Students in the honourable Finnish education movement! You strengthen democracy and have built an independent homeland for us. We fight for independence through our work and with our ideas, from the shores of the south to the fells of the north. Your open-mindedness and courage will lead to the victory of learning. You are building this country on the bedrock of education.

Students! In our everyday lives, you keep remembering and reminding us of the importance of the best argument in the fight of ideas for where our country should be headed. When history writes about you, the world will know your work. Polarisation and intensified public debate are the challenges of our time. Our task is to carry the torch to make proud the spirit of the Academy and to strengthen the voice of education against these challenges.

We have a proud awareness of our historical mission: to protect education, to defend freedom, and to safeguard the welfare of our country and its citizens. Every day, we succeed in our task.

In honour of our war veterans, the volunteers of the women’s paramilitary force and our home front, I wish you all a patriotic and peaceful Independence Day.