Finland to celebrate 100th Independence anniversary with coffee, blue and white lightings

Finland. Photo Credit: Condé Nast Traveller

OFFICIAL celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of Finland will commence in Helsinki, its capital on December 6, 2017, in Nigeria and around the world with monuments in the country draped and illuminated with blue and white lightings. The entire country will also take a moment together to enjoy a cup of coffee to mark the occasion, amidst winter darkness and the national colours that all Finns feel nostalgic and patriotic about.
A statement in Abuja by Ambassador Pirjo Suomela-Chowdury of Finland, disclosed that the joyful activities will bring people together. “Singers will sing, dancers will dance, and the nation’s favourite sport ice hockey will get its own special celebration.”

According to him, Finns are the biggest coffee drinkers in the world, with the country becoming an independent nation 100 years ago. Finns and friends of Finland across the world will celebrate the milestone this week.
The statement said the story of the 100-year-old Finland is both ordinary and extraordinary. It rests on the values and practice of equality, education, good governance, and hard work. The theme of the anniversary year is ‘Together’.
Suomela-Chowdury said for 100 years, Finns have engaged themselves in building their country. “They have enjoyed the same period of unbroken democracy. They are proud of that, as they are of other achievements, whether in technology, education or elsewhere. Over the decades, Finns have enthusiastically cheered their ski jumpers, formula drivers, architects, composers and singers – while remembering that any recognition must only give cause for brief exhilaration, before setting one’s sight on the next task.”
The envoy noted that the anniversary year has been a particularly active one. “It was kicked off in February, with the ‘CodeBus Africa’ project that focused on encouraging girls into computer coding. Students from four local public schools learned how to produce music through coding during this activity that the Embassy of Finland, with its local partner, Ventures Platform, brought to Nigeria, as part of a project that took place in 10 African countries.”