In brief
The years 1808 and 1809 mark important events in the history of the state of Finland:
- the Finnish War between Sweden and Russia began on 21 February 1808
- the Diet of Finland assembled in the town of Porvoo on 28 March 1809
- the Treaty of Hamina was signed on 17 September 1809
- Finland obtained its own central administration on 2 October 1809
- the autonomous Finland, the Grand Duchy of Finland, was established
These events took place against the international background of the Napoleonic Wars and the ensuing Treaties of Tilsit, signed on 9 July 1807, and Erfurt, signed on 12 October 1808.
On 26 June 2006, the Prime Minister’s Office appointed a Delegation for the Year 1809. It is responsible for the preparation of State-level events commemorating 1809 and for the promotion of related events, particularly in 2009, by government agencies, institutes, local authorities and all other parties, including the media. Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen is the chair of the delegation. State Secretary Risto Volanen chairs a Committee for the Year 1809 which carries responsibility for the implementation of practical-level measures. Raimo Savolainen is acting as General Secretary for the bicentennial commemoration.
The objective of the project is, in light of recent research, to open new perspectives on the history of Finland and seek interesting and original ways of addressing related matters. On 23 January 2007, the 1809 Delegation announced that the preparation of the commemoration programme will be based on the premise that in a democratic society, the State does not offer historical truths about past events. Instead, citizens will see how our long connections, prior to the autonomy, with Sweden and, during the era of autonomy, with Russia still have an influence on the Finnish society today.
The 1809 Committee encourages state bodies, public and private societies and the whole NGO community to take the initiative and organise related events. All events will be offered wide publicity through a Bicentennial Programme Catalogue. Preparations for the bicentennial in Sweden and Russia are also of great interest. Bilateral projects are under preparation, too.
The visual designs for the bicentennial include a logo, a series of paintings and a map. The logo consists of a symbol accompanied by a motto “1809 BUILDING A NATION”. The logo symbolises how the Finnish nation was built on the foundations of Swedish and Russian traditions. The motto conveys the view that the process of building a nation is continuous and can never be completed by any given generation. The aim is to nurture and cultivate this heritage before passing it over to the next generation. The map serves as a reminder of the European background to the events.
The series of paintings captures the historical chain of events: first there was the war followed by a peace agreement, then it was time to start re-construction and educate the future generations. This trajectory is described through a combination of four well-known Finnish paintings:
- March of the Pori Regiment Soldiers in the 1808-09 War by Albert Edelfelt, 1892
- Emperor Alexander I Opening the Diet of Porvoo by Robert Wilhelm Ekman, 1858
- Log Floaters by Pekka Halonen, 1925
- Elementary School by Magnus Enckell, 1899.
200 years since the outbreak of the Finnish War - international conference on the European upheaval
Contact details
The website is maintained by:
Prime Minister’s Office
Snellmaninkatu 1 A, Helsinki
PO Box 23, FI-00023 Government
Finland
Chief Editor
Raimo Savolainen, General Secretary
tel. +358 9 1602 2355
raimo.savolainen(a)vnk.fi
Downloadable logos
Office use:
Used in electronic office applications and in electronic and printable documents. The size of the originals can be reduced but not enlarged without compromising the quality. The originals are in JPG format.
Logo (coloured)
Logo (black-and-grey)
Strip of pictures (coloured, PNG file)
Strip of pictures (black-and-grey, PNG file)
Map (coloured)
Map (black-and-grey)
Logo in Swedish (coloured)
Logo in Swedish (black-and-grey)
Logo in English (coloured)
Logo in English (black-and-grey)
Logo in French (coloured)
Logo in French (black-and-grey)
Logo in Russian (coloured)
Logo in Russian (black-and-grey)
Use in publications:
Used in printed material and high-quality prints. The size of the originals can be enlarged or reduced without compromising the quality. The originals are available in CMYK colours and in black and white for use in publications and prints. The originals are in EPS format.
Logo (coloured)
Logo (black-and-grey)
Strip of pictures (coloured, PSD file)
Strip of pictures (black-and-grey, PSD file)
Map (coloured)
Map (black-and-grey)
Logo in Swedish (coloured)
Logo in Swedish (black-and-grey)
Logo in English (coloured)
Logo in English (black-and-grey)
Logo in French (coloured)
Logo in French (black-and-grey)
Logo in Russian (coloured)
Logo in Russian (black-and-grey)