007 Travelers interview: Pentti Hietanen, Tenor

Who: Pentti Hietanen, Tenor
When: 1st of April 2017

007 Travelers met Pentti Hietanen after the Bond concert in Vaasa, Finland.

Mika, Pentti Hietanen, Pirita

Pentti Juhani Hietanen (born 7th of October 1958 in Tampere, Finland) is a Finnish tenor who has performed both in opera and musicals and recorded light music and rock music.

(Wikipedia)

1. Where did this idea about such a big Bond concert come from?
-Trumpeter Tobias Udd came up with this idea. He has done all the orchestra adaptations and he plays with the orchestra.


2. How long did it take to get this completed?
-It took two years. The orchestras have done a proper job with conductor Peter Roos leading the project. Last summer me and my daughters Iina and Roosa were asked as vocalist.

Pentti Hietanen / Licence to Play concert in Vaasa

3. What is your next project?

-I will continue my normal concerts alone as well as with my family and I go on tour and have concert series such as "Tuliset Tenorit".


4. Who is your favourite Bond actor? (leading male role) Why?
-It is impossible to rank them. Everyone of them has been a very right choice for James Bond at the time. I was not sure about Daniel Craig at first but I guess that was because I am quite a conservative Bond fan. The films were changed quite a lot when he became a title character. Also the traditional Bond themes for orchestra were gone. Actually he has been a very good choice despite the change.


5. The best Bond movie? Why?
- I am such a big Bond fan that although I have watched them all many times, I still can´t pick my favourite. I have them all. I can tell you my very strong experience touching the tradition of Bond films:

The scene in "Skyfall" (2012) where Bond left with his boss with Aston Martin DB5 
(BMT 216A) towards Scotland and the traditional Bond theme started, I was in a movie theatre and I got up as the letter X and yelled "YES"! And I was not the only one to react to the scene.

Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

6. The best travel destination you have visited so far? Why?
-Santorini island in Greece (current main island Thira ) It is raw and yet beautiful and its history is interesting. It faced the natural disaster due the huge volcanic eruption (approx. 1600 BC). The research of the scientists refers to its relation to Egyptian plagues and Israel people returning to the Promised Land in Israel, said in the Book of Exodus. 


7. The dream travel destination where you have not yet visited but would like to go?
-It would be great to visit Israel and specifically Jerusalem. Also Norway from north to south would be a great traveling destination.



The homepage of Pentti Hietanen

Book a gig: Rosartina Oy
Tel.: 040 585 4868
E-mail: rosartina(@)kolumbus.fi


See more 007 related interviews by 007 Travelers here

007 Travelers interview: Stefano Di Marino

Who: Stefano di Marino

When: 12 November 2015

Photos: Stefano Di Marino´s album 

(007 photos from Wikipedia)

1. Please introduce yourself

My name is Stefano, Di Marino Stefano but also… Stephen Gunn ‘cause in the

nineties in Italy to publish a spy story with an Italian name was unthinkable. I was lucky. My serial "Il Professionista" is the best seller of Segretissimo Mondadori with

over 70 novels in twenty years.




Since I was a boy I was fond of thrillers, spy

stories and adventures in novels, comics and films. In the real life I am also an instructor of kickboxing and MMA, a traveller, photographer and sailor. In short, I made a job of my hobbies.
Not so bad, or what!

2. You were a translator of Bond novels in the John Gardner and Raymond Benson era, how much time did the translating take?

For a novel of 250-300 it takes about two or three months.

3. Tell us about your essay "Zerozerosette"

"Zerozerosette" is a long chapter of my book "EROI DELL’OMBRA, il cinema

delle spie", a long essay about the spy movies from 1928 to 2015. "Zerozerozette"

tells about the James Bond movies but also the novels and the 007 phenomenon

over the years. I wanted to tell the James Bond  films’ epopee. Narration is fast and entertaining with details about the production, the screenplay and the

actors. 

4. Your favourite Bond actor? (leading male role)
In my mind Sean Connery forever. He was the first James Bond I have seen on
the screen. But I like also Daniel Craig ‘cause his character is the real James Bond of the
novels. I think that Ian Fleming would have liked him too.

5. Your favourite Bond film? 
"From Russia with Love" (1963). It is a real spy story, actually also my favorite novel (1957).

6. Which is the best place where you have traveled so far?

Hong Kong for sure. As I have told I am  fond  of Asia and  martial Arts. I have

written also a travel book for Italian Touring Club about HK. "E NEL CIELO NUVOLE

OCME DRAGHI" . It tells about HK in the film and in the novels. In 2003 I was even

in the Bottoms Up, from "The Man with the Golden Gun" (1974), of course. Alas, today the

club is closed.

7. Which is the place where you would like to visit but have not yet been? 
The Monument Valley…why? I am also very fond of western films… but this is
another story…

See more interviews here

VIDEO: 007 Travelers @ Radio Nova 8 / 2015

What: 007 Travelers interview on "Novan arkiralli"
Where: Phone interview
When: 19 August 2015

VIDEO: 007 Travelers @ Radio Nova 3 / 2015

Photo: Radio Nova

What: 007 Travelers interview on "Makuasiaa"
Where: Radio Nova, Helsinki, Finland
When: 13 March 2015




007 Travelers interview: Jussi Huhtala, Managing Editor Digital / Movie Magazine EPISODI

Jussi Huhtala

Who: Jussi Huhtala, Managing Editor Digital, Movie Magazine Episodi

Where: Kinopalatsi, Helsinki, Finland

When: 30 December 2014

How did all this start, Jussi Huhtala?
This all started as a hobby. Movies have been my hobby since I was a child and I have watched a lot of them. When you were able to do this for a living, there your hobby and work combined, which is really great and rewarding when you can do the work that you like. This started as a passion for movies. I am in my dream job. I was a movie fan, who became a movie journalist. Leisure and work overlap each other in both good and bad, mostly good. Being a fan of the movies is not of course enough, you must have a passion to do this. You have to like this and it requires certain kind of ambition.


Your education?
I am Master of Science, studied languages and I'm a trained translator. I also did that kind of work for some time. Later I have been in business world and later started as an editor. I have made articles for Episodi since it was founded. Later I started being as freelance editor in 2008 and I also made articles for other Pop Media's magazines. I have been Managing Editor as a permanent employee since 2011. So practically I have been in Episodi already over 10 years.

 

Your normal working day?
It depends on the phase where our monthly magazine is in every month. If I'm busy with the magazine, I edit and write articles and later I proofread and finalize the magazine before it goes to press. I co-operate also with the layout people. If the magazine has already gone to press, one of my responsibility is also taking care of Episodi's web site. We update news there continuously and I make articles and supervise that everything goes as they should go and new material comes to site steadily. So, my duties divide to these two things, making a magazine and online publications. I also go to press screenings watching movies.


Birth of Episodi?
It was a quite small idea when we started. We wanted to make an international level movie publication, which concentrates on mainstream movies and is a high standard movie magazine for big audience, visually good looking on paper and it has stories made by professionals. I started my career as a film critic at the same time when Episodi was established. Timing was good, because Episodi was searching new writers and I was actively searching publisher for my texts. So interests met.


The development of Episodi magazine?
The idea of the magazine has remained the same, but when comparing older magazines to this day, you can see that we have gone forward in many ways. Magazine's layout has changed a bit and we have done improvements, author base has been broadened and writers are more versatile. Basic idea is the same, we are doing good looking paper to movie audience. But since Episodi is a magazine that is specializing in movies, we can serve also some marginal things like horror movies, festivals or DVD of Blu-ray publications. The magazine has over 100 pages per month, so it has room for everything, but the idea is that we are concentrating on mainstream movies.

Are you making all articles by yourselves?

We have some assistants who are not Finnish. We order some articles from the places that are providing stories only in English. We have some English assistants, but we have to translate those stories that we get from them. Depends on the situation. If we want to interview some big star of the movie, we prefer to use those Finnish assistants that we have in Hollywood. If it is not possible to get interview from our usual reporter, then we get it via some movie company or foreign agency that provides interviews.

1980's, what is so charming about it?
I wanted to make a column series, where you kind of go back to your youth and nostalgic things of your youth. That was my idea here. It's all about where everything is coming from and it is a nostalgic reminiscence. 70's and 80's stuff are close to my heart. Movies of that time gave me a kick start for being a movie fan. Nowadays, when there are re-release of e.g. some Charles Bronson movie, I notice that I go back to my youth´s watching experiences. This is what I want to say with this series of stories.


Do those movies feel different now than they did back then?
It is true, that the experience is different when you look a movie again as an adult. Some people say, that you should never go back to the childhood movies, because they look so awful. But you just have to look them in certain way. I think that if the movie was good in your childhood, it is worth of watching again. You just have to have certain attitude and not to expect too much.


Which movie has kept its charm over the years?
A couple of movies from my youth starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford came to my mind: "The Sting" (1973) and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (1969). I have watched these two movies again a while ago and they work! Many western movies as well as Bond movies, that are your hobby, work. There are many classic movies like "Citizen Kane" (1941), which I fell in love with. They don't lose their shine and are the best classic movies. On the other hand, some action movies from the 70's that were good then, some of them feels quite bad nowadays.


The all-time best movie ever made?
I make lists of these every now and then and I would like to highlight Andrei Tarkovsky. He is my all time favourite. When I grew up and started to realize what cinema is all about and I started to deeply understand and tried to understand movie magic and depth, Tarkovsky was one who impressed me. Tarkovsky's movies and especially "Zerkalo" - "The Mirror" (1975). My lists are changing all the time, it depends on when you are asking. There are many good films that I would like to raise to Top 10. Anyhow, Tarkovsky's "The Mirror" is number one, because there, as well as other films in my list, have that kind of realization, that e.g. Tarkovsky was the kind who did not only made stories and included some pictures to them, but all parts were carefully thought about. When I started to realize the meaning of image composition and started to understand that this is movie art, not just a filmed drama. When I watched Tarkovsky, I realized that. Also how you handle music, visuality and text. E.g. Tarkovsky was the one who opened my eyes: Movie is not just theatre, it is much more, and it is an own art form.


The best Bond movie?
The one that I have seen first and it is "Live and Let Die" (1973). It is the best, even though it has been a while since I last saw it. There are so many things in it, why I want to raise it above others. Beside it was the first one I saw, it has splendid chase sequences, real great villains and I like Roger Moore. Also it is exciting how "blaxploitation" is utilized. It has black actors and some Shaft influence. Clever thing in a Bond movie. It has an original approach and plenty of speed. It also has one of the best theme songs. This is the dearest Bond movie to me.

Photo © EON, United Artists, Danjaq LLC

The best Bond actor?
Roger Moore. When I saw first Bond movie, Roger Moore was as James Bond and he was then the "ruling James Bond". That's why I consider him being the first real Bond for me. Sean Connery is of course just awesome and the original Bond, but for me Roger Moore is the best, because I saw him as a James Bond from the beginning. Roger Moore brought humour to Bond films after Connery. Moore has great British humour, which I like. Also his personality is just wonderful. He understood that this character cannot be taken 100% seriously, but you have to have some twinkle in the eye. I think it was a good idea. When you look him as an action star, he is really credible, and that credibility is not shaken even though he has that kind of twinkle in his eye.





How about Daniel Craig, who plays the role quite opposite way?
Yes, I like Daniel Craig as well, because when "Casino Royale" (2006) and Daniel Craig came, this movie series was renewed very well and I was impressed. "Casino Royale" is one of the best Bond movies, because somehow they had gone to the end of the road with all those gadgets and possible influence of Austin Powers movies. Those movies made parody about everything that was seen in Bond films, so they had to do something and the direction that Bond was tight-lipped and crusty, who doesn't play around with any silly gadgets. That was a good decision and worked very well. I also like Daniel Craig's Bond movies. I think all Bond actors are good, except George Lazenby, who was only in one Bond movie. Movie itself is not bad, but I didn't like him as an actor. Maybe because he was only in one movie. I feel he is wrong face playing Bond and he didn't have certain kind of charisma. I don't like him. "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (1969) is a good movie, but it would have been ever better, if Sean Connery had played Bond.


What kind of expectations you have of "SPECTRE"?
I liked "Skyfall" (2012), in practise, same people are now making "SPECTRE" (2015), so I believe it will be a good one. I think "Quantum of Solace" (2008) was weak, or weaker than "Casino Royale" (2006), but when Sam Mendes is the director, I think it will really work.


What is the best travel destination where you have been and why?
I was in Crete last summer (2014), it was a really nice place. I almost have to say that it is the best place where I have been. It is a great place for a person who likes simple things. There is a suitable climate, stunning scenery, warm ocean water, magnificent food and friendly people. It is a great place for me. When I was a young boy, I visited Baikal in East Siberia, it was a rather great experience. Especially the Lake Baikal is an incredible place. There is just a completely own fauna, fish and seals, which you can't find anywhere else in the world. Then those endless forests around you and certain mystique, which is related to that place was a great experience.


What took you there?
I was in Russian language course in southern Russia, but they organized this kind of trip for Finnish students to Eastern Siberia and it was quite an exceptional thing.


What is the place where you have not been, but would like to travel?
If I have to choose only one Place, it is somewhere in Asia, it could be Japan. Japanese culture is interesting and as a movie fan, I have watched Akira Kurosawa's movies and that culture seems to be really fascinating. Then again, it is kind of place where I have never been, so I definitely would like to go there.

Have you been elsewhere in Asia?
I mentioned already that East Siberian trip. Otherwise I have not traveled in the Asia.


Have you met leading actors of the Bond films?
Unfortunately not. Roger Moore visited Finland not so long ago, but unfortunately then I was not able to participate in press meetings where Roger Moore was. If he visits Finland again, I would certainly like to meet him. I have read some of Roger Moore's books, which he has written. His biography was translated into Finnish and just a while ago came out his "Last Man Standing" book, which has some memories from his career. Really fun to read.

Photo: www.fansshare.com

How about other actors or actresses who have appeared in Bond movies?
One thing came to my mind... I had this kind of "Bond related" trip, which is somehow related to Bond. I was in Toronto at the beginning of 2013, where was one actress who had appeared in a Bond film. She was Famke Janssen. I was in press conference of "Hemlock Grove" TV series in Toronto and there I was able to meet her. We didn't speak about Bond movie, because short interview time was reserved for questions related to "Hemlock Grove" series.

How was she?
She was really pleasant and nice person to be interviewed. Very cheerful and polite.




See more 007 Travelers interviews here

007 Travelers Interview: Mainport by Inntel Hotels / Lous van Prooijen



Lous van Prooijen



Who: Lous van Prooijen, Marketing & Communications Executive

Where: Mainport by Inntel Hotels, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Mainport, the official accommodation partner of Designing 007: Fifty Years of Bond Style exhibition, is the gateway to all continents in the world in a 5 star design setting. Hotel offers also Designing 007 hotel packages. 
When:16 January 2015

1. Please introduce yourself

Well, I’m Lous. Born and raised in the Netherlands, near the city of Rotterdam, where I currently live. I have worked in many different parts of the hospitality industry and logically went to the International Hotel Management School in Breda. I started working for Mainport as an pre-opening intern two years ago. Since then I have worked my way up to where I am today, Marketing & Communication Executive.

Mainport by Inntel Hotels

2. How long have you been involved in hotel business and what can you tell us about your work? 
I was introduced to the Hospitality business at a very young age and started working at the age of 13 in restaurants. My love for the business has been growing ever since. My current work is challenging me in multiple ways. For example, I need to stay closely connected to the city of Rotterdam, keeping track of the opportunities the city presents and react accordingly. Hence the wonderful cooperation we now have with the Kunsthal, for the exhibition of "Designing 007: Fifty Years of Bond Style".


 

3. Have you ever met Bond stars for example then, when the Exhibition opened? If you have, who? If you have not, who do you want to meet the most? 
As official hotel partner I had the pleasure of being involved in many aspects of the exhibition, including the pleasure to meet Mr. Jeroen Krabbé and Ms. Maryam D’abo ("The Living Daylights") (1987), in addition the exhibition was officially opened by Ms. Daphne Dekkers, who played a small part in "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997).

4. Your favourite Bond actor? (leading male role) Why? 
Tough question. I did not grow up with the Bond movies and my interests weren’t triggered till I was a bit older. It was my college roommate who made me watch the whole bunch, to the point that I was the one asking if we could see another. I would have to go with Sean Connery, since he was in the first Bond movie I ever saw. In addition Pierce Brosnan, obviously for his looks. For now I am quite used to seeing Daniel Craig playing the Bond part and wouldn’t mind him staying on for a while longer.  

5. Your favourite Bond film? Why?

"Casino Royale" (2006). The story, the settings, the action. I loved it. Bond is his first 007 appearance, had me quite nervous in Montenegro. As always and luckily, he comes out just fine. The poker game, which must be an epic one in Bond history, was also amazingly well re-enacted in the exhibition at the Kunsthal.

6. Which is the best place where you have traveled so far? Why?  
I haven’t seen that much of the world yet, but my two favourite cities would be San Francisco. It is a great place to visit and has a great diversity of cultures and hotspots. Second is Barcelona, where I lived for a while. A seaside city with amazing tapas restaurants on almost every corner. It has a rich history and has both a beautiful city centre and suburbs.  

7. Which is the place where you would like to visit but have not yet been? Why?

There is still so much to see. For a next trip either Asia or America’s east coast. Completely different of course, but both places I want to visit. I want to explore Asia for its different culture, beautiful landscapes, diversity and serenity. I have always felt drawn to America, since I already visited the west, I think it’s time to investigate the east.



Stay tuned for 007 Travelers introduction of
* Mainport by Inntel Hotels 
* Designing 007: Fifty Years of Bond Style Exhibition 
* 007 Travel story

See more interviews by 007 Travelers here

 

007 Travelers Interview: UNICEF Finland / Liisa Susiluoto

Liisa Susiluoto

Who: Liisa Susiluoto, Fundraising Manager, UNICEF Finland

Where: UNICEF Finland, Helsinki, Finland

When: 11 September 2014


Would you tell us about yourself and the activities of UNICEF?
I am a fundraising manager, which means that I am a head of UNICEF Finland's fundraising unit and we collect 18-19 million Euros / year for the children of the world. Assets will secure children's rights all over the world, which has led e.g. to the fact that child mortality is not so big anymore. Children survive. UNICEF's assistance goes to where children suffer most in the world.

UNICEF is in every country in the world. We help children everywhere they need help, also in Finland, but here help is not money, but more like global education. The assistance always goes where children need help the most, like in situations such as war. The worst situation at the moment is in Syria, and it is bad also in South Sudan and in other emergency sites. There are also huge countries like India, where they have made a Bond film also. I have been watching Delhi through the eyes of an aid worker and street children problem there is enormous.

One must give credit to Bond films, that the movies are made in real environments, in spite of the very crazy things. In that time when they made movies there, it was really exotic.

How Sir Roger Moore became a goodwill ambassador?
Sir Roger Moore was invited, he was named an ambassador on 9th of August 1991. The invitations are sent on the behalf of Executive Director of UNICEF, but there is a group of people that first checks backgrounds the persons. The criteria to become an UNICEF ambassador are very tight.

Roger Moore became a Goodwill Ambassador after Audrey Hepburn, and it was Audrey who inspired Roger Moore. She thought that Roger Moore could commit to UNICEF's activities. Audrey Hepburn visited Finland shortly before she died. She was here with her loved one and they were family friends with Roger Moore and Kristina Tholstrup.

What are the tasks of the Goodwill Ambassadors?
One of the tasks is to be available when UNICEF needs them and of course they can choose some tasks and tell about UNICEF's work to their connections. UNICEF makes an annual plan so they know what is coming up. If we for instance want Roger Moore to visit here and to work for UNICEF Finland, we write a letter to UNICEF in New York. There is a staff taking care of these things.

When these people are appointed to UNICEF ambassadors, we are looking for people who have a big place for children in their hearts, like Roger has. They visit the field and people take official photos of them, but those field trips have been so great experiences to all of them that they are talking time after time about of the encounters with those children who they are able to help. When they come to a country like Finland, people meet them and UNICEF gets fame, and donations goes to children of the world. Ambassadors receive one dollar pay check every year, given them by Executive Director of UNICEF, so they are in "paid work". Ambassadors mission is constant, it can be life-long; once an ambassador, always an ambassador. Latest thing that I remember that Sir Roger has taken under his wings, is that he has particularly promoted bequests in favour of UNICEF.

How did the ambassador work get started?
Work began in the early 50's, in 1954 became the first ambassador Danny Kaye. Then in the 80's UNICEF started to invite ambassadors. Artists worked for UNICEF already earlier, like Marlon Brando, who visited Finland on behalf of UNICEF in 1967. He worked with organization, even though he was not officially a Goodwill Ambassador.

Originally, the idea was to invite Danny Kaye - who knew Executive Director of UNICEF - as a only Goodwill Ambassador, but later when the major actors expressed their willingness to act for the children of the world and when Jimmy Grant (James P. Grant) was UNICEF's Executive Director, this became a standard way of working. The concept comes from America, where Goodwill Ambassadors organized large gala dinners after they had been on the field. Ticket prices were very high in these galas. This was the way to collect more money.


007 Travelers was in Stockholm, Sweden visiting UNICEF's charity gala. At the same time we celebrated "From Sweden with Love" website's 10-year anniversary. Gala Tickets cost 2000 SEK / each. The profit went to UNICEF Sweden.
So, it was then faithful to this same concept. Some time back we thought that we could arrange something like this in Finland also and today this would even be possible, but not 30 years ago. Then people would have thought that this would never work. But when the communication channels developed and grew, we noticed that there is a need to have more Goodwill Ambassadors and we started to invite more different kind of celebrities. Now, for example, we have Mia Farrow and David Beckham. The older ambassadors are the most popular. Lionel Messi is the most famous sportsman ambassador currently. We also have Finnish Goodwill Ambassadors such as Susanna Haavisto and Eija Ahvo. National activities started 20 years ago.

You have met Roger Moore several times. Would you tell us about him?
All of the world stars who have visited here have appreciated the homely atmosphere. They live a very intense public life. And when they have come to Finland, they have been able to walk here in peace. Last time when I met Roger Moore, which was on 4th of September 2009, he was here with his wife Kristina, and we had a really pleasant four-hour meeting, even though we had prepared to keep only two-hour meeting. The Moore couple enjoyed their time in our table. We had really fun time and Pertti Arajärvi was also there. He is our guardian and chairman. When Sir Roger Moore comes to visit Finland, we have always accommodated him to Hotel Torni. When he visited here for the first time, there was only a smaller room available, which Sir Roger described as "cleaning cupboard". On later visits he has always used a Suite (Room number 431).



Roger Moore suite / Solo Sokos Hotel Torni

He has a phenomenal memory. I have met him three times on different occasions, and he always remembers to say "Oh, Liisa." It is so confusing and American and charming. He has studied people's names or then he remembers them.

Liisa Susiluoto and Sir Roger Moore.
This photo is from Liisa Susiluoto´s album.

When we met in May 2009, Roger Moore told what is the hardest thing while filming: to wear a smooth ironed shirt, hair in order, without sweating and not showing any kind of signs of strain, even though you are an action movie star. He said that it was hilarious to make terrible stunts and not sweat at all. He is also a smooth storyteller, and notices others personally.

It was an experience to Roger Moore to walk in Esplanadi Park with Kristina and me without any security man. It was a spring evening and a nice weather, we walked out there, and people didn't pay any attention to us. Roger Moore is the latest ambassador, who has visited Finland. He had meetings with important people, and we have always tried to arrange an appointment with our office people. It happened also in 2009.

He also opened the UNICEF walk during his visit in 2005 and he had different kinds of roles on behalf of UNICEF. When he visited in 2009, he had his own business at the same time, which was his own book tour. Roger Moore has not visited this building in Kalasatama, but in our previous premises in Lauttasaari he has. That office was located at Perttulantie 6.

 So, Roger Moore has opened the UNICEF walk in Finland. Would you tell us about the idea of walking?

The UNICEF walk concept comes from The Netherlands and first one took place in 1999. Then at that time it was not usual to travel abroad to study. I was able to go to Hague for a day and I got some material from there, which included school walking. It was not a fundraising related, but more like activating students. I'm a trained interpreter and I translated material from Dutch to Finnish and I got one principal and his school to try it. Aim of course is the help to children of the world. The most important thing is an experience to the child. That he or she can decide how much money they can earn by walking. It empowers the child. This is still the idea of the UNICEF walk, that child gets an experience and he or she is important. Each year, more than 180 000 children attend the UNICEF walk.

Roger Moore dedicated his book "My Word Is My Bond" to Liisa Susiluoto

Has Roger Moore done any "face-to-face fundraising"?
We have the UNICEF Committee in Iceland. There are more than 200 000 people in Iceland and a lot UNICEF monthly donors. A huge number in a small island. When they started a monthly donation program, the Head of secretary came here and asked how our "face-to-face fundraising" works. We told him and taught all about "face-to-face fundraising". He invited Roger Moore to do "face-to-face fundraising" for one day on the streets of Reykjavik, and we found him to be one of the best "face-to-face" fundraisers. Everyone did not even recognize him. And that way UNICEF has taken Roger Moore to the places where he has not done films. Those places have included much tighter and real situations than in his films.

Who is your favourite Bond actor?
Roger Moore is my favourite of Bond actors.

The best Bond movie?
"For Your Eyes Only" (1981)

Your favourite travel destination?

India and Kerala region, their way of living in general and particularly India's dance- and temple celebration traditions are extremely interesting. The trips are heavy, since we are doing them as independent travelers with my husband. We don't have our own car, but instead we walk with backpacks and waiting for buses. Best destination when it comes to work is Nepal and especially its more unknown western corner. There is something special when you are looking at Mount Everest.

Liisa Susiluoto taking a photo of children of village school in Nepal in 2009.
UNICEF has supported school renovation and teaching equipment with a support of monthly donors.
This photo is from Liisa Susiluoto´s album.

Where would you want to travel?
I have been in so many nations with a lower standard of living, that my dream would be to visit museums in Europe. Also North Africa´s museums interest me, but the circumstances in those countries are really difficult. When you travel on behalf of UNICEF, you don't have much time to watch attractions, days are so full. One week's journey might include only one hour spare time. However, it is amazing, for instance in Sahara when your driver uses only stars to navigate in the desert. I have traveled with Katri Helena in Nepal. She became a Goodwill Ambassador later after Eija Ahvo and Susanna Haavisto.

My latest journey was with Pirkko Mannola, because she dances with the stars (Tanssii tähtien kanssa). Last show of the season is an UNICEF show. This year´s show will be aired on 30th of November 2014. ("Dancing with the Stars, UNICEF"). The goal is to get more monthly donors.

UNICEF works everywhere in the world and the easiest way is a monthly donation.

If you want to help world's children in need, start monthly giving - direct debit programme for monthly donations to UNICEF.

In Finland, you can find more information from www.unicef.fi

International website: www.unicef.org