Baltic Sea Awards 2026 – An evening celebrating the Baltic Sea’s heroes

On 2 October, 130 guests gathered at Hotel Arkipelag in Mariehamn for Östersjöfonden’s annual award ceremony, the Baltic Sea Awards. Four award recipients were honoured for their outstanding contributions to the Baltic Sea and its future.

The day began with a lunch hosted by the Government of Åland at GE-villan. In the afternoon, the award recipients presented their work at a seminar for Östersjöfonden’s Delegation and Board. This was followed by the unveiling of the recipients’ portraits in the lobby of Hotel Arkipelag, where they will remain on display for the coming year.

The evening continued with the award ceremony and a festive dinner. Musical performances were provided by vocalists Alva Johansson and Ella Eklund, accompanied by Patrik Komorowski on piano.

During the Baltic Sea Awards, it was also announced that former President of Finland Tarja Halonen has become the patron of Östersjöfonden. Read more here.

Read more about this year’s award recipients here.