Double celebration of Finnish Independence Day in Shanghai

In Shanghai, to honour Finland’s 100th anniversary, the Independence Day was celebrated at two different occasions. Both of the events were held at the historic Fairmont Peace Hotel, with one on Saturday, December 2, and the second one the actual Independence Day, December 6. Saturday’s event was organized by Finnish Business Council Shanghai (FBCS) together with the Shanghai Finns. The Independence Day reception on December 6, held for the first time in Shanghai, was hosted by the Consulate General together with FBCS.

The Independence Day Gala on December 2 continued the tradition where the Finns in Shanghai and the surrounding provinces gather together to celebrate the most important day of the year. This time, with “Together” as the slogan for the Centennial year, the invitation was extended to friends of Finland and nearly 400 guests attended the gala. Shanghai’s very own international choir, Shanghai International Voices, performed at the event and the party kicked into full gear with Annika Eklund and band – naturally, the culmination of the gala was when the artist performed her very aptly titled hit song, “Lights of Shanghai”.

The Independence Day reception on December 6, hosted by Consul General Jan Wahlberg, was attended by three hundred guests, including important Chinese partners, Finnish companies and members of the diplomatic community. Consul General Wahlberg held a speech in honor of the occasion, followed by the performance of Ida Elina – a popular Finnish artist combining the traditional instrument kantele with modern musical styles.

Source: Embassy of Finland, Beijing

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