Funeral service and memorial ceremony for former Finnish Prime Minister Holkeri

On the funeral day, Parliament, the Government Palace, the Bank of Finland, the House of the Estates, the University of Helsinki, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Helsinki City Hall and the National Coalition Party Office will all raise the flag half-mast. The flags will be raised at 08.00 and lowered at sunset. After the memorial ceremony flags will be hoisted to full-mast.

The Finnish Broadcasting Company, YLE, will broadcast the funeral service live on television (at 09.50–11.30) and radio. MTV3 will show an edited version of the service on Saturday evening at 19.10–19.20.

The public may attend the service in the cathedral aisles and galleries. People are requested to use the side doors (Senaatintori and Kirkkokatu entrances) which will open at 09.00. Everyone is to be seated by 09.15.

Funeral service in Helsinki Cathedral

The service will be conducted by Bishop Eero Huovinen, assisted by Reverend Matti Holkeri.

Along with family members, President Tarja Halonen and former presidents Mauno Koivisto and Martti Ahtisaari will lay a floral wreath by the coffin.

Speaker of Parliament Eero Heinäluoma and Deputy Speakers Pekka Ravi and Anssi Joutsenlahti will lay a wreath on behalf of the Finnish Parliament. Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen and Minister of Finance Jutta Urpilainen will present the Finnish Government’s funeral tribute. Other members of the current Government and almost all of the ministers who served in the Holkeri Government (1987-1991) will also attend the funeral service.

The Bank of Finland will be represented by Governor Erkki Liikanen, Bank Manager Seppo Honkapohja, former governor Sirkka Hämäläinen and former board member Ele Alenius. A wreath of flowers from the National Coalition Party will be laid by Party Leader Jyrki Katainen, Chairman of the Coalition Party parliamentary group Jan Vapaavuori and Party Secretary Taru Tujunen. Chairman of the Helsinki City Council Minerva Krohn, Deputy Mayor Pekka Sauri and Chairman of the Helsinki City Board Risto Rautava will pay last respects on behalf of the City of Helsinki. Representatives of foreign states will also present floral tributes.

The eulogy will be given by Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen. The programme will include performances by opera singer Jaakko Ryhänen and the Helsinki Cathedral Boys’ Choir, Cantores Minores, led by Conductor Hannu Norjanen. Seppo Murto will be the organist and Harri Viitanen the cantor. Heikki Autto, Sanni Grahn-Laasonen, Lasse Männistö and Sofia Vikman, young National Coalition Party MPs, will stand in guard of honour beside the coffin. Scouts will form a guard of honour outside Helsinki Cathedral and the House of the Estates.

There will be no funeral procession from the cathedral to the graveyard. Harri Holkeri’s urn will be taken to Hietaniemi graveyard in the presence of family members at a later time.

The public will not have an opportunity to present floral tributes or pay their last respects during the funeral service.

Memorial ceremony at the House of the Estates

After the funeral service, a memorial ceremony for invited guests will take place at the House of the Estates. At the ceremony, the eulogy will be given by former president Martti Ahtisaari. The words of tribute will be delivered by Managing Director Suvi Rihtniemi. The ceremony will also include performances by opera singer Jaakko Ryhänen and cellist Panu Luosto, accompanied by organist Harri Viitanen.

Tributes

In place of floral tributes donations can be made to UNICEF, account number: 152930-87. Please indicate "To the memory of Harri Holkeri" in the information field.

The City of Helsinki will honour the memory of former Prime Minister Harri Holkeri by exhibiting his portrait in the City Hall’s Virka Gallery during the funeral day. Holkeri was a member of the Helsinki City Council between 1969 and 1988 and chaired the Council meetings between 1981 and 1987. The portrait was painted by a Finnish artist, Professor Kimmo Kaivanto in 1994. On that Saturday, Virka Gallery is open from 10.00 to 16.00 at Pohjoisesplanadi 11-13, Helsinki.

The memorial book for Harri Holkeri, which was open at the House of the Estates last week, was signed by almost 700 persons. The book will be open during the memorial ceremony.
Inquiries: Velipekka Nummikoski, State Secretary (chair of the working group for the funeral arrangements), Prime Minister’s Office, tel. +358 9 1602 2006; Päivi Paasikoski, Head of Communications, Government Communications Unit, tel. +358 9 1602 2082 or +358 40 547 6279; Anja Laisi, Deputy Chief of Protocol, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 9 1605 5052; Petri Oittinen, Head Verger, Helsinki Cathedral Parish, tel. +358 9 2340 6115

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