Kesko supports young athletes and art students with scholarships

KESKO CORPORATION PRESS RELEASE 19.05.2010 AT 14.00 1(1)

Kesko's Board of Directors has granted scholarships to talented young athletes and art students for the 23rd time. The Kesko scholarships, presented on 19 May in Helsinki, were distributed to 24 promising young athletes and 16 art students from different parts of Finland.

The total scholarship amount was 40,000 euros and the recipients were chosen on the recommendation of fine arts universities and sports associations.

Previous Kesko scholarship recipients include, for example, snowboarder Peetu Piiroinen, figure skaters Laura Lepistö and Kiira Korpi, biathlete Anssi Koivuranta, sprinter Visa Hongisto, fashion designer Teemu Muurimäki, film director Zaida Bergroth and actor Aku Hirviniemi.

Awards to best theses

Kesko also awards some of the best polytechnic theses in a total value of 25,000 euros. The Thesis contest had 181 entries, 24 of which will receive prizes in regional events in May-June 2010.

The annual Thesis contest is aimed to enhance the thesis quality and to strengthen the thesis culture in polytechnics. A further objective is to increase the recognition of the polytechnic degrees and highlight their special features, such as working life orientation.

Young Finland Association's and Kesko's 'Your Move' goes on tour

'Your Move On Tour 2010', the tour of events with most diversity and fun, will soon put young people on the move throughout Finland. 'Your Move On Tour' is part of the 'Your Move' campaign organised by the Young Finland Association and the Finnish Sports Federation. The main partner of the tour is Kesko with its chains.

Kesko will be present at five events on the 'Your Move' tour: in Helsinki, Oulu, Pori, Jyväskylä and Turku. The Kesko chains participating in the tour will be K-citymarket, K-supermarket, K-market, K-rauta, Rautia and Intersport. The tour calendar and other details are available at www.kesko.fi.

Further information:
Kesko Corporation, Senior Vice President Paavo Moilanen, Corporate Communications and Responsibility, tel. +358 1053 22764

Kesko (www.kesko.fi) is a retail specialist whose stores offer quality to the daily lives of consumers. Kesko has about 2,000 stores engaged in chain operations in the Nordic and Baltic countries, Russia, and Belarus.