The best thing? The best thing about Kuopio is the spirit here, the feeling that you can talk to anyone. I mean, you can say “good morning” to absolutely anyone. Even if you do not know the person at all, you will probably still get that “good morning” back.
That, in my opinion, is what sets Kuopio apart from many other cities. There is this relaxed, good atmosphere here, and everyone can say hello to everyone, and you can talk to absolutely anyone anywhere.
My sister lives in Turku, and she always wonders at this when she comes here. If I stop to talk to someone, she asks me whether I knew that person. And I’m like, no idea, but this is something you can do here.
The worst thing? This is a terribly difficult question, because there is so much good in Kuopio.
Maybe what I would hope for more is that people here would look at the world a little more broadly, with their eyes open. It is not that you get the feeling that Kuopio is some backwater, but still, I would hope people would look more at what the situation in the world looks like and how we position ourselves in relation to it.
For example, the World Economic Forum has listed the most significant risks over a ten-year time frame, and six of them are related to nature, environmental risks and climate change. That is a significant issue, one that will change our entire system, including urban development and housing in Kuopio. I feel that this is not recognized enough here.
In the article series, Kuopio city councillors share what they think is the best and worst about Kuopio.