Ilomantsi residents fear losing community

Journalists visited Ilomantsi, a town in Finland, and spoke with 83-year-old Pekka Jeskanen at a local bakery.

Jeskanen expressed concern that new people would not stay in the town, saying, “They cannot stay.” The article reports a generally bleak situation in Ilomantsi, measured by several indicators. The reporters also visited other Finnish towns facing similar challenges, including one where a local resident predicted a grim future and another with virtually no activity on its streets.