Independence Day observed remotely

The nation on Sunday celebrated the Independence Day in an exceptional manner due to the increasing trend of coronavirus outbreak.

The celebrations of the day took 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 welcomed all the Finns to celebrate the Independence Day in different locations remotely.

Normally the Independence Day´s ball hosted by the presidential couple gathers thousands of people from different strata at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki.

This year Niinistö and Haukio hosted a simple reception at 7:.30 PM, which included live music and interviews, open to online comment via the national broadcaster Yle Areena.

This is the third time since the Second World War that the Presidential Palace has not turned into a crowdy party on the Independence Day evening.

At the initial years of the independence, the gala, however, would be cancelled or relocated on various occasions.

The president’s reception party was also shifted to Tampere Hall in 2013, as the Presidential Palace was being renovated, but this year it has been cancelled for the first time in the history of 50 years of independence.

President Sauli Niinistö and First Lady Jenni Haukio

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

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, was held outside of Helsinki,.

The country achieved liberation in 1917 from Imperial Russia.