State funeral of former Finnish Prime Minister Harri Holkeri on 27 August

In the funeral service, flowers will be laid by family members, President Tarja Halonen, President Mauno Koivisto and President Martti Ahtisaari. Representatives of Parliament, the Government, the Bank of Finland, the National Coalition Party and the City of Helsinki will also leave flowers in memory of Harri Holkeri.

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 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.

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

The funeral service will be broadcast live by the Finnish Broadcasting Company, YLE, on television and radio. In addition, the MTV3 channel will televise an edited version of the service on the same day at 19.10.

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

After the funeral service, a memorial ceremony for invited guests will take place at the House of the Estates. An invitation card must be presented on arrival.

Memorial book open until Friday

A memorial book has been opened at the House of the Estates, Helsinki, for citizens to express their condolences. The book is open daily from 08.00 to 16.00 until Friday 19 August. The address of the House of the Estates is Snellmaninkatu 9–11.

The public will not have an opportunity to lay flowers or pay their last respects during the funeral service.

Donations in place of flowers are requested to 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 held a seat in the Helsinki City Council from 1969 to 1988 and acted as its chair from 1981 to 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.

Flags at half-mast

On the funeral day, Saturday 27 August, 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. The memorial ceremony at the House of the Estates is to end at 13.00 after which flags will be hoisted to full-mast until sunset.

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, Senior Attendant, Helsinki Cathedral Parish, tel. +358 9 2340 6115