KONE global youth camp

Every summer KONE holds a Global Youth Camp in Finland for the children of KONE employees worldwide. The summer camp is part of a long tradition at KONE to show the company’s appreciation for its employees. It also is a great way for young people from around the world to meet.

The Global Youth Camp celebrated its thirtieth anniversary in 2008. The roots of the camp date back even longer, as the camp tradition started in Finland well before KONE went international in the late 1960s. Last year the event was held at the Rantalahti campsite in Janakkala, located in southern Finland about an hour’s drive from the capital city of Helsinki.

Some 100 participants aged between 14–17 attend the camp each year. Usually, over 25 nationalities and about a dozen languages are represented. For 16 year old Maria, this diverse mix of nationalities is a great learning experience.

“The camp is very much about thinking globally, meeting new people and cultures, and also about learning through fun games, getting wise coaching from the staff, and fi nding out how to work with all kinds of people,” she says.

“The activities always taught us to raise our awareness about the world and the challenges we face,” explains Maria.