Students defending Finnish education! You have honourably carried the torch of our independence and strengthened its flame. Our battles are greater than the sum of us, and we must be proud of our role in them. We will continue our work and defend the independence of our country for the coming centuries.

Students! We are not without threats to our independence. With the Russian war of aggression, war has returned near our borders. We live in a world that is different from our childhood, and we cannot afford naivete with regard to the rogue state across our eastern border. Our task is to foster an independent Finland and its unity. This cannot be done by staying silent in the face of polarisation. We do not bow down, we fight, and we believe in the victory of civilisation. Our cause is shared by all of Finland, and it must be carried out for the sake of our country.

You bear the responsibility that has fallen on our time. We are not afraid of this responsibility; instead, we are proud to bear it for our independent and strong country. We will do this for future generations to be able to enjoy peace and security and dream of love. Our battle today is about factual information. Fortunately, facts have always been one of our indisputable strengths, thanks to which we will not fall for provocation. Let us not forget this. Fortify your own thinking and that of our nation’s against outside pressure. This is how we fulfil our role and our responsibilities in our time, because this land is not for sale or lease.

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.