<h6><strong>The Diplomat</strong></h6> <h4><strong>This December 6 will be a very important date for Finland, as Ambassador Sari Rautio pointed out at the reception she hosted at her official residence to commemorate the 107th anniversary of its independence from the Russian Empire. This day also commemorates those who died in the Winter and Continuation Wars against Russia.</strong></h4> Sari Rautio admitted that, in the present circumstances, “we are saddened that we are once again in a very difficult world situation” and pointed out that “<strong>for us the concern, the number 1 threat is Russia, a country that does not respect International Law nor the sovereignty of its neighbors</strong>; a country that believes in violence, corruption and foments conflicts in the world”. The ambassador recalled that the then <strong>Soviet Union started the Winter War against Finland in 1939 “in the same way it started the war against Ukraine almost 3 years ago.”</strong> “This is the clearest example at the moment,” she said, ”of how Russia acts and why we are concerned and feel a threat.” “It is also the <strong>reason why we very strongly feel the need to support Ukraine as far as it is necessary,” she added.</strong> “That is why, on our Independence Day, we think of all that we did to win our independence, but we also think of those who are fighting for their independence.” “And <strong>Ukraine,” she said, ”is not only fighting for its independence and sovereignty, but for all of us, for democracy and for freedom.”</strong> Sari Rautio declared that this December 6 “is a very emotional date personally because it will be the last National Day that I will celebrate here in Madrid”. However, she wanted to end her speech “with a happy message”, for having represented Finland in “this wonderful country that is Spain”, and of gratitude “to my family, my husband and my daughter, who are always supporting me in this work as ambassador”. [caption id="attachment_102781" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="size-full wp-image-102781" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Cantando-himno-ok.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="422" /> The Finnish ambassador together with Katja Hytönen, Consular Affairs Officer of the Embassy sang a cappella the anthem of Finland.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_102772" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-102772 size-full" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Australia-Croacia-Portugal-y-Lituania-ok.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="422" /> From left to right: the ambassadors of Australia, Croatia and Lithuania with the ambassador of Portugal.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_102774" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-102774 size-full" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Grupo-Isaboca-ok.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="422" /> The musical group Isaboca livened up the evening with their intimate and quality music.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_102776" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-102776 size-full" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Suecia-Andorra-Estonia-y-Noruega-ok.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="428" /> From left. to right: the Swedish ambassador and his wife, together with the ambassadors of Andorra, Estonia and Norway.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_102778" align="alignnone" width="750"]<img class="wp-image-102778 size-full" src="https://thediplomatinspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Serbia-y-Albania-ok.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="422" /> Lovely snapshot of the ambassadors from Serbia (left) with their counterpart from Albania.[/caption]
