#suomisata

December 6th is Finland’s Independence Day and this year we celebrate our first centennial of Independence from Russia.

The world has changed drastically since those days, but for us the change has perhaps been even more prominent than most. We’ve risen from total obscurity-- a country full of poor and uneducated peasants--into one of the most thriving and leading countries in the entire world, and we did it regardless of going through multiple wars and economic crises over the years.

How did we achieve this?

By not giving up, by marching uphill against the odds over and over again while biting our tongue and tasting blood, facing setback after setback, sacrifice after sacrifice, fighting each other but then fighting back against the enemy together, choosing to be united instead of divided, putting our differences aside and leaving them behind, silently accepting and respecting each other, working hard and helping each other, listening and supporting the poor and oppressed, choosing to live in a society where everyone is equal and nobody is left behind, learning (or at least trying to) from our mistakes and moving on.

Today is the day to be proud to be Finnish. We did this, and we did this together! Here’s for another 100 years, and God willing--many more!

White Deer, Snow Queen, Maiden of Finland... This week is all about Finland!

Our version of Maiden of Finland or ‘Suomenneito’. This dress and headwear was for International Beauty Pageant competition in Tokio to be used by Emilia Seppänen (second runner up of Miss Suomi 2016). Tomorrow Finland celebrates it’s hundredth year of existing as an independent country. Happy Birthday Finland!