Flag days in Finland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
By law, the Finnish flag must be flown from public buildings on the following days[1]:
- February 28, day of Kalevala; the occasion is also celebrated as the Day of Finnish culture
- May 1, Vappu, the Day of Finnish Labour
- Second Sunday in May, Mother's Day
- June 4, birthday of Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, Marshal of Finland; the occasion is also celebrated as the Flag Day of the Finnish Defence Forces
- Saturday between June 20 and 26 June, Midsummer Day; the occasion is also celebrated as the Day of the Finnish Flag. The flag is hoisted already on Midsummer eve at 6 PM and flown all night.
- December 6, Independence Day
- Days when Finland holds parliamentary and local elections, elections to the European Parliament, or a referendum
- The day the President of Finland is inaugurated.
The days on which flying the Finnish flag is an established custom It has become customary to fly the Finnish flag on the following occasions. The dates are also listed in the Finnish State Calendar compiled by the University of Helsinki, and it is recommended that the flag is flown on these occasions in the same way as on those prescribed by law.[2]
- February 5, birthday of the National poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg
- March 19, birthday of Minna Canth, Day of Equality, beginning in 2007
- April 9, the day Mikael Agricola, the founder of the written Finnish language died and Elias Lönnrot, a collector of folklore was born; the occasion is also celebrated as the Day of the Finnish language
- April 27, National War Veterans' Day
- May 12, birthday of the statesman Johan Vilhelm Snellman
- Third Sunday in May, memorial day for the war dead of the Finnish Civil War and World War II
- July 6, birthday of the poet Eino Leino; the occasion is also a celebration of poetry and summer
- October 10, birthday of the National writer Aleksis Kivi; the occasion is also celebrated as the Day of Finnish literature
- October 24, Day of the United Nations
- November 6, Day of the Swedish Identity
- Second Sunday in November, Father's Day
The flag is flown from 8 AM to sunset; however, even in summer at most to 9 PM. There are two exceptions:
- on Midsummer the flag is flown from 6 PM on Midsummer Eve to 9 PM on Midsummer Day at 9 PM
- on Independence Day the flag is flown from 8 AM to 8 PM.
[edit] See also
- Holidays in Finland
- National anthem of Finland
- Flag Day (a list of Flag Days in various countries)
[edit] References
- ^ Asetus liputuksesta Suomen lipulla (383/1978). (Decree on flying the Finnish flag), 2§ as changed with decree 187/1996. Retrieved 2-6-2008. (Finnish)
- ^ Vakiintuneet liputuspäivät (Customary flag days). Finnish ministry of interior affairs. Retrieved 2-6-2008. (Finnish)
