OREANDA-NEWS. December 08, 2008. The President of Finland, Tarja Halonen, has been honored with the Swedbank Baltic Sea Award 2008. The award was handed over by the CEO of Swedbank Jan  Liden at a gala dinner at the Baltic Development Forum Summit in Malmo, reported the press-centre of Swedbank.

It is the second year the Swedbank Baltic Sea Award is handed out. The award is  assigned to an individual or organization that has made an extraordinary  contribution to the development of the Baltic Sea Region.

- The Baltic Sea Region needs fiery spirits, individuals who believe that they  through a personal and assiduous commitment can make the region stronger, better  and sustainable. President Halonen has a longstanding record of focusing on the  common good for the Baltic Sea Region, often stressing the fact that we all live in a common region, with common assets, common problems, and common solutions,  said the CEO of Swedbank Jan Liden upon handing over the award.

With her strong commitment for the Baltic Sea region President Halonen has inspired both political leaders and fellow citizens to take a common responsibility for this region.

President Halonen was appointed among several strong candidates by a jury consisting of the Prime Minister of Denmark Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Swedbank's Executive Chairman Carl Eric Stalberg, and the Baltic Development Forum Chairman Uffe Ellemann-Jensen. The prize sum is EUR5,000.

The Baltic Sea Award 2007 was dedicated to Mr Bjorn Carlson, a financier with a  great personal involvement in the Baltic Sea Region and also the funder of Baltic Sea 2020.