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Review: Independence Celebration 2011 - a night to remember
Published: Mon / January 9 / 2012
Oi maamme Suomi, synnyinmaa! Soi, sana kultainen!
On the 3rd of December, 300 guests sang along the Finnish national anthem while watching the blue and white flag up in the air. The Independence Celebration, held at the Vizcaya Club three days before the Finnish Independence Day, was hosted jointly by the Consulate General of Finland, FBCS and Shanghai Finns.
The evening's keynote speakers were Mr. Matti Heimonen, General Consul of Finland, Mr. Tero Kosonen, Chairman of FBCS, and Ms. Maria Måtar, Chairwoman of Shanghai Finns. They emphasized the rising importance of China, and especially Shanghai, in the global arena. Moreover, the significance of cooperation was highlighted.
During Ms. Måtar's greetings, she presented the Shanghai Finns' Suomen Sisu (The spirit of Finland) -award to volunteers who have made outstanding contributions for the Finnish society in Shanghai. This year, Mr. Matti and Mrs. Hilkka Heimonen, as well as Mr. Oskar Helling were honored with for their invaluable work.
The evening's entertainment was provided by the Finnish band Flipper. Pictures of the celebration can be found at Shanghai Finns' website.