This project was an education and production project, and was a joint effort by companies, communities andeducational institutions in the communications industry. The project was to gather experience and knowledgeregarding creating and implementing a bilingual cross-border multimedia product. The goal was to distribute theproduct created during the project, in the same format in Finnish and Russian, on both sides of the border inNorth Karelia and the Republic of Karelia (Petrozavodsk region). In addition, the intention was to develop masscommunications in the area by offering information that was unbiased and equal in content regarding the everydaylife, and the phenomena affecting it, in Finland and Russian Karelia. The product was planned to consist of electronic(internet and TV) and traditional printed format elements. In addition to the multimedia product, an informationoffice-type service was to be constructed, which could be used to distribute media content to other forms of media.The multimedia product was to be built in cooperation with entrepreneurs and educational institutions. The project wasseen as enabling educational institutions’ and companies’ networking, offering students the opportunity to learn on the job,and revitalising the shared cultural heritage. The project would also strengthen the position of the Finnish language andculture in the part of Karelia over the border and would accentuate the Russian language and culture in North Karelia. Achievements: A bilingual multimedia product was created and published during the project as planned: The Lajka magazine andwww.lajka.net website were created as a joint venture by College Outokumpu, Lab 42 Oy, Vocational institutionno. 17 and Karjalan Sanomat. The website was published and the magazine circulated in the same format on bothsides of the border. Lajka created a new type of media where the same issues were presented using the same kind ofcontent in Finnish and Russian. The emphasised content included human interest topics, cross-border cooperation,tourism, entrepreneurship and people. The Lajka magazine did not reach its set circulation target as the advertisingsales targets were not met. In addition, complications with customs processes led to a reduction in the number ofmagazines delivered to Russia. Content similar to that contained in an information office was assembled on theinternet; however, the development of the actual information office service was not completed.The planning and implementation of the Lajka product was tied closely to the training section of the project, whichincluded training on integrated media design and language and cultural training. A team of students from CollegeOutokumpu, which included students majoring in radio and TV work and graphical design, was assembled. Thetraining section included contact and distance learning periods, training and production trips to Petrozavodsk andthe Sortavala region, and work placement periods in Finland and Russia. The training section of the project offeredCollege Outokumpu perspectives that would aid in advancing communication industry training and the developmentof school-specific learning plans. During the project, the school’s international activities were boosted and contactswere created with different counterparts in Petrozavodsk. The educational institution’s activities with Petrozavodskhave continued in different forms following the project’s conclusion.