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Prime Minister Sipilä to celebrate Finland’s independence with hundreds of children

Government Communications Department
Publication date 30.11.2018 10.29 | Published in English on 30.11.2018 at 15.00
Press release 567/2018

Prime Minister Juha Sipilä will host an Independence Day party for children on5 December, the eve of Finnish Independence Day. The celebration will be attended by more than 500 schoolchildren from all over Finland.

The Prime Minister will first shake hands with all of the children and welcome each one personally to the event. Every municipality in Finland had the opportunity to send two 10-year-old children to the celebration. After the festive beginning of the event, the children will have the opportunity to visit various activity stations. The theme of this year’s celebration is reading and literature. The same day marks the opening of the new Helsinki Central Library, Oodi. Oodi is a joint Finland100 project of the City of Helsinki and the Government.

At the celebration, the children will be greeted by beloved characters from books and entertained by magician Aatu Itkonen, among other performers. The improvisation group Lonkka will perform scenes from familiar children’s books. Author Timo Parvela will transport the guests to the world of the Ella book series. The party will also be captured in a comic, which will be distributed to all guests after the party. To top it all off, the event will feature a surprise performer whose identity will not be revealed to the children until they get there. The food and drinks are also inspired by literature. The treats on offer will include Koiramäki hotdogs, Anneli and Onneli’s vegetable skewers, Harry Potter’s molecule candy buffet and Diary of a Wimpy Kid pastries.

The children’s Finnish Independence Day celebration was held for the first time last year in honour of Finland’s centenary.

“The children’s Independence Day celebration was one of the most memorable Finland100 events from last year. That’s why I wanted to organise it again this year. I hope this becomes a tradition,” said Prime Minister Juha Sipilä.

“The importance of cross-generational perspectives for independent Finland cannot be overstated. On Independence Day, we reflect on history and the work of past generations, and this is a very valuable thing. It is just as important to think about the future of Finland and take into account our younger generations,” the Prime Minister continues.

The celebration will be held at the House of the Estates in Helsinki. The celebration was organised in cooperation with the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare and the Ombudsman for Children.

Prime Minister's Office press release about the party

Social media hashtag for the event: #suomenlastenjuhla

Pictures from last year’s event

Inquiries: Tiina-Kaisa Laakso-Liukkonen, Production Manager, tel. +358 295 160 220, Mari-Kaisa Brander, Head of Communications, tel. +358 40 468 3388, Prime Minister’s Office.