Joensuu gavelWhen we were in Joensuu the Finnish Forest Research Institute (METLA) gave the EESC a present of a chairman’s gavel, carved from local birch wood. This afternoon, Vice-President Seppo Kallio chaired the plenary and out came the gavel on its first outing. I couldn’t resist taking a picture and sharing it with you. It’s actually very useful and the ‘thump!’ it makes can be heard very clearly throughout the meeting room. Of course, it brought back fond memories of my Joensuu jaunt, which already seems so long ago…