Flag flying days in Finland

2025-06-06T11:15:11Z

2A02:AA14:2380:E380:A800:5FD1:57A2:217F:

{{short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
[[File:Flag of Finland.svg|thumb|National Flag of Finland]]
[[File:Flag of Finland (state).svg|thumb|State Flag of Finland]]
[[File:Flag of Finland 20181206.jpg|thumb|Flag of Finland waving from a pole]]

'''Flag flying days in Finland''' are days of the year when the [[Flag of Finland|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 day]]s as listed below.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://almanakka.helsinki.fi/en/flag-days-and-holidays-in-finland.html|title=Flag Days and Holidays – Yliopiston almanakkatoimisto|website=almanakka.helsinki.fi|access-date=18 June 2019|archive-date=18 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190618113225/https://almanakka.helsinki.fi/en/flag-days-and-holidays-in-finland.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Any citizen has a right to fly the flag on their own property if they deem it appropriate,<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://intermin.fi/suomen-lippu/liputuspaivat|title=Liputuspäivät ja liputusajat|website=Sisäministeriö|access-date=18 June 2019|archive-date=6 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206033543/https://intermin.fi/suomen-lippu/liputuspaivat|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://intermin.fi/en/flag-and-arms/flag-flying-days|title=Finnish flag days – Ministry of the Interior|website=Sisäministeriö|access-date=22 October 2019|archive-date=22 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022192516/https://intermin.fi/en/flag-and-arms/flag-flying-days|url-status=live}}</ref> for example in celebration of birthdays or weddings in the family. Midsummer's day is additionally celebrated as Flag Day in Finland.

== Legal enforcement ==

By law, the Finnish flag must be flown from public buildings on the following days.<ref>[https://www.finlex.fi/fi/lainsaadanto/1978/383 ''Asetus liputuksesta Suomen lipulla'' (383/1978)] . (Decree on flying the Finnish flag), 2§ as changed with decree 187/1996. Retrieved 2 June 2008. {{in lang|fi}}</ref> It is recommended that private citizens to also fly the flag on these days.

{| class="wikitable"
! Date
! English name<ref name="auto"/>
! Finnish name<ref name="auto1"/>
! Swedish name<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Flaggdagar och tider |url=https://intermin.fi/sv/flagga-och-vapen/flaggdagar-och-tider |access-date=19 January 2025 |website=Inrikesministeriet |language=sv-SE}}</ref>
! Remarks
|-
| 28 February
| [[Kalevala Day]],
Day of Finnish culture
| {{lang|fi|Kalevalan päivä}} or {{Lang|fi|suomalaisen kulttuurin päivä}}
| {{lang|sv|Kalevaladagen}} or {{Lang|sv|den finska kulturens dag}}
| On this day in 1835, [[Elias Lönnrot]] signed the preface of the first edition of ''Kalevala''.
|-
| 1 May
| [[Labour Day]]
| {{lang|fi|vappu}}
| {{lang|sv|första maj}}
|
|-
| Second Sunday in May
| [[Mother's Day]]
| {{lang|fi|äitienpäivä}}
| {{lang|sv|morsdagen}}
|
|-
| 4 June
| Flag Day of the [[Finnish Defence Forces]]
| {{lang|fi|puolustusvoimain lippujuhlan päivä}}
| {{lang|sv|försvarets fanfest}}
| Birthday of [[Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim]], Marshal of Finland
|-
| Saturday between 20 and 26 June
| [[Midsummer Day]]
| {{lang|fi|juhannus}}
| {{lang|sv|midsommardagen}}
| 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]]
| {{lang|fi|isänpäivä}}
| {{lang|sv|farsdagen}}
|
|-
| 6 December
| [[Independence Day (Finland)|Independence Day]]
| {{lang|fi|itsenäisyyspäivä}}
| {{lang|sv|självständighetsdagen}}
| [[Finnish Declaration of Independence]] was adopted on 6 December 1917.
|-
| Movable
| Days when Finland holds parliamentary, presidential and local [[elections]], elections to the [[European Parliament]], or a [[referendum]]
|
|
|-
| Movable
| The day the [[President of Finland]] is inaugurated
| {{lang|fi|presidentin virkaanastumispäivä}}
| {{lang|sv|den dag då republikens president tillträder sitt ämbete}}
| 1 February or 1 March in every six years
|}

== 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.<ref>[http://www.intermin.fi/intermin/home.nsf/pages/B51B50A211ADB353C2256B1B00515948 ''Vakiintuneet liputuspäivät''] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120126142120/http://www.intermin.fi/intermin/home.nsf/pages/B51B50A211ADB353C2256B1B00515948 |date=26 January 2012 }} (Customary flag days). Finnish ministry of interior affairs. Retrieved 2 June 2008. {{in lang|fi}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
! Date
! English name
! Finnish name
! Swedish name
! Remarks
|-
| 5 February
| [[Runeberg Day]]
| {{lang|fi|Runebergin päivä}}
| {{lang|sv|Runebergsdagen}}
| Birthday of the national poet [[Johan Ludvig Runeberg]]
|-
| 19 March
| Minna Canth Day, Day of [[Egalitarianism|Equality]]
| {{lang|fi|Minna Canthin päivä}} or {{lang|fi|tasa-arvon päivä}}
| {{lang|sv|Minna Canth-dagen}} or {{lang|sv|jämställdhetsdagen}}
| Birthday of novelist and playwright [[Minna Canth]]
|-
| 9 April
| Mikael Agricola Day, Day of the [[Finnish language]]
| {{lang|fi|suomen kielen päivä}}
| {{lang|sv|Mikael Agricoladagen}} or {{lang|sv|finska språkets dag}}
| 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 Veterans' Day]]
| {{lang|fi|kansallinen veteraanipäivä}}
| {{lang|sv|nationella veterandagen}}
| [[Military history of Finland during World War II|World War II in Finland]] ended on 27 April 1945.
|-
| 9 May
| [[Europe Day]]
| {{lang|fi|Eurooppa-päivä}}
| {{lang|sv|Europadagen}}
| It is advised by the Finnish Ministry of the Interior that the [[Flag of the European Union|European Union flag]] is flown alongside the Finnish flag on this day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://intermin.fi/suomen-lippu/liputus-eu-lipulla|title=Liputus EU-lipulla|website=Sisäministeriö|access-date=28 January 2023|archive-date=7 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207103528/https://intermin.fi/suomen-lippu/liputus-eu-lipulla|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| 12 May
| Day of Finnish Identity
| {{Lang|fi|J.V. Snellmannin päivä}} or {{lang|fi|suomalaisuuden päivä}}
| {{lang|sv|Snellmansdagen}} or {{lang|sv|finskhetens dag}}
| Birthday of the statesman [[Johan Vilhelm Snellman]]
|-
| Third Sunday in May
| [[Commemoration Day of Fallen Soldiers|Remembrance Day]]
| {{lang|fi|kaatuneitten muistopäivä}}
| {{lang|sv|de stupades dag}}
| A memorial day for 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
| Eino Leino Day,
Day of Summer and Poetry
| {{lang|fi|Eino Leinon päivä}} or {{lang|fi|Runon ja suven päivä}}
| {{lang|sv|Eino Leinodagen}} or {{lang|sv|diktens och sommarens dag}}
| Birthday of the poet [[Eino Leino]]
|-
| The last Saturday in August
| Finland's Nature Day
| {{lang|fi|Suomen luonnon päivä}}
| {{lang|sv|den finska naturens dag}}
|
|-
| 1 October
| Miina Sillanpää Day, Day of Civic Participation
| {{lang|fi|Minna Sillanpään päivä}} or {{lang|fi|kansalaisvaikuttamisen päivä}}
| {{lang|sv|Miina Sillanpää-dagen}} or
{{lang|sv|medborgarinflytandets dag}}
| The date commemorates the declaration of [[universal suffrage]] in Finland on 1 October 1906.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Miina Sillanpään liputuspäivä |url=https://www.miinasillanpaaseura.fi/seura/miina-sillanpaan-liputuspaiva |access-date=11 February 2025 |website=Miina Sillanpään Seura}}</ref>
|-
| 10 October
| Aleksis Kivi Day,
Finnish Literature Day
| {{lang|fi|Aleksis Kiven päivä}} or {{lang|fi|suomalaisen kirjallisuuden päivä}}
| {{lang|sv|Aleksis Kividagen}} or
{{lang|sv|den finska litteraturens dag}}
| Birthday of the national writer [[Aleksis Kivi]]
|-
| 24 October
| [[United Nations Day]]
| {{lang|fi|Yhdistyneiden kansakuntien päivä}}
| {{lang|sv|FN-dagen}}
| [[United Nations]] began its operations on 24 October 1945.
|-
| 6 November
| [[Finnish Swedish Heritage Day]]
| {{lang|fi|ruotsalaisuuden päivä}}
| {{lang|sv|svenska dagen}}
| Coincides with [[Gustavus Adolphus Day]] in Sweden.<ref name="uvf">{{Cite web |title=Svenska dagen |url=https://www.uppslagsverket.fi/sv/sok/view-170045-SvenskaDagen |access-date=6 November 2024 |website=Uppslagsverket Finland}}</ref>
|-
| 20 November
| [[World Children's Day|Day of Children's Rights]]
| {{lang|fi|lapsen oikeuksien päivä}}
| {{lang|sv|barnkonventionens dag}}
| [[Declaration of the Rights of the Child]] was adopted by the [[United Nations|UN]] on 20 November 1959.
|-
| 8 December
| Jean Sibelius Day, Finnish Music Day
| {{lang|fi|Jean Sibeliuksen päivä}} or
{{Lang|fi|suomalaisen musiikin päivä}}
| {{lang|sv|Jean Sibeliusdagen}} or {{lang|sv|den finländska musikens dag}}
| Birthday of Finnish composer [[Jean Sibelius]].
|}

==Other recommended flag days in 2025==

{| class="wikitable"
! Date<ref>{{Cite web |title=Liputuspäivät vuonna 2025 |url=https://intermin.fi/suomen-lippu/liputuspaivat/2025 |access-date=3 February 2025 |website=Sisäministeriö |language=fi-FI}}</ref>
! English name
! Finnish name
! Swedish name
! Remarks
|-
| 3 February
| [[Alvar Aalto|Alvar]] and [[Aino Aalto]] Day, Day of Finnish Architecture and Design
| {{lang|fi|Alvar ja Aino Aallon sekä suomalaisen arkkitehtuurin ja muotoilun päivä}}
| {{lang|sv|Alvar och Aino Aaltos samt finsk arkitekturs och formgivnings dag}}
| Birthday of the architect [[Alvar Aalto]]
|-
| 6 February
| [[Sámi National Day]]
| {{lang|fi|saamelaisten kansallispäivä}}
| {{lang|sv|samernas nationaldag}}
| [[Sámi Assembly of 1917|The first international Sámi congress]] began on 6 February 1917.
|-
| 8 April
| [[International Romani Day]]
| {{lang|fi|Romanien kansallispäivä}}
| {{lang|sv|Romernas nationaldag}}
| In honour of the first major international Romani meeting on 7–12 April 1971
|-
| 9 August
| [[Tove Jansson]] Day, Day of Finnish Art
| {{lang|fi|Tove Janssonin ja suomalaisen taiteen päivä}}
| {{lang|sv|Tove Janssons samt finska konstens dag}}
| Birthday of the artist [[Tove Jansson]]
|}

== See also ==

* [[Public holidays in Finland]]
* [[Maamme|National anthem of Finland]]
* [[Finnish national symbols]]
* [[Household pennant|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==

{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Culture of Finland]]
[[Category:Society of Finland]]
[[Category:Lists of observances]]
[[Category:Finnish flag flying days| ]]
[[Category:Flag flying days|Finland]]

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Flag flying days in Finland