Saturday November 23, 2024

Monument to Koivisto unveiled in Helsinki

Published : 25 Nov 2023, 23:41

DF Report

The official memorial to former President Mauno Koivisto, Välittäjä (The Mediator), was unveiled in Helsinki on Saturday. Photo: Finnish government by Fanni Uusitalo.

The official memorial to former President Mauno Koivisto, Välittäjä (The Mediator), was unveiled in Helsinki on Saturday, on the birth centenary of the former president, said a government press release.

With the memorial, the government honours Koivisto’s memory and extensive life’s work.

The two-part stainless steel sculpture in Pikkuparlamentin puisto (Little Parliament Park) is six metres tall and fifteen metres long.

The material was chosen so that the work would last a long time.

The sculpture stands on both sides of the main pathway leading through the park and invites the viewer to walk through it.

The sculpture is illuminated from below with lights embedded in the ground and from above with lights installed on four ten-metre columns.

The memorial was designed and created by sculptor Kirsi Kaulanen. The Prime Minister’s Office commissioned the work Välittäjä from sculptor Kaulanen, the winner of an open design competition organised by the Prime Minister’s Office in 2021.

The winner of was selected by an awards committee consisting the former president Mauno Koivisto memorial committee and two artists appointed by the Artists’ Association of Finland. The competition was of high artistic standard and received a total of 110 entries.

The value of the contract was EUR 1,035,000. The Prime Minister’s Office will donate the work to the art collection of the City of Helsinki.

Mauno Henrik Koivisto was President of the Republic of Finland from 1982 to 1994. He was a war veteran, a bank manager, a Doctor of Philosophy, Prime Minister and President of the Republic who led Finland on its path to EU membership.

Koivisto passed away in Helsinki on 12 May 2017. His state funeral was held in Helsinki on 25 May 2017. He is buried at Hietaniemi Cemetery.

Earlier in July, 2023, the City of Helsinki decided to carry out foundation, lighting and park modifications in Pikkuparlamentin puisto park in order to install and place a memorial for late President Mauno Koivisto in the park.