Finland's Smartest Village competition, run by the Finnish Rural Network (Maaseutu.FI), has generated a high level of involvement with 32 contestants from all over the country expressing an interest in becoming more vital, active and innovative.

The competition seeks not only to identify, but also to assist the progress of villages that are working to develop accessible and high-quality services in areas such as healthcare, education, energy, mobility, and local food. Participating villages will be offered guidance, ideas, peer support, and networking opportunities over the next year and a half, culminating in the selection of the winning village at the end of 2019.