In Finland, what annual civic proclamation is traditionally made in Turku on Christmas Eve?

In Finland, the annual civic proclamation traditionally made in Turku on Christmas Eve is the Christmas Peace.

The declaration is read from the balcony of Turku’s Brinkkala building at noon on 24 December. It formally marks the beginning of the Christmas period and calls on people to observe the holiday peacefully. The ceremony is broadcast nationally and has become one of Finland’s most recognizable Christmas traditions.

Turku was Finland’s medieval capital, and the custom is documented from the Middle Ages. Although the wording has changed over time, its central message has remained a public appeal for calm, respect, and peaceful celebration.

The proclamation is not the same as a church service or a national Christmas speech. It is a civic tradition, and its historical connection with medieval legal declarations is one reason it has survived as a distinctive Finnish observance.