Grave memorial for former President Koivisto unveiled
The grave memorial for former President of the Republic of Finland Mauno Koivisto was unveiled at the Hietaniemi Cemetery in Helsinki on Sunday. The day marked 95 years since former President Koivisto’s birth.
The grave memorial for Koivisto was designed by artist and photographer Perttu Saksa. His work, Kartta, was selected as the winner of a competition for the grave memorial design held this past spring.
In his speech at the unveiling of the memorial, President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö described Kartta as a memorial that speaks volumes.
“President Mauno Koivisto left a deep and permanent mark on our nation’s history. His life’s work left behind a map that strengthened democratic Finland and led us towards the new millennium.”
“The key routes on President Koivisto’s map – unity, trust, a sense of justice, democracy and our parliamentary system – are the directions in which we should continue to travel also in the future,” President Niinistö said.
In their deliberations in spring 2018, the prize committee for the memorial design competition described former President Koivisto’s grave memorial as humane and elegant. In his speech on behalf of the Government, Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini stated that humane and elegant are also fitting words to describe Mauno Koivisto as a person, as well as his life’s work.
“It is a great honour to be here to remember his central role in developing the society of independent Finland. Koivisto’s funeral in May 2017 demonstrated the fondness Finns had for their former president,” Minister for Foreign Affairs Soini said.
The Prime Minister’s Office announced its competition for the design of the grave memorial for former President Koivisto at the beginning of his year. The competition received 138 submissions. The prize committee’s decision on the winner was clear and unanimous.
Soini described artist Perttu Saksa’s work as dignified and easily approachable, without any unnecessary adornments. “In this way, too, it is an appropriate depiction of Koivisto himself, his life’s work and his strong convictions.”
At the unveiling, Bishop Eero Huovinen, who gave the sermon at former President Koivisto’s funeral, read a prayer. The event featured musical performances by the Guards Band, conducted by Major Pasi-Heikki Mikkola, and the YL Male Voice Choir, led by conductor Pasi Hyökki.
In addition to former president Koivisto’s family and friends, the unveiling event was attended by President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö and Mrs Jenni Haukio, Speaker of Parliament Paula Risikko and Deputy Speakers Mauri Pekkarinen and Tuula Haatainen, as well as former presidents Tarja Halonen and Martti Ahtisaari and their spouses.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini, Minister of Education Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, Minister of Transport and Communications Anne Berner, Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä, Minister for European Affairs, Culture and Sport Sampo Terho and Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Anne-Mari Virolainen attended as representatives of the Government.
Along with the artist Perttu Saksa, some of those who participated in creating the memorial were also in attendance.
The memorial is made of black diabase
The Kartta grave memorial is 250 cm wide, 160 cm deep and 75 cm high. It is made of black diabase from Varpaisjärvi and weighs 9,000 kilograms.
The side walls and background are made of broken rock surfaces that have been hewn by hand using sledgehammers. The front wall and the cover, with its golden cracks, have been polished to a sheen. Koivisto’s name and date of birth and death are written on the front wall of the grave in bronze letters that the artist has covered in patina.
In addition to Perttu Saksa, Loimaan Kivi Oy and Kultaus Snellman Oy participated in creating the work.
Read more
Speech by President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö
Speech by Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini
Information on the “Kartta” memorial
Watch Perttu Saksa’s interview on the Government’s YouTube channel.
Photos of the memorial and the event are available on the Finnish Government’s Flickr account.
Government press release of 22 November 2018
Inquiries: Timo Lankinen, Permanent State Under-Secretary, tel. +358 295 160 300, Sanna Helopuro, Senior Adviser for Legislative Affairs, tel. +358 295 160 170, and Päivi Paasikoski, Assistant Head of Communications, Prime Minister’s Office, tel. +358 40 547 6279, Prime Minister's Office