State leadership and the Defence Forces honour National Veterans’ Day on 27 April

Government Communications DepartmentMinistry of DefenceOffice of the President of the Republic
Publication date 26.4.2020 10.59
Press release 285/2020
Talvisodan kansallinen muistomerkki Kasarmitorilla Helsingissä.

National Veterans’ Day will be celebrated on Monday 27 April 2020. This year, because of the coronavirus outbreak, the occasion will be marked in an unconventional manner. Festivities and honours will mainly take place online.

The date marks the anniversary of the end of the Lapland War in 1945. On Monday, exactly 75 years will have passed since the war ended.

List of events on National Veterans’ Day

  • In the morning, President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö’s message to the war veterans will be published on the website and social media channels of the Office of the President of the Republic.
  • Chief of Defence Timo Kivinen will lay a wreath at Heroes’ Cemetery at Hietaniemi. The Defence Forces will publish photos of the wreath-laying ceremony on its own channels during the morning.
  • Finlandia Hymn, sung by Finland’s largest virtual choir of over 1,000 people will be published on the Government YouTube channel in the morning.
  • Starting at 14.00 on the Government YouTube channel, a discussion will be held on the theme of What is it like to be young in an exceptional period of time — Veterans, young soldiers (sotilaspojat) and Little Lottas (pikkulotat) will meet young people of today. The event is organised in cooperation with the Finnish Broadcasting Company Yle News.

The Defence Forces, the Ministry of Defence and the Government will update content relating to the day’s events on their social media channels, including the greetings of Chief of Defence Timo Kivinen and Minister of Justice Antti Kaikkonen.

Inquiries: Päivi Paasikoski, Assistant Head of Communications, Prime Minister’s Office, tel. +358 295 160 136, paivi.paasikoski(at)vnk.fi; Niina Hyrsky, Director of Communications, Ministry of Defence, tel. +358 295 140 120, niina.hyrsky(at)defmin.fi; Colonel Torsti Astrén, Director of Public Affairs, Finnish Defence Forces, tel. +358 299 500 700 torsti.asten(at)mil.fi; Head of Communications for the President of Finland Jouni Mölsä, press(at)tpk.fi.