Finland on Thursday celebrated 90 years of independence with official ceremonies, a presidential ball and torch- lit parades, according to dpa. President Tarja Halonen laid a wreath at the Hietaniemi cemetery in Helsinki where state funerals are held. The cemetery has a section for soldiers who died during World War II when Finland fought the Soviet Union. Halonen also attended a service at Helsinki cathedral where Lutheran Archbishop Jukka Paarma officiated. Later, Halonen - the country's first female head of state - was to host a reception and ball at the president's palace for some 1,900 guests from all walks of life. Finnish television was carrying live pictures of the festive array of politicians, sports personalities, entertainers and business leaders filing past the president and her husband, Pentti Arajarvi. The first such reception was held in 1919. On the eve of independence day, Statistics Finland reported that 17 of the 200 children born December 6, 1917 were still alive - 15 of them women.
