Finland commemorated Veterans Day this weekend, a date which marks the end of the Lapland War on 27th April 1945.
The main events this year were held in Kuopio, with President Sauli Niinistö meeting war veterans and presenting medals to those who had not yet personally received them.
“Today, once again, when I look at you eye to eye, I receive the same message as I’ve got before on these occasions. It is something like ‘I did what was expected of me’, That’s a valuable tradition for younger generations, each to do what is expected of them, according to their abilities” Niinistö said in a speech to veterans and other dignitaries in Kuopio.
There are an estimated 10,000 veterans of Finland’s Winter War, Continuation War and Lapland War still alive today, and Veterans Day has been marked since 1987.