Grave memorial for Ahtisaari to be erected in November

A permanent grave memorial for former president Martti Ahtisaari will be erected at his grave on November 10 , exactly one year after his funeral, said a government press release on Tuesday.

The Prime Minister’s Office has appointed a committee for the memorial project and will organise a design competition for the memorial in spring.

The grave memorial will be built based on the proposal selected as the winner of the competition.

The jury for the competition will consist of the members of the memorial committee and two professional artists appointed by the Artists’ Association of Finland.

Headed by Timo Lankinen, Permanent State Under-Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office, other members of the committee are Professor Antti Ahlava of Aalto University, Marko Ahtisaari, Artistic Director, representative of Ahtisaari’s family, Saara Hacklin, Chief Curator (Collections), Finnish National Gallery, Teemu Laajasalo, Bishop, Helsinki Diocese Cathedral Chapter, Juha Rintamäki, Director, Helsinki Parish Union, Professor Pirjo Sanaksenaho of Aalto University, Professor Denise Ziegler of University of the Arts Helsinki.

Chief Specialist Tiina-Kaisa Laakso-Liukkonen from the Prime Minister’s Office will serve as secretary of the committee.

The design competition will be opened officially on February 2.

Former President Martti Ahtisaari passed away in Helsinki on October 16 after a long illness at the age of 86.

Martti Oiva Kalevi Ahtisaari served as the tenth President of Finland from 1994 to 2000.

Before his presidency, he held a number of key positions in the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the United Nations.

After his presidency, Ahtisaari founded CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, a peace brokerage organisation held in high regard, and played a prominent role in international peace talks and mediation efforts.

In recognition of his work to resolve international conflicts President Ahtisaari was award the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008.

All former presidents of Finland, with the exception of Pehr Evind Svinhufvud and Kyösti Kallio, are buried at Hietaniemi Cemetery.

All former Presidents of the Republic have been honoured with a grave memorial. The design competition for former president Ahtisaari’s grave memorial continues this tradition.