Finland celebrates the independency!

Finland declared its independence from the crumbling Russian Empire in 1917. As a young nation, it soon had to defend that independence against the Soviet Union during the Second World War. Through the perseverance and determination of our veterans, our grandfathers and grandmothers, Finland prevailed.

Today, as I celebrate our independence while listening to Finlandia by Jean Sibelius - so beautifully performed by the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Eugene Tzigane - I feel profoundly grateful for the genuine freedom, strong security, prosperity, and real happiness we enjoy in my homeland, Finland.