Havis Amanda statue to receive its student cap with a hidden eco-message – watch live from 17:30

The iconic Havis Amanda statue in Helsinki will be crowned with a white student cap today, continuing a beloved May Day tradition, reports Finnish broadcaster Yle. This year’s ceremony, organised by the Student Union of the University of Helsinki (HYY), carries a focus on Baltic Sea conservation and will be broadcast live online from 17:30 local time.

The cap, traditionally placed on the statue’s head at 18:00, is made from recycled materials, including surplus fabric from student cap production and an apple fibre sweatband crafted from food industry byproducts. Ella-Kaisa Lehtinen, a Nordic languages student tasked with placing the cap, emphasised the environmental theme: “May Day often leads to littering, and much of it ends up in the sea. We want to highlight how individual choices can improve the Baltic’s health.”

The event begins at 16:00 with speeches and music, followed by the statue’s ceremonial washing at 17:00. Only after Havis Amanda is capped may other students don their own white caps, per tradition.

Yle will stream the ceremony live on its website and Yle Areena platform starting at 17:30.