Nordic heads of state to join celebrations

Nordic heads of state will celebrate the centenary of Finland’s independence in Helsinki on 1 June 2017 Thursday.

President Sauli Niinistö and First Lady Jenni Haukio will host the day’s programme, said a government press release.

The presidential couple will welcome Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway, and President Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson and his spouse Eliza Jean Reid of Iceland in ceremonies beginning in the forecourt of the Presidential Palace at 10.30 am.

After the ceremonies, the presidential and royal couples will greet the public from the balcony of the Presidential Palace. The general public can watch the guests arrive at the Market Square (Kauppatori in Finnish) and Pohjoisesplanadi.

After the programme at the Presidential Palace, the day will continue with a lunch hosted by Helsinki’s incoming mayor Jan Vapaavuori at the City Hall. Weather permitting, the Finnish presidential couple and their guests will walk from the Presidential Palace to the City Hall at around 11.20 am, greeting the public on their way.

In addition, the presidential and royal couples will watch a Dancing Finland (Koko Suomi) dance event held in the Market Square from the balcony of the City Hall. The performance will include Humppa and street dance.

In the afternoon, President Niinistö, First Lady Jenni Haukio and the Nordic heads of state will participate in the re-inauguration of the Hanasaari Swedish-Finnish Cultural Centre. Hanasaari CEO Gunvor Kronman will host the event.

The guests will also visit the Sibelius Monument in the Sibelius Park, where they will hear singing by the choir of the Helsinki Music Centre, among other music performances. The park will also be open to the public, but the actual public event for the head of states’ visit will be arranged at the day’s beginning in the Market Square and Pohjoisesplanadi. The day will end with a banquet in the Presidential Palace.

Yle will broadcast part of the visit live on television and on YleAreena. Members of the public can participate in the day via the social media by using the hashtags #FInland100 and #together.

Special traffic arrangements will be made in Helsinki for the day. The Helsinki police will make more detailed announcements on these.