That the Parliament recognises Finnish Independence Day 2017, which takes place on 6 December 2017 and will mark 100 years of Finland’s independence from Russia; understands that, after 654 years as part of the Swedish realm, Finland was ceded to the Russian Empire in 1809, with the Tsar declaring himself constitutional monarch over the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland; acknowledges that the Finnish Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Parliament of Finland on 6 December 1917; recognises that, on independence day, Finns will honour the soldiers who heroically resisted the Soviet invasion of 30 November 1939 for 105 days, fought in the Continuation War, from June 1941 to September 1944 and the subsequent Lapland War against Nazi Germany and is aware that peace with the Allies was concluded formally by the 1947 Paris Peace Treaty, followed by seven decades of neutrality; congratulates Finland on being ranked as the second-best country for quality of life in the EU by Eurostat, and commends its people on building a modern, confident, and progressive independent nation over the past 100 years, while leading the world in such fields as education, legislation to eradicate homelessness, and technological innovation.