On September 22, the opening ceremony of the 2021 Beijing Design Week was held at the Beijing Institute of Future Design in Zhangjiawan Design Town. Helsinki, Beijing's sister city, was the guest city for this year's event. Under the theme of "Designing A Better Life Together", Helsinki held various activities to offer sustainable and smart solutions to education and urban development-related issues during the Week.

Helsinki is the capital of Finland and the country's largest port city. It is also the political, economic, cultural and transportation hub of Finland. Official interactions between Helsinki and Beijing first began in 1991, and an official friendship was formed in July 2006. Over the past few years, the cities have carried out a multitude of exchanges and signed Memorandums of Understanding relating to the science innovation, culture, education, design, economy, and trade fields. This friendship has benefited both sides and promoted the forming of a new amicable relationship where both countries will work together as they look towards the future.

2021 marks the 15th anniversary of the friendship between the two cities. To celebrate this special occasion, both cities will host an event entitled "15 Years of Beijing-Helsinki Friendship" under the theme of "Collaboration for Green Development". Chen Jining, the Mayor of Beijing, and Juhana Vartiainen, the Mayor of Helsinki, recently sent congratulatory messages to each other to officially initiate the activities.

(Note: Content source is from the European, African and Asian Affairs Division of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Beijing Municipality, Xinhua News Agency and https://www.bjdw.org/)