The aim of this functional Bachelor´s thesis was to plan and execute a Finnish event to promote the Finland Center Foundation (FCF) in New York. The idea of this thesis originated during the internship at the FCF in autumn 2011. The FCF was founded in 2002, and it is the meeting point of Finnish and American culture, commerce, and community.

The event, called SISU – The Finnish Fashion Invasion, was held at the Ivana Helsinki Concept Store NYC in Saturday 23th February, 2013. The purpose of the event was to raise the visibility of the FCF and to have new members join the organization. In addition, my personal goal was to make a precise plan and to execute a successful event.

In this project-based thesis, the theoretical framework consists of information obtained from the FCF and other Finnish organizations and communities in New York. Moreover information was collected about project work, event organizing, marketing, and volunteer work in the U.S. The target audience of the event was all the Finnish people living in New York. The project had several partners to enable a diverse event program. Of these the main partner was Ivana Helsinki Concept Store NYC. The project was executed without any financial support.

The event achieved visibility among the target group, and the number of visitors exceeded the aim. The Finland Center Foundation gained four new members, and twenty people joined the mailing list. The event was executed in cooperation with Ivana Helsinki for the first time, and it can become an annual tradition.