I hope to return to Azerbaijan many times, also when my term is over

Caspian Energy (CE): Your Excellency, before we turn to the matters of Finnish-Azerbaijani relations, could you kindly share with us your journey into diplomacy? What inspired you to pursue this path, and what experiences have prepared you for your current mission here in Azerbaijan?
Kirsti Narinen, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Finland to the Republic of Azerbaijan: My “diplomatic,” or rather international, path started at the age of 16, when I began my 11th grade/International Baccalaureate at Lester B. Pearson United World College in Canada—an international school with 200 students from 60 countries. Currently, there are also Azerbaijani students who have studied in these international colleges. That opened my young mind to learning about different cultures and also taught me proper English. Then, when studying at the Faculty of Law at university, I applied for an apprentice position at the MFA, got the job in June 1984 and never left—so June 1st this year 42 years of diplomacy were completed. The most interesting and inspiring years, albeit partly a bit hard for the family.
My career has been multifaceted. A large portion of it in Russia and the Baltics, plus my own Finnish experience, has guided meto understand how important it is to maintain sovereignty and protect national interests under the shadow of an imperialistic, unpredictable neighbor. Luckily, Finland has many good neighbors as well, rooted in our Nordic-European identity.