Flag protocol at ceremonies in Finland

At ceremonies, in processions and at official events, flag flying follows an established protocol. The Decree on Flying the Flag of Finland contains only one provision on protocol: the Finnish flag is placed in the position of highest honour. The rest of the practice is based on international flag etiquette as described by the Ministry of the Interior and Suomalaisuuden Liitto. This guide covers rows of poles, processions and colour guards.

The Finnish flag in the position of highest honour

Under section 5 of the decree, in public flag flying the Finnish flag is placed in the position of highest honour when it is used together with another flag, standard or pennant. According to the Ministry of the Interior, in international flag flying the host country’s flag takes the position of highest honour, and in Finland the custom is laid down in the decree.

A foreign state’s flag is shown the same respect as one’s own flag, according to the Ministry: the flags are of the same size, the poles of the same height and the flags’ hoists at the same height.

Order in a row of poles

According to the Ministry of the Interior, the place of highest honour is usually heraldic right, which is on the left as seen by the viewer. Suomalaisuuden Liitto describes the most common arrangements in a row of poles as follows:

According to the Ministry, when two flags are used in a row of three poles, the Finnish flag can be placed on both outer poles and the other flag in the middle. According to Suomalaisuuden Liitto, in long rows the Finnish flag can be placed on the outer poles and also among the other countries’ flags in its alphabetical position. The Association notes that there is not always one right solution, for example when the poles stand on both sides of a driveway.

In a group of several rows, the place of highest honour is, according to the Association, the leftmost pole of the front row as seen by the audience. At events lasting several days, national flags are lowered for the night and raised again in the morning.

Order of rank of flags

According to the Ministry of the Interior’s list, flags rank as follows:

1. the Finnish flag
2. the flags of other independent states in alphabetical order of the countries’ names in French
3. the flags of federal states and autonomous regions, such as Åland and the Faroe Islands
4. the flags of international organisations, such as the UN and the International Olympic Movement
5. the flags of international regional organisations, such as the EU and the Nordic Council
6. tribal flags, such as the Sámi flag
7. the flags of the state’s administrative regions, such as regional flags
8. the flags of national organisations
9. organisation and association flags
10. other flags, such as company flags.

According to the Ministry, the order of organisation or company flags of equal rank is decided by the year of founding, oldest first.

Carried flags and processions

According to Suomalaisuuden Liitto, a carried flag is a flag attached to a portable staff about three metres long, used in processions, parades and marches. The usual order of march described by the Association is

1. a band, if there is one
2. about ten paces behind, the Finnish flag with its colour guard
3. the master of ceremonies with a ceremonial sash
4. organisation flags
5. the marching procession.

If several organisations take part, each group usually marches behind its own flag. Foreign flags follow the Finnish flag in the alphabetical order of the countries’ names in French. In Nordic contexts, the Association says, the alphabetical order of the Nordic languages can also be used.

Colour guard and ceremonial sash

According to Suomalaisuuden Liitto, a carried Finnish flag always has a colour guard, and the custom is recommended for other carried flags too. The colour guard consists of the flag bearer and usually two guards on either side. The guards of the Finnish flag always wear a blue-and-white ceremonial sash (airutnauha), worn over the shoulder and tied loosely below the waist so that, seen from the front, the sashes form something like the letter A. When a national costume or military uniform is worn, the sash is not used, according to the Association.

Funeral services and memorials

At a funeral service the flags are usually in their stands before the service begins. A black mourning ribbon can be attached to organisation flags, but not to the Finnish flag. The practice is described in the guide to flags in mourning.

Celebrations of businesses and organisations

According to Suomalaisuuden Liitto, at a celebration of a business or organisation the Finnish flag and the company flag can be flown at the same time, as long as the Finnish flag is in the position of highest honour. The Association recommends that businesses and organisations draw up their own flag rules so that the same pattern is repeated. Flag flying at businesses is described in the guide to flagpoles for businesses.