President of the Republic Sauli Niinistö and Mrs Jenni Haukio visit Kainuu and North Karelia on 17-18 June 2017. The visit is a part of the series of province visits which President Niinistö does to honor the centenary of Finland’s independence.
President Niinistö and Mrs Haukio are present at Joensuu-Jukola
As the patroness of the event, Mrs Jenni Haukio greeted the competitors at the prize giving ceremony and gave the prizes together with President Niinistö. President Niinistö receives the message of Jukola Relay on Sunday, which is addressed to the 100 year old Finland. The president and his spouse will also get acquainted with the competition area and meet people.
President Niinistö told that this is his third or fourth time at Jukola. Niinistö says Mrs Haukio is better than he at orienteering. He used to get lost even during military service.
Niinistö and Haukio planted spruce seedlings with students of Karelia University of Applied Sciences as a memory of Joensuu-Jukola. Joensuu-Jukola and Environment Online plant a hundred seedlings for the Finnish nature.
Niinistö mentioned at the planting ceremony that he had seen many beautiful sceneries on the way from Hossa to Eno. He underlined that Joensuu is the centre of forest knowledge.
– As we celebrate the 100-year-old Finland we have to remember how difficult the starting point was. We only succeeded with strong will, which we need now, too.
But where is the dog Lennu?
– We left Lennu fishing with Jenni’s parents because he really likes it and can sit hours and hours watching the popping cork.
After the planting President and Mrs Haukio received a sign and a diploma. They will also receive a festive spruce later in the autumn to be planted where they choose. The seedling will grow in Joensuu for the summer.
Niinistö believes the spruce seedling will eventually make a nice Christmas tree, a tree of the future.
Read the greeting of the patroness of Joensuu-Jukola.
Kuva: Kaisa Lappalainen-Metsälä