Nation celebrates Independence Day today

The nation will celebrate the Independence Day on Sunday in an exceptional manner amid the increasing trend of coronavirus outbreak.

The celebrations of the day will be taken place this year remotely due to the abnormal situation.

Instead of the traditional reception attended by invited guests, President Sauli Niinistö and First Lady Jenni Haukio will invite all Finns to celebrate Independence Day remotely.

The reception has traditionally gathered around two thousand Finns at the presidential palace. But Independence Day is also celebrated at home, by millions in front of their televisions.

Although this year we will not meet in the traditional way at the presidential palace, this will by no means diminish the significance of the celebration, said Niinistö in a statement late September to describe the situation, adding that independence day will be celebrated with all Finns through a new kind of programme.

The partner of the event is Yle, the Finnish broadcasting company which will show the Independence Day live on Yle TV 1.

During the evening, viewers will enjoy presentations of Finnish performing art as well as compilations of scenes from Independence Day receptions held in previous decades.

In addition to the presidential palace, the broadcast will visit different parts of Finland and follow how Finns celebrate Independence Day in different ways.

Viewers will have the opportunity to send their own greetings to the evening’s broadcast.

Meanwhile, the traditional Independence Day flag-hoisting ceremony has been shifted to Hämeenlinna this year in the wake of worsening situation of the coronavirus outbreak in the capital region.

This is the first time in the Finnish history, the flag-hoisting ceremony, traditionally held at the Observatory Hill Park (Tähtitorninmäki) on December 6, is going to be held outside of Helsinki,.

The country achieved liberation in 1917 from Imperial Russia.

Today is a public holiday.