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News, 12/5/2003

President's Independence Day Reception on 6 December 2003

President of the Republic Tarja Halonen and Dr Pentti Arajärvi held the traditional Independence Day reception at the Presidential Palace on Saturday 6 December 2003.

As in previous years, invitations have been sent to all members of the Government, Members of Parliament, the Finnish Members of the European Parliament, senior civil servants and members of the diplomatic corps accredited to Finland. Also among the guests will be Finns who have distinguished themselves in some way or another and persons whom the President and Dr Arajärvi have met in the course of the past year.

The list of guests this year will in particular reflect the European Year of the Disabled and Finnish know-how. Special attention has also been paid to Finland’s “cultural ambassadors” – artists who have reaped success abroad in particular. All in all the invited guests will number just under 2,000.

Guests at the reception will be served the traditional buffet. This will include layer loaves, vegetable pies, filled Karelian pasties and other savouries, cakes, cookies and fruit. To drink there will be fair trade coffee, organic tea, Palace Punch, wine, beer and soft drinks. The emphasis will be on local Finnish food and organic produce. Many of the flowers used to decorate the Palace will be from Kultaranta, the President’s summer residence.

Music will be provided by the Guards Band while the guests are arriving and later for dancing in the main hall. The band will be conducted by Lieutenant-Colonel Harri Saksa, Principal Conductor of the Finnish Defence Forces and conductor of the Guards Band, Major Raine Ampuja and Captain Heino Koistinen. The Guards Band Combo ensemble will perform in the main hall from 9.45 pm onwards.

As in previous years, there will be lighter music from about 9.30 pm onwards in the Yellow Salon on the third floor of the Palace. The ensemble of five will consist of Marzi Nyman, Pekka Kuusisto, Anna-Mari Kähärä, Zarkus Poussa and Jarmo Saari.

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Updated 6/21/2005

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