of light - communicated
anywhere in the world. This happens in a time when the traditional
physical parts of production chains tend to move towards the low
cost regions of the world.
We may argue should the result of this development be called
globalisation, or the China phenomenon. In any case the fact is
that for any political or business leader, the new Millennium is a
challenge and an opportunity without any precedent.
The Finnish government, and in fact, the whole Finnish nation is
determined to meet the challenge and to use the opportunity offered
by the technology.
Finland has pursued a systematic information society policy since
the nineties. One of the strategic priorities of the present
government is further development of the information society.
Firstly, the balanced policy and deregulation of the telecoms
market and competition in the supply of services remain an
important element of our information society policy.
Secondly, heavy public and private investment in research and
development has proved vital. In 2001, for example, Finland’s
expenditure on research and development was 3.4 per cent of GDP.
This is well above the OECD average.
Thirdly, insistence on the provision of equal educational
opportunities for all has proved its lasting worth. Our schools and
libraries have acted as pillars supporting our growth into an
information society.
And fourthly, Government should provide a good framework for
change, but it cannot make decisions on behalf of people and
business.
There is broad consensus in Finland about these information society
policy principles. The Government is applying them in line with its
Programme.
We are determined to explore the possibilities offered by new
technology to develop the quality of human life, a more equal
society and a competitive economy – as well as smooth and stable
development for the whole of humanity.
This is why the Finnish government was so quick to recognize and to
support concretely the unique positive potential in the idea of The
Millennium Technology Prize, the prize we are now starting to
celebrate through this Conference and finally through the first
Award Ceremony.
I hope this prize will be a message of hope and of determination to
work for a humane, just and sustainable world through all the best
human intelligence can offer.
On behalf of the Finnish government it is a great pleasure for me
to welcome our foreign guests to Finland and to open this
conference. I hope it is the first in a long series of messages in
the true spirit of the Millennium Technology Prize.
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