30 Years of Sámi National Day Celebration
On February 6, 2023, the Sámi National Day will celebrate its 30th anniversary. The day commemorates the first Sámi congress, which took place in 1917 in Tråante/Trondheim, and was first celebrated in 1993.
In 1992, the 15th Saami Conference in Helsinki adopted a resolution declaring February 6 as Sámi Álbmotbeaivi – the Sámi National Day, to honour the first Sámi congress in Tråante/Trondheim in 1917. The first Sámi National Day was thus celebrated in February 1993 following this resolution. It has since grown to be a significant occasion in Sápmi, and over the years, interest in the day has grown rapidly– both within and outside the traditional sámi territories.
The President of the Saami Council, Aslak Holmberg, thinks the 30th anniversary is a perfect opportunity for the Sámi community to contemplate the significance of this day.
– Sámi álbmotbeaivi/the Sámi National Day is a representation of the strength and solidarity of the Sámi people. It is a day to honour our rich history, culture, and customs and to gather strength for our dedication to safeguarding and advancing the Sámi society, says Holmberg.
The first celebration of the Sámi National day coincided with the opening of the United Nations International Year of Indigenous People in 1993. It was celebrated in several Sámi communities all over Sápmi.
– I was just four years old when the Sámi National Day was first celebrated. Since then it has become a tradition to celebrate together with people from Ohcejohka and Sirbmá, highlighting the cross-border nature of our people. My own tradition is to celebrate it in Johkamohkki at the winter market. This day is something to look forward to every year, Holmberg continues.
The Saami Council wishes everyone a happy sámi national day/ Lihkku sámi álbmotbeivviin, and we encourage everyone to participate in their local Sámi National Day celebrations!
About the Saami Council:
The Saami Council is a voluntary Saami organization (a non–governmental organization), with Saami member organizations in Finland, Russia, Norway and Sweden. Since it was founded in 1956 the Saami Council has actively dealt with Saami policy tasks. For this reason the Saami Council is one of the indigenous peoples’ organizations that have existed longest.
The Saami Conference is the highest body of the Saami Council and therefore the most important forum of the Saami Council. It is to be arranged every four years. The official delegations of the Saami Conference consist of the member organizations of the Saami Council, in all 72 delegates representing member organizations from Finland, Norway, the Russian Federation and Sweden, with 18 delegates from each country.