(SUKOL – Federation of Foreign Language Teachers in Finland)

Eija Raitala

The Federation of Foreign Language Teachers in Finland SUKOL is nominating Eija Raitala due to her many achievements and activity in the field of teaching foreign languages in Finland. She has been very active in promoting the learning of several foreign languages and versatile language skills and has developed adjustable operating models for the development of learning and teaching French as a foreign language.

She has been elected in consecutive terms as the chairperson of the Finnish French Teachers’ Association and has done valuable work in the association to train French teachers, promote the Finland–France exchange programs for French studying students, and organize joint language and cultural events for French teachers in close cooperation with other Finnish parties related to the French language and culture. In 2023 Eija Raitala received a merit badge of the French state. It is a promotion from knighthood to officer, which is officially called Officier de l’ordre des Palmes Académiques in French. The French Ministry of Education awards merit badges to representatives of the teaching and academic fields for promoting the French language and French culture.