Independence Day speech template (Finland)
Published 10 October 2026 · Date checked on 5 October 2026 · Written by the Cue Card Converter team at EventProgrammer, event production professionals
Finland's Independence Day, Itsenäisyyspäivä, is celebrated on 6 December. It marks the day in 1917 when the Finnish Parliament approved the declaration of independence. The mood is festive but dignified. Flags fly across the country, wreaths are laid at war memorials, and many families light two candles in their windows in the evening. The President's Independence Day reception at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki is broadcast live and watched by many Finns.
- Date
- December 6
- Next dates
- Sunday 6 December 2026
Monday 6 December 2027
Wednesday 6 December 2028 - Country
- Finland
- Tone
- Celebratory
- Typical events
- Finnish embassy receptions, Finnish societies and schools abroad, municipal celebrations, school assemblies before the holiday and company gatherings around 6 December.
- Length
- 161 spoken words · about 1 min at 130 words a minute · 4 cue cards
The Independence Day speech, ready as cue cards
A complete host script in 4 cards, about 1 minutes of speaking. Open it in the editor to add your names, change the card size or highlights, and print.
- TERVETULOA1 / 4
Good evening, and tervetuloa, welcome. I'm {Your name}, and on behalf of {Organisation} it's an honour to mark Finland's Independence Day with you. Outside it may be dark and cold, but inside, this is one of the warmest evenings of the Finnish year. - A NATION'S DECISION2 / 4
On 6 December 1917, the Parliament of Finland approved the declaration of independence. Every generation since has built on that decision, through hard times and good ones. Tonight we celebrate it as many Finns do: with the blue cross flag, with music and with light. - TWO CANDLES3 / 4
In many Finnish homes tonight, two candles burn in the window. We will light ours now. Please welcome {Candle lighters}.
[TWO CANDLES ARE LIT]
Please now stand for the national anthem.
[NATIONAL ANTHEM – MAAMME / VÅRT LAND]
Thank you. Please be seated. - CLOSING4 / 4
Thank you for celebrating with us. When you go home tonight, perhaps light two candles of your own, and if you are watching the reception from Helsinki later, enjoy it. Hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää, and a very happy Independence Day to you all.
Red is used only for names, titles, organisations, dates, times and section headings. Replace the words in {curly brackets} with your own details; lines in [SQUARE BRACKETS] are stage directions and are not read aloud.
How to adapt it
- Independence Day is festive but dignified. Smart dress, blue and white decorations and candlelight suit the evening better than party games or loud music.
- Finland has two national languages. The anthem is sung as Maamme in Finnish or Vårt land in Swedish; print the version your guests know, or both.
- If veterans or their families attend, consider a short moment of remembrance before the anthem, as wreaths are laid at war memorials across Finland on this day.
- Hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää means 'happy Independence Day'. Practise the pronunciation with a Finnish speaker beforehand, or let a Finnish guest say it for you.
Print and rehearse
“Edit and print these cards” opens the script in the free cue card maker, where you can choose A5, 4 × 6 or 3 × 5 inch cards, print several per sheet with cut lines or export PDF, PowerPoint and Word, and rehearse full screen in practice mode. To write your own programme around it, see how to write an MC script and the run of show template.
Sources
Date and background checked on 5 October 2026 against: Finns celebrate freedom every December - thisisFINLAND. Customs vary between organisations and regions; always follow the official programme of your event.