Minister of Education Paavo Väyrynen was only 30 years old, but already an experienced politician. He was President Kekkonen’s trusted ally, and his career was predicted to continue its meteoric rise. A prediction, which later became reality as Väyrynen has held eight different minister’s portfolios. Kalle Kultala was ‘Kekkoslovakia’s’ number-one photographer, and his camera followed the President along forest tracks and on long-distance journeys. Press photographer Kultala was at his best when working among politicians and other wielders of power. So it is hardly a surprise that he was rewarded for his achievements with the Pro Finlandia medal, or that 200,000 of Kultala’s photographs were archived on the initiative of the Ministry of Education.
