Kari Kola and the City of Joensuu have an influencer cooperation agreement that is garnering visibility for Joensuu’s photonics expertise around the world.

The main focus of the collaboration is the world’s largest light installation, Lighting the Sound, on display in the city of Albany in southwestern Australia in March 2026.

“Our photonics experts will travel to Australia to build cooperation with other light professionals and spread knowledge about Joensuu’s photonics expertise,” says Markku Pyykkönen, marketing director of the City of Joensuu. “We haven’t yet decided whether we will bring traditional Karelian pies or perhaps a sauna with us, but we will surely come up with something special.”

In the work, local Aboriginal culture and colonial history meet through light, colour and shared experience.

“The work has been designed in dialogue with local communities, technical experts and an international team,” Kola explains. “The aim is to bring more than 50,000 visitors together for silence, reflection and respect. In this way, Joensuu is also involved in a collaboration that transcends borders.”

Joensuu is an internationally remarkable center for photonics, i.e., light science and technology. The University of Eastern Finland conducts cutting-edge research in the field. Joensuu is Finland’s leading photonics educator and home to growing companies.

[A longer version of this article originally appeared on the City of Joensuu’s website.]