National Day of Finland

Finland celebrates its National Day Sunday. This is a national public holiday held on December 6 to celebrate Finland’s declaration of independence from the Russian empire.

The official festivities usually commence with the raising of the flag on Tahtitorninmaki (Observatory Hill) in Helsinki. There is a religious service at the Helsinki Cathedral and official visits to the war memorials of World War II. In the evening, a gala reception is held for approximately 2,000 invited guests at the Presidential Palace. This event, known as Linnan Juhlat (the party at the castle) is broadcast on national television and has been a perennial favorite of the viewing public. The first presidential ball was organized in 1919 and the event has been held on most years ever since.

Finland, a member of the European Union, is the second largest Nordic country – with a population of more than five million people. Finland is among the top suppliers of telecommunications equipment to the Philippines.

Finland and the Philippines have a long tradition of friendship,
mutual esteem, and understanding. This is an excellent foundation for a further strengthening, expansion, and diversification of the relationship.

Finland and the Philippines established diplomatic contacts in 1955. Finland opened an embassy in Manila in 1980. The bilateral trade has shown a clear expanding trend in this decade, although heavy fluctuations on a year-to-year basis occur due to the concentration of the trade on a few large companies. Finland’s exports to the Philippines to a large extent consist of telecommunications equipment, machines and appliances, and pulp and paper. The Philippines’ exports to Finland are mainly electric appliances, coconut oil, textiles, fruits, and fish products.

We congratulate the government and people of Finland, led by H.E. President Tarja Halonen, and H.E Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, and its embassy in the Philippines headed by Ambassador Heikki Hannikainen, on the occasion of their National Day. We wish them success in all their endeavors.

Source:mb.com.ph/