Helsinki Times: Happiness and cultural pride as Finland marks Expo 2020 National Day with eco forum and pop kantele
1.11.2021
The happiest country in the world celebrated its National Day at Expo 2020 on 31 October, demonstrating what it takes to keep Finnish people smiling. The line-up included performances by singer-songwriter and pop kantele player Ida Elina, and male choir Seminaarinmäen Mieslaulajat, better known as Semmarit, at Al Wasl Plaza, the Finland Pavilion and venues across the Expo site.
Ida Elina charmed attendees with renditions of Pharrell Williams’ Happy and Expo 2020 anthem This Is Our Time, while the jocular members of Semmarit kept onlookers smiling with self-penned upbeat tunes, rounded off with typically Finnish song Trails of a Wolf.
Her Excellency Anu Vehviläinen, Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Finland, was welcomed by His Excellency Saqr Ghubash Saeed Ghubash, Speaker of the Federal National Council of the United Arab Emirates.
