Radio | Clear news | Friday 10 November 2023
President Martti Ahtisaari’s funeral and life’s work.
President Ahtisaari’s funeral and life’s work
President Martti Ahtisaari was buried today, Friday.
Ahtisaari was the president of Finland from 1994 to 2000. He died on October 16.
In this broadcast, we talk about President Ahtisaari’s funeral and Ahtisaari’s life’s work.
Reporter Merja Windia has followed Ahtisaari’s funeral.
Merja, how was Ahtisaari’s funeral?
The funeral was dignified, but the atmosphere was warm.
The current president of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, spoke at the funeral. Niinistö said that Ahtisaari was a great Finn. In addition, Ahtisaari saw something good in all people, Niinistö said.
Ahtisaari’s wife Eeva and son Marko were moved by Niinistö’s speech.
Who were the guests at the funeral?
There were more than 800 invited guests at the funeral. Among the guests was, for example, the King of Sweden, Kaarle Kustaa.
The President of Namibia also participated in Ahtisaari’s funeral. Ahtisaari helped Namibia become independent a little over 30 years ago.
In addition, among the guests were heads of state from Kosovo and Indonesia. Ahtisaari was negotiating peace for both countries.
Was the president also a peace negotiator?
Yes, Ahtisaari worked as an international peace negotiator for many decades. After the presidential term, Ahtisaari founded an organization that helps resolve violent conflicts.
In the world, Ahtisaari is known above all as a peace negotiator. In 2008, Ahtisaari was the first Finn to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
Ahtisaari’s coffin was taken from the cathedral to the cemetery in a funeral procession that passed through the center of Helsinki. Were there people along the streets?
Yes, there were thousands of people lining the streets, even though it was raining. Many wanted to come to honor Ahtisaari’s memory.
President Ahtisaari was buried in the Hietaniemi cemetery. Why was Ahtisaari buried in Hietaniemi?
In Finland, it is customary for presidents to be buried in the Hietaniemi cemetery. Only two presidents are buried elsewhere.
Thank you for this information, Merja.
Weather
The weekend is rainy in a large part of the country.
It rains in the south and it snows in the central part of the country.
In the north, it’s raining, meaning it doesn’t rain or snow. On Saturday, the sun will even shine in the north.
The temperature is on the plus side in the south, freezing in the north.