Kaija Koo to perform at Finland’s nature-themed Independence Day reception

Finland’s natural environment will be the theme of this year’s Independence Day reception at the Presidential Palace, Yle reports. President Alexander Stubb and his wife, Suzanne Innes-Stubb, will host the event.

Guests include environmental researchers and experts, representatives of nature organisations and nature tourism entrepreneurs.

The Guards Band and Kaartin Combo will provide the music, with Kaija Koo as soloist. The programme will also feature Mikko Innanen and the Suomi-Finland Jazz 100 ensemble, as well as Emma and Matilda.

As in previous years, the presidential couple has invited war veterans, Lotta members and other representatives of the wartime generations to a separate event at the Presidential Palace on December 1. The television broadcast on Independence Day will include footage from that gathering.

Yle will follow the celebrations on television, Yle Areena, Yle Radio Suomi and its online services on December 6. The Independence Day reception broadcast begins at 18:15. Laura Arffman, Jussi-Pekka Rantanen, Sami Sykkö and Ari Hakahuhta will present the Finnish-language broadcast. Jonas Blomqvist, Jenny Jägerhorn and Märta Nummenmaa will present the Swedish-language coverage.

The reception broadcast on Yle Areena will have interpretation in Finnish and Finland-Swedish sign languages. The main broadcast will also include audio description.