LYY participating in the celebrations of the Finnish Independence Day 2022

Independent Finland turned 105 years old on Tuesday, December 6th, 2022. The city of Rovaniemi celebrated the day in traditional and dignified ways, in which LYY also participated in many different ways, from church service to torchlight procession.

Service at the Church

For LYY, the celebrations started at the service held at the main church at 10 o’clock. LYY board members Id, Laitila, Vuorimäki and Ahvensalmi were there to welcome those who came to the service in front of the church doors.

Itsenäisyyspäivän valoisan lauha pakkasaamu kirkolla. — The bright, frosty morning of Independence Day at the church.

Jumalanpalveluksessa riitti osallistujia aina pienimmistä vanhimpiin. — The bright, frosty morning of Independence Day at the church.

The city’s Independence Day celebration at Lappia-talo

Heikki Autto, chairman of the Rovaniemi city council, gave greetings for the Independence Day celebration at Rovaniemi’s Lappia-talo, which started at 1 pm. The rector of the University of Lapland, Antti Syväjärvi, gave the celebratory speech. The young person’s speech was heard from Krista Perälä, chair of the board of the student union of the University of Lapland.

The party was hosted by Julia Nikusaari, chairperson of ROTKO, the student union of Lapland University of Applied Sciences. The musical numbers of the event were performed by the Lapland Military Band, young harpist Toivo Tervaskanto and singer Janne Raappana and the city’s own band Kunnan Pojat. The joy of circus art was brought to the party by Liina Leppänen’s spectacular hoop number. A video of the event recorded by the city can be seen on their YouTube channel.

Kaupunginvaltuuston puheenjohtaja Heikki Autto esitti tervetuliassanat juhlaan. — The chairman of the city council, Heikki Autto, gave his welcome speech to the celebration.

Lapin yliopiston rehtori Antti Syväjärvi toimitti tilaisuuden juhlapuheen. — The chairman of the city council, Heikki Autto, gave his welcome speech to the celebration.

The young person’s speech at the city’s celebration by Krista Perälä, chair of LYY’s board, can be read below.

Dear veterans of our wars and lottas (female veterans), dear guests,

It is an honor to hold the young person speech today. Thank you to the city of Rovaniemi for this opportunity and thank you to all of you with whom we celebrate together today.

Our 105-year-old homeland is celebrated with the theme “self-reliant Finland”. Confidence in ourselves and the future is needed in these times. On this Independence Day, we especially remember those who have worked for Finnish society in difficult times and promoted Finland’s strengths with their own activities. Independence is celebrated in the Presidential Palace, e.g. with experts who work on future success factors.

Such strengths and success factors definitely include self-confidence – persistence and heartiness. I recognize these features, whether I look at present-day Finland or the time before me. Even in uncertain times, perseverance and heartiness remain, in a certain way even accentuated. I also see them in the eyes of our country and population when gazing towards the future. You, the veterans and lottas, have been building and strengthening those traits. They are inherited and are still a part of young people’s lives. Thanks for those.

Nuoren puheen tilaisuudessa piti LYYn hallituksen puheenjohtaja Krista Perälä. — Krista Perälä, the chair of LYY’s board, gave the young person’s speech at the event.

Tilaisuuden juonsi ROTKOn puheenjohtaja Julia Nikusaari. — Krista Perälä, the chair of LYY’s board, gave the young person’s speech at the event.

I myself am a barefoot Rovaniemi resident. Of course, I’ve travelled some that I went to high school in southern Finland and spent my gap year mostly abroad. After those years, it was somehow easy to fall in love with my hometown again when I returned here to study, at the University of Lapland. Many Finnish things crystallize here for me, such as the nearby nature, the tranquility, even though we live in the city, and the homely atmosphere. And of course the freshest water in the world! Nothing beats that – you know that.

It is sometimes good to visit from afar to take a closer look, and on the other hand, you can recognize big challenges up close. My own generation is fighting a mental health crisis and indisposition – young people and students live under a lot of pressure. In my speeches this year, I have wished for more space and time for us to grow. We are fighting with big uncertainties – we ourselves have not lived through the war times that you, dear veterans and lottas, have in your memory. However, we remember through our parents and grandparents. Through you. That is also why we are concerned about the situation in Ukraine, which shocked us in February and is still ongoing. We are fighting in a time of climate crisis. Our Arctic nature and our home are particularly sensitive to that crisis. On the other hand, the sense of belonging I mentioned is being challenged nationwide by issues of equality and prejudice – these are also our battles.

I want to thank you, the veterans and lottas, for having fought for this country and built such a safe foundation on which my own generation has the opportunity to fight our own struggles. Thank you.

Harpunsoittotaitoa esitteli taitavasti Toivo Tervaskanto. — Toivo Tervaskanto skillfully demonstrated the skill of playing the harp.

Lapin Sotilassoittokunta esitti usean juhlaan sopivan klassisen kappaleen. — Toivo Tervaskanto skillfully demonstrated the skill of playing the harp.

So, our generations have their own struggles, but also their own knowledge and skills. We have the skills to overcome challenges.

Let’s continue the chain of perseverance and heartiness – let’s have a dialogue, listen and try to understand each other, let’s be open to learn new things from each other. Thus, we keep our home, both regionally and nationally, vibrant. Thus, we build solid, durable structures on top of a good foundation.

Dear guests,

For me, independence means self-determination, freedom. It also means cooperation and shared responsibility. Independence does not mean that you cannot rely on others or support others – on the contrary. You shouldn’t stay alone. For me, a significant sign of independence is being able to find networks, connections, through which you can decide to contribute to a better world. Only together can we build a more humane and safer world for everyone.

Independence builds roots for us. They can be like the roots of an old pine tree, deep below the ground. They can still find their place, like with a birch seedling taking root. No matter where the roots are, an independent Finland will help grow a beautiful, strong tree on top of them. Let’s see that every tree is allowed to grow in peace.

Laulaja Janne Raappana ja Kunnan Pojat esittivät tilaisuuden loppunumerot. — Singer Janne Raappana and Kunnan Pojat performed the final numbers of the event.

Maamme laulun jälkeen Suomen lippu kannettiin arvokkaasti pois. — Singer Janne Raappana and Kunnan Pojat performed the final numbers of the event.

To me, independence means the ability to reach high and spread one’s wings. It means good conditions, opportunities offered. It means bearing one’s own responsibility, but also enjoying the fruits of shared responsibility.

To me, independent Finland means democracy, high-quality education, culture, high-quality research and decision-making that relies on science – a welfare society. You, dear previous generations, have been building these. We can be proud of these. We should stick to these.

I want to wish you all a very warm Independence Day!

Torchlight procession

Later in the evening, a torchlight procession organised by LYY, open to all, started in Lordi square. On this Independence Day, we enjoyed mildly cool weather and light snowfall, which seemed to attract students and others to participate in the procession more than last year. As the sun started to set, almost twenty torches that flickered in the darkening afternoon, were distributed among those who arrived.

Soihtuja jaettiin niin monelle kuin niitä vain riitti. Oman lyhtynsä kuin valkolakkinsa sai jokainen tuoda myös mukaan. — Torches were distributed to as many as there were to give. Everyone could bring their own lantern as well as put on their white hat.

Väkeä saapui mukaan kulkueeseen reippaasti. — Torches were distributed to as many as there were to give. Everyone could bring their own lantern as well as put on their white hat.

After the clock struck 15, the procession started its walk with the flags of LYY and LORU in front to the main church near the war heroes’ graves. Snow was coming non-stop, but the atmosphere felt enthusiastic and special.

Kulkuetta johtivat LYYn hallituksen varapuheenjohtaja Ahvensalmi puheenjohtaja Perälän kanssa sekä LORUn rahastonhoitaja Henri Mella. — The procession was led by LYY’s board vice chair Ahvensalmi with chair Perälä and LORU’s treasurer Henri Mella.

Kulkueen matka päättyi sankarihautojen luo. — The procession was led by LYY’s board vice chair Ahvensalmi with chair Perälä and LORU’s treasurer Henri Mella.

At the heroes’ graves, people formed a semi-circle to proceed to sing the national song (Maamme laulu) and Finlandia, after which the visitors could place a candle in front of the graves if they wanted. After these proceedings, LYY’s actual part in the celebrations ended. In the evening, the chair of the board, Perälä, continued to give another speech also at the city’s reception for 15-year-old youth.