Will the UK warms to Finland’s naked sauna diplomacy?

Finland’s diplomats have used saunas as a relaxation venue for discussing international policies and solving issues for years. The UK now has its own in London.

Whether it’s international summits, smart receptions, or high-level negotiations where people can either have hot, boiling debates or simply sip champagne and have fancy chocolates, But the Finns have their own way of engaging people, a secret tactic they call “engaging,” famous among diplomats, just as long as they are ready to take their clothes off.

For years, there has been a diplomatic sauna society in the Finnish embassy in Washington, DC, as well as in other parts of the world. Now, there is one in the Embassy of London, UK, secured in the basement after it opened last year.

The idea of having “sauna diplomacy” is simple. Finnish diplomats call their contacts at the UK embassy. Introductions happen, you enjoy a drink, and then it’s time to get changed.  The women head in first by themselves. When they are done, the men have their turn to wind up. In the end, the party gathers for another drink and meal.

They call it “naked networking” but, it still works

Keeping the old tradition

Sauna is an old Finnish tradition and an integral part of the Finnish lifestyle. According to Heli Suominen, press counselor at the Finnish embassy in the United Kingdom. Saunas are mainly aimed at building trust and forging friendly relations. She says.

“It provides a friendly ambiance good for frank discussions.” The fact that you’re not fully dressed fosters a sense of equality among your colleagues. It’s very easy to lose track of which post and title you’re on. So it’s one way that you can get to the depth of things. 

The motive is simple, getting hot and sweaty relaxes the whole of you, nurturing amicability, reduces stress and tensions, and helps in building relationships.

The rules are simple: shower first, wear swimwear or a towel, men sweat with men, women sweat with women. As you enter, you will get a “bum towel” to sit on, protecting you from heat. The temperature touches 80 C, so you can have a sweet chat. In the meantime, barriers are being pulled down.

Sauna diplomacy in other cultures

Sauna diplomacy may not work in all countries; some cultures are not accustomed to near nudity in public, and being enclosed in a small, dimly lit setting with five other men may be an uncomfortable situation for some. When asked about being uneasy with anyone, no one said yes.

Diplomats like Federico Bianchi, when asked about how he felt in the sauna, said: “he actually enjoyed it as it was so different – engaging in diplomacy without his usual tools of the trade, mobile phone, and suit”.

“It would be quite unusual for not being clothed and being exposed to your body and the perception others will have of you”, Bianchi who went to the London embassy, UK sauna suggested. “ Just stick to the word naked”. 

Finnish sauna diplomacy sounds alien in many parts of the world, but there have been many historical and cultural references to the practice having a crucial part in other societies and civilizations.

1. Finnish sauna had been regarded widely as the originator of the idea of people gathering in one place and having a steam bath. In Finnish culture, every household has its own sauna. It is commonly believed that modern inspiration for spas and saunas came from the Finnish sauna.

2. Russian Banya has been an important part of Russian culture for centuries. Banya is the Russian version of a traditional sauna closely resembling the Finnish sauna. The Banya is fired by wood. A pan with sauna rocks is used to warm up and humidify the room. Many have been opened last year in the UK.    

3. Turkish Hammam is a Middle Eastern type of public bathing, cleansing, and relaxing. It has been strongly embedded in Turkish and Islamic culture. It consists of three steps, typically three different rooms warm-up, cleansing, and relaxing are performed separately. 

4. Icelandic Spa, for many, would be quite a surprise, as Iceland has a strong outdoor pool culture. With so many volcanoes surrounding this small country, the water in these pools is naturally heated. One of the most visited tourist sites is Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa connected with a large outer lagoon, located in the Iceland capital of Reykjavik.

5. Japanese Sento, as cleansing had a more spiritual element in the Buddhist culture, Japan had its own exclusive bathing culture which exists till today. A Sento is a temple-style bathhouse used for public bathing and socializing. In many Japanese spas, there are also massage rooms that complement the overall experience.

There are also many references from the 1960s, Finland’s Cold War Leader Urho Kekkonen – took the then president of the Soviet regime Nikita Khrushchev in an all-night sauna and persuaded him to allow Finland to join the West.

In 2005, Vladimir Putin visited Helsinki, he got invited by the husband of the Finnish president, Tarja Halonen, and expressed it as a “wonderful experience”.

Sauna society becoming more than just a culture 

Finnish diplomat Sanna Kangasharju says the sauna is not about diplomacy these days, but it’s becoming more than cultural engagement.

Sanna feels that she wouldn’t have developed such a strong relationship with the US without the sauna. “They go through a special experience.” “When they say I didn’t recognize you without clothes,” she says,

The Finnish sauna is a well-organized, non-sexual space, even better than places outside where you meet people, she added. The UK government has done an incredible job allowing to open of a sauna in the basement of its Finnish embassy in London.

The point of a sauna is that everyone feels respected and comfortable. It’s more sacred to us, and it’s a safe haven for everyone, she says. 

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Also Read: Finland: The Best Education In The World?

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