The Military Academy will organise a Nordic Cadet Meeting at the National Defence University

A Nordic Cadet Meeting, Nordiska Kadetmöte, - or NOKA Days - will be organised at the National Defence University 23-26 May 2019. NOKA Days represent an opportunity for cadets to meet students from the military academies of the other nordic countries, giving them a peak at international activities in the framework of seminar and team work, and sports, for example. Finland organizes NOKA Days every four years.

NOKA Days are devoted to sports, seminar work and making friends

Nordic Cadet Meetings have been held since 1950 when the first event was attended by the Swedish and Norwegian military academies. In 1952, Denmark joined in, followed by Finland in 1962. This year, in addition to the Finns, the event will be attended by delegations of 45 cadets from the military academies of Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Santahamina stands ready to receive these guests.

– The NDU provides a brilliant setting for the meeting as far as facilities and sports are concerned, says the Deputy Director of the Military Academy, Major Jouni Kaunismäki who is in charge of organising the Days.

Kaunismäki explains that NOKA Days started out with a focus on sports competitions between the cadets’ national teams, but in the past few years, seminar work has also been included on the programme. This year, hybrid warfare was chosen as the theme of the seminar. According to Kaunismäki, hybrid operations, one of the issues constantly talked about in Europe, is a topic of timely importance. Jarno Limnéll, Professor of Practice, Cyber Security at Aalto University has been invited to give a presentation at the seminar.

For many cadets, in the course of their studies, NOKA Days provide one of their first opportunities for networking with foreign students.

– The Days provide an opportunity to get acquainted with other students and for many cadets, these are their first international contacts in the context of their studies, Kaunismäki explains.

This cooperation between the nordic military academies does not include any common studies per se, but, apart from the NOKA Days, contacts are maintained and developed by cadets visiting the other academies’ anniversaries and tradition days. Kaunismäki also states that international cooperation is something that is easy to launch between the nordic countries. Moreover, working on teams consisting of different nationalities provides a natural setting for the students for practicing their English and communications skills. NOKA strengthens the culture and like-mindedness shared by the military academies.

You could say that the most important goal of the NOKA Days is to give the cadets a notion of international activities and an opportunity to participate in them, Kaunismäki explains

Cadets and salaried personnel will hold good memories of the event

Kaunismäki says that he has had the opportunity to participate in NOKA Days twice as a cadet and several times due to his work. The event has stayed in his memory as a very positive experience. A good atmosphere and spirit have always reigned at NOKA Days.

-"What really sticks to my mind is "the national team spirit" and fierce games against the football teams of the other countries. As far as I remember, we stood no chance against Norway and Denmark, but we beat the Swedes every time around", Kaunismäki recalls.