Flag flying days in Finland
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Flag flying days in Finland are days of the year when the national flag is flown nationwide, either by law or by custom. The flag of Finland is generally flown only on special occasions to celebrate or honour someone or something. On certain days of the year the state officially flies the flag, and recommends all private citizens to do so as well, these are the flag flying days as listed below.[1] Any citizen has a right to fly the flag on their own property if they deem it appropriate,[2][3] for example in celebration of birthdays or weddings in the family. Midsummer's day is additionally celebrated as Flag Day in Finland.
Legal enforcement
[edit]By law, the Finnish flag must be flown from public buildings on the following days.[4] It is recommended that private citizens to also fly the flag on these days.
| date | English name[3] | Finnish name[2] | remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 February, Kalevala Day |
Day of Finnish Culture | suomalaisen kulttuurin päivä | |
| 1 May, Walpurgis Night |
Day of Finnish Labour | suomalaisen työn päivä | |
| Second Sunday in May | Mothers Day | äitienpäivä | the name is plural in Finland: Mothers, not "Mother's" |
| 4 June, Day of Gustaf Mannerheim |
Flag Celebration Day of the Defence Forces | puolustusvoimain lippujuhlan päivä | |
| Saturday between 20 and 26 June, Midsummer |
Day of the Flag of Finland | Suomen lipun päivä | the flag is hoisted on Midsummer Eve at 6 PM and flown through the night until 9 PM the next day, Midsummer |
| Second Sunday in November | Father's Day | isänpäivä | |
| 6 December | Independence Day | itsenäisyyspäivä | |
| movable | day on which state elections, regional and municipal elections, elections to the European Parliament or an advisory referendum are held in Finland | päivä, jolloin Suomessa toimitetaan valtiolliset vaalit, alue- ja kuntavaalit, Euroopan parlamentin edustajien vaalit tai neuvoa-antava kansanäänestys | |
| normally 1 February or 1 March in every six years |
day on which the President of the Republic takes office | päivä, jolloin tasavallan presidentti astuu toimeensa |
Customary flag days
[edit]It has become customary to fly the Finnish flag on the following occasions. These 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.[5]
| date | English name[3] | Finnish name[2] | remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 February, Day of Alvar Aalto |
Day of Finnish Architecture and Design[6] | suomalaisen arkkitehtuurin ja muotoilun päivä |
|
| 5 February, Day of J. L. Runeberg |
Day of Finnish Poetry | suomalaisen runouden päivä | |
| 19 March, Day of Minna Canth |
Day of Equality | tasa-arvon päivä | |
| 9 April, Day of Mikael Agricola and Elias Lönnrot |
Day of Finnish Language | suomen kielen päivä | |
| 27 April | National Veterans' Day | kansallinen veteraanipäivä | |
| 9 May | Europe Day | Eurooppa-päivä | it is advised by the Finnish Ministry of the Interior that the flag of the European Union is flown alongside the flag of Finland on this day[7] |
| 12 May, Day of J. V. Snellman |
Day of Finnishness | suomalaisuuden päivä | |
| Third Sunday in May | Remembrance Day of Fallen | kaatuneiden muistopäivä | |
| 6 July, Day of Eino Leino |
Day of Poem and Summer | runon ja suven päivä | |
| Last Saturday in August | Day of Nature of Finland | Suomen luonnon päivä | |
| 1 October, Day of Miina Sillanpää |
Day of Civic Engagement | kansalaisvaikuttamisen päivä | |
| 10 October, Day of Aleksis Kivi |
Day of Finnish Literature | suomalaisen kirjallisuuden päivä | |
| 24 October | United Nations Day | Yhdistyneiden kansakuntien päivä | |
| 6 November | Day of Swedishness | ruotsalaisuuden päivä (Swedish: svenska dagen) |
|
| 20 November | Day of Child's Rights | lapsen oikeuksien päivä | |
| 8 December, Day of Jean Sibelius |
Day of Finnish Music | suomalaisen musiikin päivä |
See also
[edit]- Holidays in Finland
- National anthem of Finland
- Finnish national symbols
- Household pennant of Finland
- Flag Day (a list of Flag Day holidays in various countries)
- Flag flying days in Norway
- Flag flying days in Sweden
References
[edit]- ^ "Flag Days and Holidays – Yliopiston almanakkatoimisto". almanakka.helsinki.fi. Archived from the original on 18 June 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
- ^ a b c "Liputuspäivät ja liputusajat". Sisäministeriö. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
- ^ a b c "Finnish flag days – Ministry of the Interior". Sisäministeriö. Archived from the original on 22 October 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
- ^ Asetus liputuksesta Suomen lipulla (383/1978) Archived 31 October 2020 at the Wayback Machine. (Decree on flying the Finnish flag), 2§ as changed with decree 187/1996. Retrieved 2 June 2008. (in Finnish)
- ^ Vakiintuneet liputuspäivät Archived 26 January 2012 at the Wayback Machine (Customary flag days). Finnish ministry of interior affairs. Retrieved 2 June 2008. (in Finnish)
- ^ "News | City of Helsinki". www.hel.fi. 13 July 2023. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
- ^ "Liputus EU-lipulla". Sisäministeriö. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2023.