Lotta Leinonen, the President of the National Union of University Students in Finland (SYL), will be attending the Independence Day reception of President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö and Dr. Jenni Haukio at the Presidential Palace on the 6th of December.

“I’m honoured to be invited to this event and to be able to represent the students at the celebration. Traditionally, students have played a central part in building the Finnish welfare society. It is great to see that our work is deemed important”, Leinonen says.

This year, the student movement’s most significant political advocacy projects have been advocating for students during the parliamentary elections and the negotiations to form the next government at the House of the Estates. SYL met up with many candidates and new MP to discuss issues important to students, such as securing one’s livelihood during studies and public funding for education. The campaign that SYL ran during the parliamentary elections had a very colourful visual look, and Leinonen says that their outfit for the Independence Day reception will not pale in comparison.

“It was important to me to find an outfit that could be later modified to fit different occasions. Advocating for students’ wellbeing is a serious and weighty task, but the colours add a sense of playfulness to the celebration. I will also be getting married next summer and plan on wearing the same dress as I walk down the aisle”, Leinonen says.

Further information:

SYL President Lotta Leinonen, tel. +358 906 5004.