The national main ceremony of Finland’s Veterans’ Day in 2026 will be organised in Mikkeli on Monday, 27 April, at the Mikaeli. The theme of the celebration and the preceding Veterans’ Week is ”Facing the future together”. The theme invites all of us to act jointly: to remember, to understand, and to build.
National Veterans’ Day marks the end of the Second World War and the beginning of peace, as well as a day to honour war veterans and the generations who lived through the war. These veteran and wartime generations laid the foundation for Finnish peace, reconstruction, and the welfare state, guided by values such as a strong sense of duty, perseverance, shared responsibility, and confidence in the future. The 2026 Veterans’ Day in Mikkeli invites us to reflect on the relevance of these values today – particularly from the perspective of community spirit, taking responsibility, and strengthening democracy.
Main ceremony concludes the Veterans’ Week
Before the main ceremony itself, Mikkeli will host a Veterans’ Week consisting of themed days, under which the city and its partners have built a diverse programme. For example, on Saturday 25 April, guided walking tours open to everyone will introduce participants to Mikkeli’s history in the Second World War from various perspectives, as well as to the post-war reconstruction of the city.
On Saturday, entry to many of the city’s museums will be free of charge. On Sunday, a public event will take place at the Market Square, where equipment from the Defence Forces and other authorities will be on display.
The programme for the main day, Monday 27 April 2026, will include activities such as wreath-laying, a flag-raising ceremony, a festive church service, and the national main ceremony for invited guests. Yle will broadcast the main ceremony held at Mikaeli.
Mikkeli has the special honour of hosting the national main ceremony of Veterans’ Day due to its historical role. During the war, the city served as the headquarters of Finland’s Defence Forces, where decisions of significant national consequence were made. Today, Mikkeli is home to the Finnish Army as well as NATO’s Multi-Corps Land Component Command, continuing the region’s long tradition of security-related activity.
Read more about the celebrations of National Veterans’ Day in Mikkeli at www.mikkeli.fi/nationalveteransday