President of the Republic of Finland Alexander Stubb together with his spouse Suzanne Innes-Stubb participated in the national Mother’s Day celebration on Sunday 12 May 2024. The event was organised by the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.
At the event, held at the Government Banquet Hall in Helsinki, 39 mothers were awarded with the Medal First Class with Gold Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland. The medal was conferred upon them by the President of the Republic of Finland in recognition of their merits in raising children and promoting family life and parenthood.
Those awarded the decoration included mothers of large families, single parents, foster parents, adoptive parents and support parents as well as mothers of children with special needs from different parts of Finland, from Lapland to Åland. The feature that unites the decorated mothers is not only the meritorious educational work they have done in their own family but also, for example, in various organisations. Many of the decorated mothers also volunteer to promote the welfare of children and young people. The oldest mother decorated this year is 99 years old and the youngest is 43 years old.
The Government’s greeting to the national Mother’s Day celebration was brought by Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen. The speech in honour of the occasion was given by Mirjam Kalland, Chairman of the Mannerheim League for Child Welfare. After the ceremony, the presidential couple joined the decorated mothers for the service of coffee.
The President of the Republic of Finland has been awarding decorations to Finnish mothers since 1946.
- Mannerheim League for Child Welfare 29 April 2024: On Mother’s Day, 39 distinguished mothers are awarded decorations (in Finnish)
- Names of the decorated mothers on the website of the Orders of the White Rose of Finland and the Lion of Finland (in Finnish and Swedish)
