Speech by King Willem-Alexander at the state banquet on the occasion of the state visit of President Alexander Stubb of Finland, Royal Palace Amsterdam
Mr President,
Mrs Innes-Stubb,
It is a great pleasure to – once again – welcome you to the Netherlands.
Earlier this year, on the eve of the NATO Summit, my wife and I received you at Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague. This time we have come together at the Royal Palace Amsterdam. Tervetuloa!
Your visit underscores the close and warm relationship that our two countries have built since Finland’s independence in 1917.
That bond between us is plain to see. In many Dutch homes, people drink their coffee from Iittala mugs and have an Aalto vase on the table. And who doesn’t have fond memories of their first Nokia phone?
Finland produces musical geniuses. We love their work in the Netherlands. Under the baton of conductor Klaus Mäkelä, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra reached new heights with its performance of the symphonies of Sibelius.
And of course sport is also important. Two months ago, our national football teams faced each other at the Johan Cruijff ArenA – I won’t say anything else about that… I’d prefer to leave the post-match analysis to those seated at Mr Litmanen’s table.
You yourself are an exceptionally skilled golfer. And one who knows when to graciously concede victory to an opponent. In that way, sport can help build bridges – even across the Atlantic Ocean...
I’d like to invite you for a round of golf sometime soon, and I hope that you’ll be just as willing to let your opponent win…
In the economic arena, our countries are keen to collaborate and we work together frequently. For example, on battery technology, offshore wind farms and hydrogen.
Energy transition and digitalisation go hand-in-hand in Finland. The residual heat from data centres keeps the homes of Helsinki’s residents warm and cosy. Given the congestion on the Dutch electricity grid, that’s something we’re a little envious of.
We’ve grown so much closer since one of your predecessors – President Koivisto – paid a state visit to the Netherlands 35 years ago.
In 1995 your country joined the European Union. In 2002 Finland replaced the markka with the euro. And in 2023 your country joined NATO, significantly strengthening our alliance.
It was an emotional moment for you, but also for us. Who wouldn’t be delighted to welcome a dear friend to the club? A friend from whom we can learn so much.
Due to Finland’s geographical position in north-eastern Europe and its turbulent national history, the Finns have become masters of resilience. Residents, businesses and public authorities know exactly what’s expected of them in a crisis.
The whole-of-society approach was invented in Finland. All Finns have at least three days’ worth of emergency supplies in their homes. Bakers know what type of bread to bake; IT companies have back-up plans at the ready. And every two years there is a table-top exercise that ministries and members of the government take part in.
The nearly 900,000 reservists – and in a few years, more than a million – participate in exercises every year. Employers are generous in granting leave for this. Not as a favour, but because they realise how important it is to be well prepared for what could lie ahead.
It’s no wonder that delegations from the Netherlands regularly visit Finland to learn about your approach. And about ‘Sisu’, the Finnish philosophy of life: confronting challenges with perseverance and inner strength.
Mr President, you were elected as head of state of your country at the beginning of last year. In a very short space of time, you have joined the inner circle of heads of state and government who discuss war and peace on the European continent. Together with Ukraine, you have been tireless in your efforts to mobilise additional international support against the aggression of your neighbour. The skill with which you have operated deserves great respect.
In your speech at the United Nations on 24 September, you said, ‘Values should underpin everything we do. Without them, foreign policy will ultimately run into a wall’. I wholeheartedly agree.
The rule of law, democracy and freedom form the foundations of our society. We must cherish, protect and defend them. Because of your geographical location and your history, you know better than anyone what is at stake. Let me be clear: you are not alone. You will find us standing by your side, along with our partners in the European Union and NATO.
We look forward to broadening and deepening our cooperation with you in the areas of resilience, defence and innovation.
It helps that we have so much in common. The Dutch and the Finnish have strong opinions. We like to give our unvarnished opinion. But there’s one difference: the Finns only do so when asked…
Mr President, I’ve talked about many of the similarities between our peoples, but there’s one I haven’t mentioned yet. That is our shared love of coffee.
On average, the Finns drink more coffee in a year than anyone else in the world. The Dutch aren’t far behind.
It’ll be a while before it’s time for coffee.
First, may I ask you all to raise your glasses with me.
Kippis!
Mr President and Mrs Innes-Stubb, to your health!
To the friendship between the Netherlands and Finland!