During WWII, around 430,000 people were permanently displaced within Finland, while nearly 200,000 were temporarily evacuated.
Monday marks Evacuees’ Flag Day (Evakkojen liputuspäivä), which honours Finns who had to flee their homes during wartime, either temporarily or permanently.
This is the second year Finland has observed the flag day. The initiative was launched by the Karelian League, with the date chosen to coincide with the organisation’s founding anniversary, 20 April 1940.
Athough not an official flag day, the Ministry of the Interior has recommended flag flying across the country, with government agencies and institutions also taking part.
During the Second World War, Finland ceded large areas of territory to the Soviet Union.
Around 430,000 people were permanently displaced within Finland, while nearly 200,000 were temporarily evacuated. At the time, this made up 11 percent of Finland’s population, according to the interior ministry.
