Flag days in Finland
Flag 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. Any citizen has a right to fly the flag on their own property if they deem it appropriate[1][2], for example in celebration birthdays or weddings. On certain days of the year the state officially flies the flag, and recommends all private citizens to do so as well[3].
Legal enforcement
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.
- 28 February, day of Kalevala; the occasion is also celebrated as the Day of Finnish culture
- 1 May, Vappu, the Day of Finnish Labour
- Second Sunday in May, Mother's Day
- 4 June, 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 20 June and 26 June, Midsummer Day; the occasion is also celebrated as the Day of the Finnish Flag. The flag is hoisted on Midsummer's eve at 6 PM and flown through the night until 9 PM the next day.
- Second Sunday in November, Father's Day in Finland
- 6 December, Independence Day
- Days when Finland holds parliamentary, presidential and local elections, elections to the European Parliament, or a referendum
- The day the President of Finland is inaugurated (1 March in every six years, next time in 2024)
Customary flag days
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]
- 5 February, birthday of the national poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg
- 19 March, birthday of novelist and playwright Minna Canth, Day of Equality
- 9 April, Day of the Finnish language. On this day Mikael Agricola, the founder of the literary Finnish language died, and Elias Lönnrot, a collector of folklore was born.
- 27 April, National War Veterans' Day
- 9 May, Europe Day
- 12 May, Day of the Finnish Identity (or The Finnish Identity Day), birthday of the statesman Johan Vilhelm Snellman
- Third Sunday in May, memorial day for the war dead (everyone who has died in Finnish wars, combat-like duties or peacekeeping operations both during fighting and after they've ceased, including those executed or who have died as a POW)
- 6 July, birthday of the poet Eino Leino; the occasion is also a celebration of poetry and summer
- 10 October, birthday of the National writer Aleksis Kivi; the occasion is also celebrated as the Day of Finnish literature
- 24 October, Day of the United Nations
- 6 November, Finnish Swedish Heritage Day and Gustavus Adolphus Day
- 8 December, birthday of the composer Jean Sibelius; the occasion is also celebrated as the Day of Finnish music[6]
Time
The flag is flown from 8 AM to sunset, or until 9 PM if sunset happens later. There are three exceptions:
- On Midsummer the flag is flown through the night, from 6 PM on Midsummer Eve to 9 PM on Midsummer Day.
- On Independence Day the flag is flown from 8 AM to 8 PM.
- On election days, the flag is flown from 8 AM to 8 PM.
See also
- Holidays in Finland
- National anthem of Finland
- Finnish national symbols
- Household pennant of Finland
- Flag Day (a list of Flag Days in various countries)
References
- Liputuspäivät ja liputusajat — Sisäministeriö (in Finnish)
- Finnish flag days — Ministry of the Interior
- Flag Days and Holidays in Finland
- Asetus liputuksesta Suomen lipulla (383/1978). (Decree on flying the Finnish flag), 2§ as changed with decree 187/1996. Retrieved 2-6-2008. (in Finnish)
- Vakiintuneet liputuspäivät Archived January 26, 2012, at the Wayback Machine (Customary flag days). Finnish ministry of interior affairs. Retrieved 2-6-2008. (in Finnish)
- Ministry of the Interior - The days the flag is flown Archived 2012-08-12 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 27 May 2012.