Several international dignitaries among guests at state funeral of former president Ahtisaari

Many of the guests invited to former president Martti Ahtisaari’s state funeral reflect his decades-long international career. The state funeral on Friday 10 November will be attended by several international dignitaries.

King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden will honour the memory of former president Ahtisaari with his presence. President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani, President of Namibia Hage Geingob and former president of Tanzania Jakaya Kikwete will also be in attendance, among others. In addition, former president of Ireland and Chair of The Elders Mary Robinson will attend Ahtisaari’s funeral. Nearly 800 guests are expected to attend the funeral, around 30 of whom will be arriving from abroad.

Guests have been invited to the state funeral in accordance with state protocol and the wishes of Ahtisaari’s family. The highest state leaders of Finland will honour the memory of former president Ahtisaari with their presence on Friday.

More information about the state funeral

The state funeral of former president Ahtisaari will begin with the funeral service at Helsinki Cathedral at 13.00. Serving generals and admirals will act as the pallbearers at the Cathedral.

After the service, the funeral cortege will leave Helsinki Cathedral at about 14.45. The cortege will be led by the mounted police and will proceed as a motorcade from Helsinki Cathedral to Hietaniemi Cemetery, stopping outside the Presidential Palace for one minute.

Members of the public are warmly welcome to watch the cortege as it proceeds along the following route: Unioninkatu, Aleksanterinkatu (towards Meritullintori, around the Main Guard building), Pohjoisesplanadi, Unioninkatu (around the Presidential Palace), Aleksanterinkatu, Mannerheimintie, Arkadiankatu, Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu, Mechelininkatu and across Hietaniemi Cemetery from the gate to the New Chapel along the main promenade.

President Ahtisaari will be buried at Hietaniemi Cemetery in the same area as Presidents Mauno Koivisto, Urho Kekkonen and Risto Ryti. The pallbearers at Hietaniemi Cemetery will be former president Ahtisaari’s son Marko Ahtisaari and Ahtisaari’s former Aides-de-Camp.

The burial will begin at about 15.45 and will last half an hour. The burial will be attended by former president Ahtisaari’s next of kin and the highest state leadership.

After the burial, a memorial ceremony for former president Ahtisaari will be held in the Government Banquet Hall for around 300 invited guests. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo will deliver words of tribute at the ceremony, which will begin at 16.30.

Former president Martti Ahtisaari passed away on Monday 16 October in Helsinki. He was 86 years old. Ahtisaari was President of the Republic of Finland from 1994 to 2000.

Inquiries: Tiina-Kaisa Laakso-Liukkonen, Chief Specialist, tel. +358 29 516 0220 and Aapo Riihimäki, Senior Communications Specialist, tel. +358 50 471 3020 (general inquiries about the arrangements); Military honours: Finnish Defence Forces Media Service, [email protected]