MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, WRITER, JOURNALIST
Uma Aaltonen |
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s. 28.8.1940SchoolsVeikkola Village Elementary School 1947-52 University of Arizona, Tucson, USA, 1960-62 – Bachelor of Arts – College of Liberal Arts
Tampere University 1969-72 (laudatur / major in journalism and communications, social psychology and sociology, cum laude / minor in social policy) Work & Other Experience
Participated in everyday chores of a farm house since early childhood and learnt the normal country skills from hand-milking to harnessing a horse. As the sixth of nine children, took part in chores from herding cattle to washing rugs. Life included both hard work and fun.
When the work on the home farm allowed, earned money with summer jobs on vegetable fields of neighbouring farms in Oinasjoki, Hynnälä and Veikkola, at a kiosk in Nummela and at a shop in Veikkola, Kirkkonummi.
Kun omilta maataloustöiltä kerkesi, kesätienestissä juurikaspellolla naapureissa Oinasjoella, Hynnälässä, Veikkolassa – kioskinmyyjänä Nummelassa – kauppa-apulaisena Kirkkonummen Veikkolassa 1960-62: au pair in Tucson, Arizona, USA 1961-62: summer job as a Fulbright student counsellor – University of Arizona 1963: receptionist, United States Information Service, Helsinki 1963-65: journalist and director at the Finnish Broadcasting Company (Finnish Television, Suomen Televisio), documentary programs 1966-69: journalist at the women’s magazine Eeva
since 1969: freelance journalist and writer for the Finnish Broadcasting Company (both radio and TV), magazines Jaana, Me and Anna, the national daily Uusi Suomi and regional newspapers, as well as the equestrian magazines Ravi ja Ratsastus and Hevoshullu The radio programs spawned the slang expressions “murkku” (teen), “terkku” (cheers), and “moikka” (hi) which spread throughout the country. The expressions are still going strong, having only improved over the decades.
since 1980: a member of the Union of Finnish Writers since 1979: known as a “national educator”, lectures all over Finland in elementary and high schools, at confirmations camps, vocational schools and business schools on teenagers’ sex education and relationships, tobacco and alcohol education, and manners.
Lectures and discussions on the same topics for teachers, health professionals, parents and other educators. Speeches at public events, children’s’ events and school parents’ nights, appearances at libraries and community colleges on children’s books, children and animals, respect for nature, equal rights for people with disabilities, multiple sclerosis rehabilitation (own MS diagnosis in 1993), animals and nature in rehabilitation and therapy, Native American ways of surviving with an illness.
For years, my country home and yard with stable, pastures and animals have been open free of charge for day-care children, school classes and animal clubs. The farm has also been visited by elderly institutionalised people, whose longing for the past finds relief on a trip to a familiar rural environment where their experience of hard work is respected.
Participated as a volunteer in Lohja, patrolling the streets at night and supporting the municipal and parish youth work. To remind people to respect animals that have been overlooked by society, volunteer work for Finland’s equine war heroes in 1994-97. There is now a statue of a war horse in Törnävä Park in Seinäjoki, Ostrobothnia.
A corresponding project to honour Finland’s canine war heroes was launched in 1999. A statue was unveiled in Mikkeli, south-eastern Finland, in 2003.
When Amanda, a retired mine-sniffing dog from Sarajevo joined Uma's Swedish Vallhunds after five years of United Nations' work, that started a year-long (1998-99) volunteer effort for the Finnish Kennel Club to donate a mine-sniffing dog to Bosnia from the people of Finland.
The Amanda Canine Friend project was launched with visits to Herttoniemi Hospital and Kustaankartano nursing home. In 2000, the project was extended to the Kauniala (War Veteran’s Rehabilitation Centre) and other hospitals and institutions. Appointed and elected offices/honours:Freelance Journalists’ Union – board member
Finnish Association of Women Journalists, Annual Informer Award, 1979 Interests:Nature; organic art and photography; exercise; non-verbal communication; co-existence with animals; horses, goats, cats, dogs and their well-being; stars
Volunteer work on projects related to animal appreciation and co-operation: statues honouring Finland’s equestrian and canine war heroes, a mine dog for Sarajevo, drug-sniffing dog for the Lohja Police Department. Since being diagnosed with MS, perseverance and using creativity to make adjusting to a disease into a life skill.
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